THE BANKING COMMITTEE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XXX, Issue 182, 4 August 1896, Page 2

THE BANKING COMMITTEE.

Mb Booth's evidence.

HE DECLINES TO GIVE DETAILS, ; PROPOSED EXCLUSION OP THE < PRESS. i [United Press Association.] I Wellington, August 3. At the meeting of ihe . Banking Committee of the House of Bepresentativss today, Mr Booth was asked to pruduce the statement asked for with regard to the landed property, and witneßß said he would do so. The Premier said that under tbe circumstances he had deoided not to ask the witness any more questions for the present He thought it in keeping with his selfrespect to suspend his further examination of this witness until the no-confidence debate was finished. The responsibility in the matter|mastrest with the Leader of the Opposition. Mr Montgomery then proceeded to examine Mr Booth. His first question was : " What has been the effeot of the Banking inquiry on the current business of the Bank?" Witness : A distinctly unfavourable one. Mr Montgomery : In what way ? Witness : We have lost some business, but as far as we know the loss has been confined to New Zealand. Mr Seddon moved that the Committee be adjourned as the question just asked would tend to prejudice the posi.ion of the Government, as it had set up the inquiry. Mr Montgomery said his next question would show that the position of the Government would not be prejudiced. After a short discussion, in which Mr Guinness urged that the Committee , should be made a secret one, Mr Seddon's motion to adjourn was lost. Mr Montgomery continued the examia- ; ation of Mr Booth and asked whether the t position taken up by Mr Watson had had any effect on the Bank's business ? p Witness: Yes, a favourable one. i Witness proceeded to say that the I , inquiry would do the Bank material , harm, even on the present basis of limita- [ tion made by Mr Watson. t Mr Montgomery asked why, and Mr T. Cooper, representing tho Bank, ituj, mediately asked leave to explain some . thing. [ An objection was raised to this and the I Chairman ruled that any address from j counsel was out of order.

Mr_ Cooper said he had very serious questions to raise and asked whether he was to be refused a hearing on behalf of the Bank at this critical stage of the inquiry. He went on to say that he wished to enter a protest in the interests of the Bank, but the Chairman ruled that he could not proceed with his remarks, and after some discussion the Committee decided to deliberate on the point. On resuming the Chairman informed Mr Cooper thac counsels' addresses could not be heard. All counsel could do would be to advise their witnesses and put questions through the chair. The Committee then adjourned till 10-30 on Wednesday. Mr Guinneaa gave notice to move that the Committee report to the House that in its opiuion it is desirable that the order of reference suspending standing orders so as to admit the press to the proceedings of the Committee be rescinded.

Commenting on Mr Graham s firmness as Chairman of the Banking Committee, tho "Otago Daily limes" says:— The chairman of the Banking Committee undoubtedly deserves commendation for the firm manner in which he dealt with the Premier on Tuesday. Mr Graham occupies an unenviable position. He has to resist the assertiveness of a man possessed of an unusually strong will, who showed from the first that he intended the Committee to submit to his dictation, and the chairman had, on two occasions, at least, shown some signs of weakness in hia control of' the Committee. He has now retrieved his position, and given unmistakable evidence that he will not permit Mr Seddon to assert himself too Btrongly again. Mr Graham's position was rendered all the more difficult in that the offending committeeman's dominant autocracy und resoluteness have added to them tbe weight which attaches to the high position he holds as Premier of the colony and leader of the pady with whom Mr Graham's sympathies lie. The published reports of the scene between the chairman and the Premier give the impression that the former was almost too peremptory in his tone, but we are not at all prepared to say that this was really the case. Mr Graham probably realised that in order to successfully maintain his position he must meet the Premier with his own weapons, and the outcome of tho affair proved that he was right. When the committee resumes its sittings the good effect of the chairman's assertion of hia right to guide the committee's proceedings should be apparent . If Mr Seddon iB wiae, he will take the lesson he has been taught in a proper spirit, and keep his superabundant energy and bump tiousness for use in more congenial quarters.