PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11110, 8 July 1899, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

[by telegram.—press association.] LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Friday. The Council met at half-past two p.m. FIRST AND SECOND READINGS. The Immigration Restriction Bill and the Shorthand Reporters Bill were read a first time, and the second reading of the Separate Institutions Bill was agreed to without debate. COMPENSATION FOR WORKERS. The Minister for Education moved 'the second reading of the Workers' Compensation for Accidents Bill. He explained that the Bill was almost similar to the measure of last year, and only differed from the Imperial Act in that it covered a wider field, by making risks universal. Clause 17 had, however, been reinserted, securing to the worker that the liability of the employer shall bo on the security of any mine, or that there should be a first mortgage upon one to secure for the injured worker his damages. Clause 20 had been also incorporated again, defining compensation to coal miners. The motion for the second reading was adjourned till Wednesday. The Council rose at three o'clock. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Friday. The House met at half-past two p.m. WELLINGTON ELECTRIC LIGHTING. The Wellington Electric Lighting Act Amendment Bill, enabling several suburban boroughs to introduce the electric light, was read a second time.

NEW BILLS. The Lands for Settlement Act Amendment Bill, the Public Works Act Amendment Bill, and the Government Accident Insurance Act Amendment Bill, were introduced by Governor's messages, and read a first time. THE MARINE SCANDAL. On a motion to lay certain correspondence on the table, quoted by the Minister for Marine in his speech on the marine scandal, discussion arose as to the admissibility of only a portion of the correspondence. Several members insisted upon the whole correspondence being placed before them, including the envelope containing the memo. Mr. Fisher contended that the Opposition were merely attempting to waste time by Useless questions and applications for papers. Mr. Crowther objected that certain information had been supplied to some privileged members, while others were kept in the dark.

Mr. Smith moved as an amendment, 'That the papers be referred back to the Minister for Marine, with a. request for the production of rhe whole of the papers." Mr. Seddon said it would take time to tret a complete copy, as the originals would "be before the Royal Commission, but he promised that when the Commission had finished ■with them the originals would be placed on the table. He suggested that both motion and amendment should be withdrawn. Mr. Taylor hoped the question would go to a vote, as this would be probably the i only occasion on which the House would be able to discuss the question. Mr. Millar agreed that the only satisfactory way was to place the whole papers on the table. He would oppose the application for indemnity. Mr. Pirani said the only possible way of eliciting the facts of the marine scandal was to indemnify certain important witnesses that their evidence would not be used against them. Mr. Guinness and Mr. Rawlins advocated the adoption of the amendment. Mr. Fisher said they were merely wasting the afternoon, and one serious result was that delay was being caused in the issue of the writ for the Wellington election. Mr. Duthie submitted that the honour and the whole of the act-s of the Ministers was at stake in the matter, and, therefore, the question was not a trivial one. Mr. G. Hutchison trusted the mutilated documents would be withdrawn, and a complete list tabled. Mr. Seddon felt sure that the personal lionour of Ministers was quite safe in regard to the marine scandal. Ho defended the ' stand taken by the Minister for Marine, in tabling a portion of the documents asked for during the debate. He made a state- ! ment regarding the so-called scandal, and 1 said he did not want to prejudice any person implicated, but as far as the Government was concerned, they had nothing to fear from any inquiry that might be held. /The whole facts, so far elicited, showed the wisdom of the Government in asking for a Royal Commission to clear the matter up. After the discussion, both motion and amendment were withdrawn, the Premier having promised to lay all the documents on the table at a future date.

THE WELLINGTON ELECTION. On the motion of Mr. Seddon, the Speaker directed the issue of the writ for the Wellington election. The House rose at half-past five p.m. The House resumed at half-past seven p.m. THE ADDRESS-IN -REPLY. Mr. Fisher resumed the debate on the Address-in-Replv. He d 'ended the Minis for treating the amendment to the Address-in-Reply as a no-confidence attack. The. motion questioned the integrity of the Ministry, and no Ministry, having regard to their self-respect, and wishing to retain the confidence of their supporters and the Liberal party of the country, could decline to l:'a f it in any other manner. Ml'. Fisher generally replied to Mr. Taylor's speech, contradicting 'oho 'atter's assertion that the Technical Education Bill was an insidious attempt to subsidise denominational schools, and denying that a system of terrorism had been established in connection with the Civil Service. Referring to the marine scandal, he contended that there was nothing in the charges made, at any rate as fai as Ministers were concerned. He criticised severely Mr. J. Hutcheson's action in connection with the scandal, twitting Mr. Hutcheson with breaking his pledge in voting against the Government before resigning. Of all the scandals originated against the pi';sent Government, not w.e had been proved, and he was confident th a when the Commissioneis' report was before the country it would be seen that the Government came out of this inquiry with clean hands. Mr. Massev said he had every confidence in the gentlemen appointed to carry out the inquiry into the marine scandal, but he asked who was to be Crown Prosecutor, and would Captains Allman, Jones, and Von Schoen be examined, without whose evidence the inquiry would be a farce? Mr. Massey touched on several other subjects. Mr. Seddon said the policy of the Government had been to .press on to better things, and the condition of the country showed that its legislation was wise, and its administration pure. Referring to the Assets Realisation Board, he defended the work done by the Board, which was in the interest of the bank and the colony generally. He defended the offer made of New Zealand troops for service in Samoa, as helping the Imperial authorities in a case of emergency in its policy of dealing with the Pacific Islands. He defended the action of the Government in connection with the Midland railway, and blamed those whe had attempted to damage the credit of the colony in connection therewith. With regard to valuations in the Hawke's Bay district, by which certain lands had been under-valued to the extent of £400,000, he pointed out ■ that the result was to place the burden of local taxation on small settlers. Referring .to the statement of the senior member for Dunedin, that the country lived in a foetid political amosphere, Mr. Seddon said that statement was correct, but the foetid atmosphere came from the Opposition side of the House, in the long list of fictitious scandals jhey were continually bringing against the .Government. Speaking on the marine scandal, he said he believed in the honesty and integrity of his colleague, the Minister for ..Marine. The Government had done its outy on that question, fearlessly although ' personally it pained him very much in hav- ? JJg to order a prosecution in connection with 'he matter. With regard to the Civil Serial it had been stated that Ministers should = stand by their officers in cases where errors "..Judgment occurred, as every man was j table to err at times. Ministers did stand ,7 ; their officers, but. where there was a v doubt it was their duty to inquire into the product of officials. He did not believe for i one moment that there was collusion between • Jones and Allman. " The latter ?.jd, he believed, erred from a feeling of con''deration for Jones. ' " .; ' . i. ™r. Rolleston said from the tone ! of. the premier's speech (lie ; Premier ! evidently !<-nought that he was addressing a bush meet : 'tog; instead of the House. of ; Parliament,

The man tan Intel, drenched with the cry of liberalism, until he was sick of the name. v Tlie fact was that the whole of the Labour legislation had been initiated by the Opposition long before the present party came into power. It was monstrous the way in which the Premier had gone about the country, and misrepresented and maligned certain members of the House. Regarding the Premier's connection with the Anglo-Continental Company, he condemned a member of the Cabinet holding a position in a private company that might bring him into conflict with his public duty. The Premier had asked him why he (Mr. Rolleston) could, with the views he held, sit with the Opposition. His reason was a simple one. It was because he could trust them," and he could not say as much of the Premier. Regal ding tile marine scandal, he said he knew of no occasion in which a Government had so debased themselves as the present Government had done in connection with this matter, nor had he known a case where a member had acted so nobly as Mr. John Hutcheson, in severing his connection with the Government party in consequence of their action with respect to the question. Mr. Kaihau thought that the Government should, instead of purchasing native, lands for settlement, buy from Europeans, who held large areas. He advocated that the natives should have control of their own lands. The Maori representation ought to be increased to eight or nine members. He objected to the proposals to do away with 'tohungas, as they were very useful in preparing medicines and treating the sick. The Maoris suffered many grievances, relief from which ought to be given by the House. Mr. Buchanan repeated the statement that lie had made upon the public platform, that it was simply shocking that the Premier and the Minister for Marine should connive at granting a marine certificate to an incompetent person. He charged the Governjnciit with other scandals, with initiating a prosecution against an Opposition country mayor for obscenity, and with allowing prominent public officials to take an active part in securing the return of a supporter of the Government during the election. He complained that money voted for works in. his district had not been expended. Mr Stevens, in reply, said the late senior member for Wellington had not stood to his guns in voting against the Government 011 the amendment to the Address-in-Replv. It was a shame that the country should be put to the expense of a by-election on such trivial grounds. The Address-in-Reply was agreed to on the voices. The House rose at two a.m.