SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXII, Issue 161, 10 July 1886, Page 2

SERIOUS CHARGES AGAINST MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT.

(rTNiTRn riiESs association.) WETiMNfITON, .Tilly 0. The following report was presented to Parliament In day by tlie purchase of District Railways Committee :— " Yonr Committee having been appointed to enqniro into and report whether any member of the Legislature negotiated for, or olaimed or received any commission or other remuneration for promoting the passing of the District Railways Purchasing Act 1835, or for negotiating the sale or pin-chase of debentures issued or to he issued by (Government, have the honor to report as follow :— " They first of all took the evidence of Mr W. J. Steward, membar for Waimate, regarding wliom unfavor able reports have been m circulation m oonnpjtion with the Halo to Government of certain District Railway debentures. They havo also taken the evidence of Sir J. Vogal, Messrs J. C. Buckland, and Peacock. They have pernsed correspondence between Mr Steward and the official liquidator of tho. Dautroon and Habateramna Railway Company, and the correspondence between Mr Steward and the Rotorna Railway Company. Your Committee nave agreed to the following resolutions: — 1. That the whole evidence adduced does not warrant your Committee m reporting that Mr Steward was directly influenced by any pecuniary c inside ration m his efforts to securo the passing of the District Railways Purchasing Bill through the House. They are, nevertheless, nnable to conclude other than that he considered m all probability he would bo ablo to bring about the sale to the Government Insurance Association of the Waimate, and possibly Duntroon a;d Hakateremea Railway debentures, and tbiis secure the receipt by him of a large commission on tlietrau3aotion. 2. That Mr Steward m conducting negotiations presumably attached importance to his influence as a member of Parliament, aa m his letter to the Ffon. It. 0.-imp Hell of date 23, 1885, soliciting that gentleman's assistance m obtaining authority to sell the Duntroon and llakatßrofn<(.i Railway debentures, lie says—" I have iullueuca m two different quarter •), which will onable me I think to get a better price thau anyone elaa would. 3. That it is manifest from Vie evidence of Mr Peacock, momher of the Rouse of Representatives, and director of the Rotorut Railway Company that the Board appreciated the position and consequent influences of Mr Steward as Member of Parliament, m dealing with the Government for the sale of the Company's debentures, and that payment of commission was apparently a secondary consideration to that of securing his services m the conduct of

the negotiation for the sale. 4. Thatynur Committee are of opiniou that Mr Steward has avoided any technical breach of the Disqualification Act-. They ncau memsly regard the transactions referred to as oilculated seriously to reflect upon and impugn the integrity of any Member of Parliament engaged therein, and to Rive rise as has beei the C3se m this instance to public scandal. 5. That it may be fairly assumed that had the Government deal directly with the Company the amount of the commission might have been saved to the Colony. 6. That it is greatly to be regretted neither Mr Steward nor Sir Julius Yogel, as appears by their resp'etive evidence, recognise any impropriety iii a Member of Parliament acting as a paid agent m making a sale to Govern' ment.