PRICKED BLADDERS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6371, 20 November 1907, Page 6

PRICKED BLADDERS.

The member for the Bay of Plenty, in the debate on the Native Land Bill yesterday, solemnly arraigned tho Government upon a very serious indictment. He charged the Premier with flouting good old English precedent by appointing to the Land Commission a member of the judiciary and a member of the House. Nothing could be more wickedly corrupt than to bribe a Judge or a legislator by giving them emoluments in excess of those for which they had contracted to serve the State in other capacities. How the bribe would work, Mr Herries did not explain. It appeared to him quit© dreadful enough that anything should have been done contrary to the spirit and practice of the British Constitution. Mr Massey, later on, spoke to the same effect, with a trifle more emphasis and a little additional solemnity. It was positively shocking that a Judge and a member of Parliament should have sat on a Boyal Commission dealing with questions of policy. The Prime Minister, who had teen smiling grimly while the honourable members were advertising their familiarity with English precedents, capsized their bogey with neatness and despatch when his time arrived to speak. In 1873, he said, a Commission, set up to deal with native lands, consisted of Mr Justice Chapman and Judge Manning, while later another Commission, relating to union with Australia, and, therefore, political, had as one of its members Sir William Bussell, Mr Massey’s predecessor. As Sir Joseph permitted his eyes to wander along the front Opposition bench ho encountered no answering glances. Mr Herries and, Mr Massey were deeply engrossed in the study of the Bill.

In the course of the same debate the leader of the Opposition was very indignant on the subject of the native lands settlement, “Not one per cent. of the natives know anything of this Bill,” he said, and he went on to remark, with a note of sarcasm in his voice, that when the Native Minister was describing the Bill as a “most important” measure, there were less than thirty members in the House, and of these only two Maori members and three Europeans were engaged in taking notes! It was perhaps not necessary to add that ho himself was one of the latter. “And this,” .he pursued, “is legislation 1 I call it legislation turned to ridicule!” As there was a fairly full House when' Mr Massey was speaking, the complaint fell somewhat flat. The Opposition cannot, apparently, comprehend why the supporters of a Bill should record their votes without making elaborate speeches in explanation thereof. The worst thing about the omission is that it puts a double burden of speaking upon the shoulders of the Opposition, otherwise there would be no time (ost. Even in the last week of the session the Opposition must take its toll of time. The position of the Government with respect to the amendment made by the Native Affairs Committee to clause 3, limiting the scope of the Bill to the lauds already reported on, was made quite clear last night. The provisions of the original Bill will bo adhered to. And the measure, the Premier assured the House at an early hour this morning, is to be put upon the statute-book this session.