CONTINGENTS TRANSPORT COMMISSION.

New Zealand Mail, 27 August 1902, Page 22

CONTINGENTS TRANSPORT COMMISSION.

SITTING WITH CLOSED DOORS. THE QUESTIOF~DISCUSSED IN PARLIAMENT. Tho Commission appointed.. by the Government to inquire into the con - tions which obtained on tho transports Britannio and Orient, which conveyed New Zealand troops from South Africa, commenced its sittings on the 19th inst. There were present Sir W. R. Russell (chairman), Messrs R. McNab and J. A. Millar, M.H.R.’s (members of the Commission), Major-General Babington (Commandant of the Forces), Colonel R. H. Davies Gate commanding Eighth Regiment), Brigade Surgeon-Major

Pearless (late of the Eighth ment, P.M.O. on the transport Bn tab me), and Captain M. C. M. Lewin Hafl Quartermaster South Island Battalion Eighth Regiment). on »- Mr J. W. Collins, of the Labour D*. partment, is acting as secretary and shorthand writer to tne Commission The commission was read. It p ra , vided for the calling of exhaustive evi denoe in connection with the transport” accommodation and provisioning of the New Zealand regiments returning from South Africa, but no power is given to call or examine Imperial officers or any officer of the Defence Department not directly connected with the suhipMmatter of the inqniiry. 1 -The chairman, addressing General Babington, said: I understand you are here to represent the Imperial authorities, but not to take any part in the proceedings ? General Babington: Yes, sir; The Chairman: The course the Com*, missioners propose to take is to examine, first of all, Colonel Davies, Sur-geon-Maj or Pearless and Captain Dewin, and as it is possible that in the course of evidence there may be impli, cations as to laxity of duty or want of attention on their part, these officers will be allowed to remain permanently in the Commission and to cross-examine any witness on any subject tonomng their department. The ers know that by taking a shorthand report of all the evidence given an entirely accurate report will be arrived at and published. They believe that daily publication of evidence of impressions as well as facts is not so likely to lead to absolutely separate and independent statements as evidence given without knowledge of what previous witnesses liave stated; and where charges are made during the course of investigations, the Commissioners believe that such charges should not be made public until dealt with by them. The press will, therefore, not be admitted to the sittings of the Commission. The press representatives withdrew, and the Commission proceeded to take evidence.

There were in the lobbies a large number of returned soldiers and others waiting to be called, and the sittings of the Commission, will probably last for a week at least.

Mr Fisher drew attention in the House of Representatives on the 20th to the fact that the Transport Commission had excluded the press from its sittings. Ho held that it was desirable to have publicity given to the proceedings. Mr Meredith, raising a question of privilege, said that when lie had asked permission to attend and hear the evidence, the chairman of the Commission courteously informed him, after the Commissioners had considered his request, that they had decided to exclude tho press and the public, and must therefore treat him as one of’ the public. Mr Meredith contended that the proper way to allay suspicion was by making the inquiry public. He moved, “ That in the opinion of this House a breach of privilege has beeu committed by excluding members of the House from the committee-room where the Transport Commission is sitting.” Mr Pirani said he had entered the room, and had been told that the press were excluded; but he had replied that he was not present as a member of the press, and he accordingly remained in the room.

Sir J. G. Ward explained that the Government could not take any part in the deliberations of the Commission. It was entirely for the Commissioners themselves to discharge their duties in the manner they thought fit. He presumed the question of the admission or otherwise of the press was for the Commission to settle. (Hear, hear.) It would be his duty to see that Mr Fisher’s representation was conveyed to the Commissioners, with tfie request that it might be considered. When he had received a reply he would acquaint the House. With regard to members being present, he pointed out that it wad usual for members to have the privilege of access to any room where a committee was sitting.

Mr Palmer pointed out that this was not a Select Committee of the House, hut a Royal Commission, and the last remark of the Acting-Premier therefore did not apply. At the same time, Mr Palmer thought the Commission should not sit with closed doors.

Mr R. Thompson considered that the Commission had made an error of judgment in excluding the press. Mr Hutcheson had no great hope for any practical result from the proceedings of the Commission. The injury had been done, and probably would not recur in the lifetime of those present. He believed that the Commission, in deciding to exclude the press, were regardful of the reputation of all concerned. He questioned very much the wisdom of day-to-day reports of a Commission of this kind. Serious charges might be made and published, and the rebuttal could not appear for a day later. The question of the reputation of individuals might not be allowed to stand in the way if any good could be effected by the Commission, bub the harm was dope, and could not he undone.

Mr Barclay said that the objection raised by Mr Hutcheson in regard to-the printing of evidence from day to day would apply to the evidence taken daily in Supreme Court trials. The Commission may have had good reasons for

l.i/linir the press,- but he claimed Kt a breach of privilege had been comndtted by the excluding of members of PI Mr 3 'jEiey held that according to no breach of privilege had been C °M? S Fra d ser said that Mr Barclay was „t n cin2 a Royal Commission with a SSce or the House. No member a ridit to force his way into the room where a Royal Commission was B Mr S Atkinson considered that as the members of a Royal,. C°’ iamehtary -silifer they had no right to order any member of Parliament out of a room in' Parliament Buildings. On the contrary, a member had the right to order them out. The Minister of Justice did not agree with Mr Atkinson. A Royal Commission could sit anywhere it pleased, and was master of its own actions until it handed in its report to his Excellency the Governor. ‘After further discussion, the motion proposed by Mr Meredith was put, and lost by 35 votes to 28.

The Commission appointed to investigate the matter of the transport of the New Zealand contingents by .the sTeamens Britannic and Orient is under order to submit its report within 21 days from the Bth inst. AUCKLAND, August 20.

Auckland troopers who arrived by the Britannic complain that though many of them offered to give evidence before the Royal Commission no reply lias been received. They state that of the fourteen deaths since the Britannic arrived in New Zealand, eleven have occurred among men from Nos. 3 and 4 lower troop decks, occupied by Auckland squadrons. They consider it important to have their statements taken. THAMES, August 20. Several Thames troopers who returned by the Orient state that if the boat was dirty in places, the principal fault was the neglect of the men to do their duty and keep the ship clean.