A HEATED DEBATE.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXII, Issue 48, 25 August 1911, Page 3

A HEATED DEBATE.

CHIEF JUSTICE AND THE COOK ISLANDS. ATTACK AND DEFENCE. THE GOVERNMENT POSITION. CRITICISM OF JUDGES. Some days ago the report of the Chief Justice on the charges made against the administration of the Cook Islands was laid on the table of the House of Representatives, and the Acting-Prime Minister then stated that he would set aside a day for the discussion of the report. Thursday was the day selected, and about 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon the House entered upon a discussion of the subject which lasted until clow upon midnight. The attendance of members throughout the debate was above the average, and during the greater part of the ftfftceedings the galleries were full. , At times the debate severely strained the capacity .of the political thermometer, once or twice it went to x&to, but the average was well maintained, and the dull moments wero few and far between. STAR CHAMBER ENQUIRY ALLEGED. Tha debate was opened by Mr. R. A. Wright, who expressed the opinion that the report wiis decidedly .unsatisfactory. I\> was not difficult to imagine the reason /or tbat. The people who the complaints wanted a public enquiry on oath, and instead of that the report was compiled largely on tittletattle. In every sense of the word it was a Star Chamber enquiry, and he made bold to say that the result would be unsatisfactory to everyone who knew I anything of what .was going on. The Chief Justice was assisted by Mr. Waldegrave, who went there as a partisan of the Government, and, according to a report in the Evening Post, told the'natives not to listen to those who were opposing the Government, Mr, Meld i Read the Dominion on the same subject. . , Mf. Wright j I read The Post because it is regarded as being' more unbiased. Everybody, he added, knew that the natives were afraid of tke Government, and the sending down of a certain native tended to intimidate them. ft might be, as the .Chief Justice 'said, that there was no power to take evidence on oath, but it could have been taken on sworn affidavits, or in open" court. Therefore, he said, it was an unfair, unjust, and biased report. Eveal so, he declared that the charges were practically admitted, although the Chief Justice expressed the opinion that they were of minor importance. Mr, Wright dealt in detail with the charges relating, to hospital management, complaining that the whole of the correspondence was not published, and that an incorrect statement was made as to the unpublished portion of the correspondence haying; been handed to Dr, Chesson wi Ms arrival. As to the administration of justice, the charge that a native had been sentenced to twenty-ono days' imprisonment on bread arid water was admitted, the only explanation being that he did net live on bread and water. It was also admitted that another man was sentenced to two years' imprisonment on Maiden Island, outside the jurisdiction of the Commission. He (Mr. Wright) still contended that the charge was unjust. It was also admitted that accused persons were sworn before being asked to plead, and all the .Chief Justice could say in answer was that it did not appear that any harm was done. Regarding* the use made of prisoners, the question was involved of whether prisoners should be employed doing work around Government offices. He maintained that such a practice- was wrong, even if the f Chief Justice thought the complaint .was trivial. The dismissal of Mr. Reynolds (the policeman) involved; the question of alcoholic liquor dn the islands, as Mr. Reynolds complained that the Commissioner was not in sympathy with, his affords to put down ' the sale of liquor. He (Mr. Wright) was firmly convinced that if the enquiry had been carried • out fully and on oath it would have been found that Mr, Reynolds was dismissed because he endeavoured to put down this illicit traffic. Regarding the drainage of the Maererenga. Lagoon, Dr. Rangihiroa- stated that session that the lagoon was a breeding-ground of disease, but the report of the Chief Justice made out that it was, a. kind of beauty spot. No reason had been given as to why the work of draining the lagoon could not be carried out, while there was ample power for the Government to take any properly that might be improved by the work of drainage. Mr. Wright also objected to the report on the appointment of Mr. Twiss as temporary audi* tor, on the ground of Mr. Twiss. 1 s close connection with Captain Smith. Further, he did not believe the Chief Justice knew the fall facts about a sum of £680 voted for expenditure on the Commissioner's residence. fie moved that the report be referred back to the Chief Justice for further consideration. SIR JAMES CARROLL'S REPLY. The Acting-Prime Minister (Sir Jamas CairoD) said he did not attach any weight or importance to Mr. Wright's speech. Nothing, it was apparent, would satisfy him, whoever made tie enquiry, he would not be satisfied unless the rewas in accordance with his views, he Government objected to the islands being mad© a pawn in the game of party politics. The condition of the people of the islands had improved. There was nothing specific in the criticism to justify the charges made against the Administration. The Cook Wandta' dwelling places compared favourably with those of the residents of other Pacific islands. PERSONAL AND POLITICAL FEELING. The nature of the charges was. ridiculous, Sir James lesamod, and he believed that they had been promoted by personal feeling in the islands/ assisted by political feeling in New Zealand. Th© charges had emanated from not mo-fa than, two or three persons— two ex-of-ficiak and a recent vieitor to' the island*. Personal feeling had existed between Dr. Dawson and the Resident Commi«3ic-n«r, The speaker had nothing to cay against Dr. Dawson, who was a. good medical officer, but ' he, was a man of peculiar temperament. He resented the authority of the Commissioner over him, and thus ?rose the personal difference which, was the main, trouble. Sir Jamee Carroll contended that tih« absence of the press from the enquiry had not prejudicially affected the position. Tlte Chief Justice, a man of great experience and high, welltried character and repute, could not have been improved upon as the one to conduct the enquiry, and Sir James would not question the fa-umess of a report made by Sir Robert Stout. One of the charges made by Dr. Daft son was that he had not facilities lo get some patient* into the hospital, i Dr. Dawson, however, did not substantiate Bm changes, but rather ran away from them. Th« gravity of Dr. Dawson's charges when measured up was very, very email indeed. With regard to My. Reynolds; continued the Acting-Premier, this officer's »ppoin4m«ttt hud terminated in accord-

ance with the conditions of that appointment, which was terminable by a month's notic* on either Bide. Mi. Reynolds had tried to dictate to Captain Smith, who had therefore terminated the appointment, as he had a right to do. IMPROVEMENTS PROMISED. Discussing school?, Sir James isuid the Government would undertake to improve the system of education in the islands. The question of medical assistance was a very large one. He favoured a larger provision than the present one. The health of the natives required special attention, and the New Zealand Qovernment must give monetary assistance as far as it could. He was making enquiries, through the High Commissioner, with a view to getting a doctor who had been through a School of Tropical Medicine. Returning to Dr. Daw*on, Sir James mentioned that the question- of his reinstatement had been discussed some time ago. He had been offered * position m the Public Service, but had pre* feCTed to go into private practice at the islands. As long as Dr. D*waon, and his fellow complainant* wefe in the Ififcmde there would be charges made. IN DEFENCE OF THE COMMISSIONER. In a reference to th* Commissioner, Sir James remarked that it might be possible to g«b a better man than Captain Smith, but he did not know o£ anyone else capable of doing better than the Commissioner had done. During Captain, Sfflrith's term of ofiloo a considerable improvetfieflt had been made in the islafms. The natives, at first, had held olf, as they generally did in the case of a nexv^ m*n, but he had ingratiated himself into their good fav< out. Letters and other communications which the speaker had received from a number of natives showed that they were in favour of the present Commissioner and did not want to have him removed. They said his work was good, and he was good to them and attentive to them. Letters from European. Tesi* dente also spoke highly of the Commissioner. His administration was correct, he was scrupulously careful. Trade and commerce were flourishing tittder his administration. The revenue was satisfactory.' and the expenditure was carried out carefully. Outside the generalities no one had brought a specie fie charge against Captain Smith. MR, ALLEN IN ATTACK. Mr. James Allen gave an opinion that it Was not competent for a critic to know , the merits of the islands' grievances without first-hand knowledge of the position. Why had not the Acting-Premier paid a visit to the group ? Sir James Carroll : I could not go this year. Mr. Allen replied that the ActingPremier had received other opportunities. Mr. Allen held that the Commissioner, who had no special training for the work, was not a proper person to administer justice. The speaker then enquired for the order of reference for the enquiry which the Chief Justice had conducted. Mi 1 . Allen asserted that the Chief Justice had been used for purposes for which he should never have been utilised. Sir James Carroll : That is not fair. Mr. Allen submitted that it Was exceedingly improper to have the Chief Justice brought into the arena of party politics. It was wrong to have tha Chief Justice put oft to the floor of the House for criticism. ' After Temarking that ho had visited the islands, Mr. Allen, gave a denial to Sif James Carroll's statement that the islanders' houses were healthy. They might be fair at Itarotonga, but this was onlyone island. The huts in some of the islands were the reverse of healthy, and lung trouble was becoming widespread. Mr. Allen charged the Ministry with lax administration. The Government had not done its duty. Some system of communication between the islands should be set up. Mr. Poole : It would be a costly proposition. Mr. Allen admitted that fact, hub contended that New Zealand, when acceptiag responsibility for the islandeTs' welfare, had become liable for such expenditure. t The speaker controverted the suggestion that the charges against the present administration were minor one*. Was it a minor chargs that the system of administration by the Native Federal Council had broken down ? Was the liquor matter a minor on&? The islands would become degraded because the administration of the law relating to liquor was not strict enough. Mr. Allen's theory to account for the trouble in the islands was that the Resident Commissioner lacked knowledge of the native character and: language. The position required someone familiar 'with native thought, habit* 1 , "and customs. A Government system of education should have been established, but nothing had been done. There had been, too much of the Taihoa policy. * A LIVELY INTERLUDE,. Commenting on an assertion made by Mr. Wright, that one of the .«tatements made by the Chief Justice in his report was "absolutely inrorrect," Mr. James Allen declared that a statement made by the Chief Justice" in the letter dealing with the Bine charges \ras incorrect. Mr. Laurenspn : Order ! Shame 1 Mr. Allen 1 Shame for him. * Mr. Laurenson : Shame for you to attack the Chief Justice. The Hon. G, Fowlds raised a point whether a Judge of the Supreme Court could be thus subjected to criticisms on the floor of the House. The Speaker (Sir Arthur Guinness) ruled that the restriction applied only to tße Judges in their capacity as adminiafcratoft 01 justice. Otherwise they Could be criticised. Mr. Alien then Wanted to know why Mr. Fowlds had bfeen a party to the "stupid thing" of appointing the Chief Justice to enquire iuio thp Government's administration. "Did you want him to whitewash you?" asked the member for Bruce. He 'concluded this passage with a remark that the charge made by Mr. Wright should be cleared up. Sir James Carroll dealt with the point mad© by Mr. Alien that the charges made were against the Government, and read th« letter sent to the Chief Justice instroeting him to hold the enquiry. The letter stated distinctly that charges had been made agatnstthe administration of the Resident Comttoissioner, instructed, him, to make enquiry, and left it to his discre* tion as to the form the enquiry should take. ' t A MAQUI DOCTOR'S VIEW. Dr. iTa Rangihiroa said one could not help thinking that the Opposition would have been dissatisfied irlta the result of thd eaquiry whatever it had been. - Mr. WaldegraVG went there a3 Tender-Secre-tary for the Cook Islands, and he went there in fch« compulsory absence of the Native Minister. As to the Maori who went with the Commissioner, he pointed out that the Rarotongans are closely allied with the Maori?, and if the Cook Islanders had any grievance* they would only have been' too glad to confide in one who was ofte of their own kith and kin, whereas they would not so readily con fide in a European. The complaints appeared "to be greatly exaggerated ; h? wondered if Mr. Wright would have ttiade such a fuss if the matter was one entirely concerning the natives, and it' there had not been a political side to it. I He read from the report to show that ' the Cook Island natives are quite satisfied with the administration of Captain Smith, and with the conditions ttndei' which they are living, and it seemed, to him that if there was a stats of turmoil tb« Arikis would oot have expressed i

their approval of the way in wheh things were going.. He himself was in communication with Queen Makea until a short time before her death, and she had always said_ that the natives were getting on well with the Resident Commissioner. There wa,s, he udded, always discontent among small communities, and it had always existed in the islands of the Pacific. In regard to the charges made, he said he doubted whether the natives would appreciate our interference with matters which concerned themselves and with which their Federal Council should be able to deal. As to the Maererenga lagoon^ which wns a breeding-place for mosquitos (which spread disease), a very large cost would be entailed, because he believed the bottom of the lagoon was below sea-level, and a small community with a, limited finance had to go very slow in such matters. If, he added, the Government secured the services of a medical man who had a diploma in ; tropical medicine it would be doing a great good for the natives. Personally, he thought the Native Minister should visit the islands and personally enquire j into the condition of affairs. .A WITHDRAWAL. Mr. Stallworthy defended the steps that the Government had taken in the matter and the report of the Chief Justice. In the course of his argument he overheard Mr. Fisher say something about "stonewall," and asked Mr. Speaker to. request a withdrawal. Mr. Massey said the member for Wellington Central was holding a private conversation with hhn. "Evidently," he said, "the cap fitted." This further annoyed Mr. Stallworthy, who said it was intended to convey the impression that he wa,s stonewalling. Mr. Speaker ordered Mr. Massey to withdraw. Mr. Massey pondered some minutes, but eventually rose and said, "In accordance with your ruling I withdraw the remark." Mr. Stallworthy then pursued the uninterrupted tenor of his way. He said it Was becoming increasingly common for innuendo instead of argument to be» vised in the House. PLAIN TALK. The Hon. G. Fowlda said that it was to him a painful and pitiable spectacle to fiee the attacks which had been made by tho Opposition and the Opposition press on the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and some of theapeeches ought not to have been made in any representative Chamber in the a^orld. The member for Wellington South-— he did not suppose any one would take him seriously— had described the report as onesided and lopsided, and that it was not surprising that such , was the case 1 in view of the gentleman from whom the report emanated. The speaker ventured to say that to the great bulk of the people in this country it was a sane and, sober statement regarding the administration of the Cook Islands. The report showed just what one Would expect to find in. a 6mall community with comparatively few Europeans living there. Little bickerings had been magnified into mountains of enormity. The member for Wellington South was not satisfied with his attack on the Chief Justice. He also attacked the Under Secretary fot Justice. Any one who knew the gentleman referred, to would be able to say whether he wae a partisan of the Government or not. Mr. Fowlds also stated that an incorrect report of an utterance by Mr. WaldegraVe when in the Islands had appeared in this paper, and that the report in the Dominion itself showed that Mr. Wright was wrong. Every one knew the figurative language that had. to be employed in talking to native*. He repeated that no one who knew the Under Secretary would listen to the suggestion made concerning him. He stated that/ an endeavouf had been made to magnify the point that a' migstatement had been made by the Chief Justice regarding the correspondence. It would be recognised by any one that the mistake was due to a slip of the pen and the using of the wrong tense. It was well known to the Chief Justice that Dr. Chesson was in New Zealand, and that the Resident Commissioner could not have said that he had handed the correspondence to him but that fee "would." It showed how hard up tho Opposition and its press were for material when they seized on these minute points and ignored the real iesues. After reading the Chief Justice's finding in regard to the hospital allegations^ he said the reference to them as "minor charges," was quite right 5 indeed they were trivial charges. He dealt with tho educational problem, and said that New Zealand itself would have to largely assist in a financial way if the present missionary schools were to be extended. The placing of a medical officer on each island would involve New Zealand in obligations which neither this country nor the Cook Islands could boar. As a matter of fact since the Islands had been taken over the health of the natives had been greatly improved. LEADER QF THE OPPOSITION. A LIVELY TIME. Mr. Massey explained that he had not intended to speak, but thought the attack made on Opposition members should be replied to. At present bw time was fully occupied with a matter which Was before the Native Affairs Committee. When New Zealand au« nexed the Cook Islands she took up what might be described as the "white man's burden," and he would like 'to say that we had iict done our duty by the islands, and that we had not properly taken up our responsibilities, ft seemed to be quite evident to every member of the house, and to almost every one outeido this House, that iv recent jears there had been a good deal of dissension in the Cook Islands. That was evident from Parliamentary papers which had been laid on the table of thp. House. Las£ session an ennuiry into the complaints made had becn'promised, and tho Native Minister 6tated his intention of visiting th© islands. Ho stated that he had been unable to make the promised visit, arid the speaker accepted the explanation. But he did not think the right thing had been done in taking the Chief Justice off the Supreme Court Bench to hold the' enquiry. It was against the dignity of the Bench. Another thing he had to say, and he said it with regret, was this : It seemed to him that the Chief Justice wae far too fond of what might be called secret enquiries. His (the speaker's) mind w«nt back to a Departmental en- ) quiry of two years ago which was held behind closed doofs. Then there was what was known in Wellington ac the, secret case. Next there was the enquiry into the Cook Islands. He did not say the Chief Justice was identified with every one of those cases, but* he was with most. Within the la-st few days it was his (the speaker's) duty to draw the attention of Parliament to another close enquiry which was being held at Auckland into the method of the Prison Department. "I speak as a citizen, of this colony," h* declared, with some emphasis, "and I say the people of | this country are just about sick of this. It has got to be put an end to." Mr. Fowlds had referred to a '"painful and pitiable s»octacle." Mr. Latirenson : Hear, 'hear. Mr. Massey • I hear endorsement. Several members : Hear, hear. Mr. Maeeey : There ate others. Mr. Laurenson : Yea ; any amount of them. Mr. Maseey : Then they have been mkled. Mr. Laurensort ; You did not come down to my district- tfo put th«m right. Mr. Uaeeayj There is plenty, 0/

time. Tlenty of time jel, and the lion, gentleman will probably find himself cooked. He went on to say that h© was being Jed off the track, but he wanted to know who attacked the Su- j Court Judges. A member : Your colleague. Mr. Massey : You .are wrong. Who attacked the Supreme Court Judges? Who brought the Supreme Court Judges 011 to the floor of the House of Repre- \ sentativea ? They wo-re brought into the arena of politics by the very im* proper appointment ol feir Bobert Stout ! to the Native Land Commission, some two or three years ago, atid the improper payments mad*. He declared that in this matter th« Opposition members had not done then* duty. He took his share of the responsibility, and the responsibility for what he 'had said. That was the position he took up. He I regretted exceedingly th*t the ' Supreme I Court Judges lisa been brought into the arena of politics, but the fault was not the Opposition^. The Opposition members did no more than their duty last session when attention was called to a statement made by the Chief Justice in connection with * the Hine charges. He had not intended to refer to the matter, but felt bound to say what he did. "Coming back to the report which is under discussion," he proceeded, "I •v ? r L a<i tlie .P. P6 P art > aQ d I say that it is the report ot an advocate father than a Judge. It is a report of counsel for the defence. Mr. Laureneon : Shame ! Mr. Massey : I say it 5s a shame ! Mr. Laur*nson.: Shame on you! My. Massey : I «ay Jt is a disgrace. Mr. Laurenson: That is the way to talk About your Judges ! Mr. Herdmaiv: What did you say about them last year ? J Mr. Laurenson; You tell me what I said. .Mi. Herdman ; We will tell you later on. The atmosphere becama a little cookt afterwards, and Mr. Mae*ey proceeded with his speech. He criticised the statement, of the Chief Justice that Vthcse three gentlemen lived together" when referring to Messrs. Reynolds and Hocking and Dr. Daw*on. and declared that they did not live together. Even if they did what matter? He had heard of three judges of the Supreme Court of New Zealand w!k> had lived together in one house, but it had not been suggested that they were biased for that reason. The observation referred to was intended to prejudice _ the people named in the eyes of Parliament, As to there being no power to administer the oath in the Cook Island*, he *aid that section 4 of the Cook Islands Government Act gave the Governor in Council the power to put the lawe of New Zealand— > with the exception of the liquor laws— in operation there. He also pointed out that at tha time the Chief Justice visi« ted the Islands a European, was tried before him on a criminal offence. Wa« the oath administered then? If the oath was administered improperly the mam who was now serving ( his sentence in Mount Eden_ Gaol might have been wrongly convicted. He had hot been surprised that the persons in question had refused to give evidence at the enquiry. He would have done the same thing if he had been in the same position. He defended Dr. Dawson, and Suoted a report from a newspaper, thft lominion, stating that the natives wh^ attended at the surgery of Dr. Dawson whom they had to pay, were twice th« number that went to the hospital whero no fees were charged. If there was a satisfactory form of local government in. the islands it would not be necessary for the inhabitants to come to the New Zealand Parliament, but the local government there wae not satisfactory, and therefore they had to come to this Parliament. Mr. Maesey supported the argument ot Mr, Allen that the drainage ot the lagoon had been neglected year aftei year, to the great detriment of the natives' health. Mr. Massey concluded with a remark that no enquiry worth/ of the name conld be held with dosed doors in such a matter as the one under revitw. Mr. Albert Giover opened with a quotation in 4 the Cook Island language, which he did not translate. He gave the House to understand that the foreign words applied to Mr. Wright, member for Wellington Soath. After briefly defending the Chief, Justice Mr. Glover took his audience to Pij! arid the Friendly Islands, . and gradually worked back to Rai'otonga. Be talked learnedly of the internal affaire of the Cook Group, And quoted at length from letters from natives expressing approval of the way in. which the Resident Commissioner carries 'out his duties. STRONG PROTEST.- " A' BRUTAL PERSONAL ATTACK." Mr. G. Laurenson said he did not ( think there was anything in the charges that need bother them," and they had been fully disproved by the Chief Justice. What he was concerned about was 1 the brutal personal attack made on the Chief Judge of this country. "I don't think there is a man in this House," ho sa-id, "I don't think there is 1 per cent, of the people of the country who do not view with alarm the afcta-ck6 that have been recently made upon Sit Robert Stout. I guarantee that there is nob a man, no matter what his politics —Conservative or Liberal, Tory or Labour, Socialist or Radical— Who does not consider that if you want to maintain your social system and maintain law and order—^and law and order is essential to our social system— you ought to do everything you possibly catt to maintain the office of your Chief Judge practically sacred. If there is a charge of corruption, of wrongdoing, by all manner of means bring that charge, ctear-cut and definite, on the floor of the House and back it up by your evidence, but by innuendo, by the slander that J walla in darkness, that comes in and stabs a man in tht back, by that means ] to belittle and degrade your judges, is a. crime againet every man, woMafl, and child in the community. I guarantee there is not a ma-n on the Opposi- j tion benches who does not agree with that sentiment, and yet we have th© Leader of tlve Opposition and his chief lieutenant, Mr. James Allen, on th« platform and here in Parliament reiterating innuendoes and charges against the Chiof Justice of the most scandalous nature." The Opposition, he went on to say, had been beggared as far a-* criticism was concerned, and they had had to resort to personal abuse. He had thought the Judges of the Supreme Court woold be sacred, but they were not to be sacred. As to the enquiry, Mr. Laureneon said that the Chief Justice was accompanied by Mr. WaJdegrave, one of our most capable and clean public servants, and yet when they reported there was nothing wtong they were attacked and vilified by the Leader <A tl^ Opposition. It was high time the attention of the country was called to this acion, which could only recoil on the Opposition themselves. They knsw that some twenty-five years ago the member for Bruce and Sit- Robert. Stout were engaged in a political conflict in Otago, but one would have thought that Mr. Allen would have so far forgotten that occasion as to give the Chief Justice credit h&nesty of purpose. The Chief Justice could not reply, and they knew it. They were mighty quiet when Sir Robert Stout was in the political arena, but now they attacked him when they knew he could nob Teply. Finally he quoted a statement by Mr. Herrie's in the House last session vhan he urged that tfra enquiry should be by a Judge of the Supreme Court.

A DELICATE THRUST. The Hon. A. T. Ngata said he thought the Polynesians were far happier before the intrusion of the Euro-peans-into their islands. The significant fact about this matter was that on Rarotonga, with a native population of 2620, and a white population of 100, all this noise should be engineered by a small section of the very small minority of the white people there. Tho policy of the New Zealand Government, he went on to say, was that these islands should be self-supporting, but all sorts of facilities — education shipping, sanitation, and so on— -Were urged. Last year the deficit of the inlands was about £900, but if all that was now aeked for was granted, the deficit would increase, and a howl would go up from the Opposition Benches on account of the increased cost of administration. If he were a na,tive of Rarotonga he would suggest that the European, intruders should be deported, and the Rarotong* ans left to recover themselves if they could. He was afraid that as the years went on they would have to consider the question of severing them, except by very llgl)t i bonds, from New Zealand, and letting them work out their own salvation. Asto Sir Robert Stout' 6 dealings with natives, he had had a long experience of his work in connection with the Native Land Commission, and the finest thing the New Zealand Government had done was to appoint a man like Sir Robert Stout as chairman of the Native Land Commission. They looked upon him as the embodiment of the Justice of the British Empire; and he declared that the same qualities that appealed to the natives of New Zealand appealed to the natives of Rarotonga. He wasj he said in conclusion, sorry to have taken up so much of the time of the House. He only wished he knew a* m«ch about the subject as the memb«r for Wellington South, who was rapidly establishing his claim to be the representative of the Cook Wands in the New Zealand Parliament THE END. Mr. Poole spoke at length in favour of prohibiting the importation of liquor into th« Cook Islands. Mr. G, W. Russell complained that so little had been done towards raising the status of the Cook Islanders. Mr. R. A., Wright replied at 11 p.m., and in the" course of . hi» remarks said his sole- object had been to try and get matters righted in the islands. As to the criticisms passed on the Chief Justice, some of the best authorities in England had laid it down that it was perfectly legitimate for members of Par* liament to criticise Judges so long as they did not impute peraoflal motives. Mr. Wright went on to declare that drunken Orgies are held among the ■whites on the island, and that no sit' ting of the Land Board had been held, to the discontent of those interested. If a, full enquiry had been. Held the full significance of the position would have been disclosed. Tho motion to refer the report back to the Chief Justice was put, and lost on the voices. It was then 11.35, and the House rose.