CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1771, 3 November 1887, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

«, [We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions expressed by our correspondents. To ensure publication, however, it will be necessary for writers to avoid personalities."] PETITION v. MAJOR ATKINSON. To the Editor of the Star. Sir, — In your leader of the 29th of last month, you state that " in the event ot a petitiou being sustained against Major Atkinson," " We have not the least doubt that Parliament would again pass an Indemnity Act, such as was passed in 1881." If you are right, then in this country there is one law for the professional politician and another for the member, who is satisfied to attend to tbe interests of the colony and his constituency ; that the former can be found guilty of corrupt practices, and then by means of an Indemnity Act undergo a special Parliamentary whitewash whilst the latter must suffer all pains and penalties dealt under the Corrupt Practices Act, surely is unjust ! In order to act with impartiality that a 8 a public guardian you profess, why not advocate the extension of the same relief to Mr. G. Hutchison, M.H.R., as you suggest and state Parliament should and will extend to Major Atkinson more especially as it would be Mr. G. Hutchison's first offence. Perhaps you think that what would be a corrupt practice in the latter gentleman, is gometbing eoo>meTufableHi Major Atkinsou. However, should it be necessary to pass an Indemnity Act in this case, to relieve Major Atkinson, it will not be the first Indemnifying Act that has been passed in order to save him from the consequences of alleged illegal acts. An Indemnity Act bad to be passed in 1876 for Major Atkinson and b's friends, when they made a most unconstitutional attempt to create a fictitious majority in the House by making an increase in the number of Ministers in direct opposition to the law passed in 1873.— 1 am, &c G. E. Major.

[Mr. Major misquotes what we said. Tbe passage read as follows, the essential part of tbe sentence omitted by Mr. Major being italicised :—": — " In tbe event of a petition being sustained against Major Atkinson on the ground of a trivial election offence by an agent, we have not the least doubt tba',, Parliament would again pass an Indemnity Act such as was passed in 1881 in favor of Mr. W. Pilliett."— Ed.]