YESTERDAY’S PROCEEDINGS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLI, Issue 9417, 2 August 1916, Page 6

YESTERDAY’S PROCEEDINGS

WAR LEGISLATION BILL PASScD CENSORSHIP OF CINEAIATOGRAPH FILMS LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL The Acting-Speaker (the Hon. Samuel) took me cuair at 2.30 p.m. THE DARDANELLES COMMISSION. Tae Hon. A, T. Maginnity (Nelson/ asked the leader oi tho Council— (1) Wnuthfcr the appointment of the H«Ji> Commissioner to til© L»ardaiieuea Cou. inioSKm was mad© with the consent anil oi tho Governments' {2) *#litne Government iav upon the table «>• tne Council any correspondence with the *mperial authorities which has tahej. i>iaco upon tho subject?" He that on the 26th nit. he had a similm question on tn© Order Papc*r, but had withdrawn it. It was felt, by many tbai sho inquiry which was about to tati»)laco was of a neculiariy interesting character to tho people of New Zealand, and that the representative of tho -Uominion should be a Minister of tin* Crown. It had boon publiclv stato<l thai cwo Ministers of the Crown —the Prime Mxn.btnr and tho Minister for ijclencu would shortly be leaving for hnpland, and it seemed to those interested in the question that either one or both oi these gentlemen should be tb© repruseu taLives 01 tho Dominion upon tho Commission. Thoir minds had been sot -at rest by a cablegram from London stating that tho Prime Minister and Senator Pearce, of Australia, were to bo appointed to the Commission. It was now reported that th* High Commissioner had been appointed, and this had caused very serious disappointment in .tho minds of many people. It was considered that the inquiry was of such an important character that no subordinate othcer of the Crown should he appointed. In making these remarks he did not desire in the slightest degree to reflect on th«i character or ability of the High Commissioner, but ho hold that the services of the Prime Minister should have been £ J. T. Paul (Otago) rose to a point of order. , . The Acting-Speaker: *1 was about t'. intervene to call attention to the tnc that an hon member asking a question cannot express . opinions, Mo mus l merely question. Mr Maginnity: **Thon I shall eump’y conclude hv asking the question standing in my name. 1 ' ' . Sir Francis Bell said that both parts of the question asked for information with regard to communications which might have passed between the Imperial and New Zealand Governments. Tm« Government considered that at the pro sen.f time such information could not pro-nerlv b© given. The 1 Council rose at 2.40 p.m.