SCENE IN THE HOUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11800, 1 November 1901, Page 5

SCENE IN THE HOUSE.

MR. MEREDITH AND THIS PREMIER. UNEDIFYING- PERSONALITIES. , [fiY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL COP. RESPONSE NT.] ELLINGTON", Thursday. There was a scene in the House early this morning. The Premier was fighting *ery hard against applying the provisions of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act to the employees of the proposed State coal mine, and Major Steward had let things get somewhat out of hand. Mr. Meredith referred to the Premier having twitted him with having been a Sun-day-school teacher. Mr. Meredith admitted that he had been, and was still, a Sundayschool teacher, and he added that he would rather fifty tim" • be a Sunday-school teacher than a West Coast publican. He was not prepared to be bullied, or bounced, or bluffed, in any shape by the Premier. Mr. Scddon, rising with apparent heat, said the hon. member had come to him in his capacity as a member of a Board to which he belonged, and ban asked mm .to make him a present of £6000. (Cries o "Oh!") The Premier said it was so, ana he had the correspondence by him. Mr. Pirani rose to a point of order. What, he asked, had the Glontui Estate to do with this Bill V ~ The Premier went on speaking. He to.u Mr. Meredith that as far as he (the Premier) was concerned, he had his (Mr. Meredith's) measure fairly well. . Mr. Atkinson now rose to a point o order. This, he said, was not a personal explanation. It was a personal attack. The Premier said this was not the iirst time he had stood on the floor of the House alone and vindicated himself and his position. He was quite prepared to do it now and to take them one and all. They need make no mistake about it y) far as he was concerned. He would not have motives thrown out to him. It appeared to him that no consideration was shown to the Premier on the floor of the House. Mr. Meredith: Let the Premier consider other members of the House. (Hear, hear). Mr. Seddon: The Premier is always respectful to members of the House. (Cries of "Oh ! oh !") With this filial remark the scene ended for the time. The matter was again referred to this j afternoon, when Mr. Meredith rose to make i a personal explanation. Mr. Meredith explained that he had protested against the intemperate language of the Premier, and the latter had then made a personal attack on him, stating that lie had been a Sundayschool teacaher. In reply he (Mr. Meredith) had said that he would rather be a Sundayschool teacher than a West Coast publican. If the Premier had told him that he had not been a publican, or a retailer of liquor on he West Coast The Deputy-Speaker here interposed by stating that these personal references ought to be avoided. Mr. Meredith said he would leave that matter and refer to the statement made by tho Premier about his asking him, as _ a member of the Assets Board, to make him I a present of 6000 acres of the Glentui Estate, as reported in the New Zealand Times. Mr. Meredith said this was a gross misrepresentation of what had taken place, and he flatly denied it. Three years ago the Glentui Estate was for sale, and ho hud written offering to take from 500 to 1500 acres of it at the land tax valuation plus 5 per cent. The Assets Board, however, declined to sell by private treaty, and that was the end of it. Mr. Seddon also claimed the right to make a personal explanation. He referred to the " pompousness and vaingloriousness" of Mr. Meredith, and objection being taken to the words he said he would change them to "pomposity." Hon. Members; " Order, order." Mr. James Allen: I never heard such language. The Premier continued that Mr. Meredith had addressed him in a hectoring manner, and ho had simply said to him in reply that they were not in Sunday-school. (Interjections of "No," and "That's not right.") He had heard before of Pharisees. (An Hon. Member: "And publicans." Laughter.) He did not know which of the two were best, but he himself preferred to be a Pharisee. He explained that the report in the NewZealand Times was incorrect in stating " 6000 acres." What ho had said was "£6000." Mr. Meredith had asked for the pick of the Glentui Estate at £2 4s per acre, plus 5 per cent. The land was, however, afterwards sold at over £6 per acre, and some of it fetched £3. The difference between the valuation and the price realised was the £6000 he had referred to. From that day to this Mr. Meredith's manner towards him, both in and out of the House, had considerably changed. If, however, the lion, member thought that lie could hurt his (Mr. Seddon's) feeling by the references ho had now made to him in the House, lie was making a very great mistake. On the West Coast, wherever ho had been, his life had been a good one. Had Mr. Meredith been placed under similar circumstances, figuratively, he might say he would have given way and l>een in the gutter. (Cries of "Order" and "Withdraw, withdraw.") The Premier agreed to withdraw the objectionable statement, and added that no person who knew him on the est Coast could say that his life had not been a good life, or that he had not been a good member of society. Mr. Meredith denied that he made any quotation in the shape of figures for the land. What ho did do was to say that lie was quite prepared to give tha taxation valuation, plus 5 per cent., for the land. Hp did not know the taxation value. Ho failed to see why the Premier should cast a slur on his (Mr. Meredith's) 'reputation. He challenged the Premier to lay a finger on any act during his (Mr. Meredith's) 33 years' residence in the colony that could be questioned so far as his honour was concerned. The Premier contended that Mr. Meredith had offered a price. He had offered 5 per cent., plus the Government valuation, and that gave them £2 4s per acre. As a. practical farmer Mr. Meredith must surely have Known the valuations. The land was subsequently placed on the market and brought £6 per acre. Mr. (r. V. Russell: What becomes of your valuation? The Premier explained that he did not think that what Mr. Meredith hod done was wrong, but it struck him as being smart business. Tho member for Ashley said he was glad the Premier had borne out his contention that lie (Mr. Meredith) had not offered a price in. figures. After tho Premier had suggested that the best thing to do would be to have the correspondence laid on the table,, the troublesubsided.