POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11197, 20 August 1898, Page 6

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE

(From Our Own Correspondent.) , WELLINGTON August 19. A QUESTION -'OF PRIVILEGE. Shortly after the House met this afternoon, Mr Taylor directed attention to what he termed a breach of privilege. He said that a, portion of the Police Commission'B evidence had been in possession of a committee of the House, and lie considered that whoever had given the chairman of that committee the evidence referred to had committal a breach of privilege, inasmuch ns the House also had not been supplied witli the same matter. The Speaker did not ■ consider the matter complained of constituted a breach of privilege. It was, at most, an irregularity to supply to one member what had not been supplied to other members of the House. If it, had been the evidence of a committee of the' House it would have been different. The -Hon. Mr Hall-Jones, as the , Minister wlib "had supplied the evidence in question, Stated that it had consisted of only 10 or 12 pages. It referred to a case of an I ex-constable which was before the Public ! Petitions ."■Committee, and was essential to ih'e: full: consideration of that case. The cir- : .ciimstances were exceptional, and he thought it very remarkable that it should be referred to, at all, especially by the member for Christ- | c'aurch, • who, had secured 600 pages of the, evidence' taken before the commission, and j for publication, too, while he (the MinisteiJ i had supplied only 12 pages concerning a particular, case to a committee of the Houee. Mr Taylor explained the circumstances under which he had obtained the evidence in his possession. It was by arrangement with the chairman of the commission,■•;and." it had not been published. Ho also alleged that" the full report was not forthcoming, because the chairman of the commission was allowing himself to be influenced by the Premier as though he were a small schoolboy. The" Premier characerised this as a most untruthful assertion. Captain Russell directed attention to the Premier's words, and moved that .thSy ' should be' taken ' down. The Speaker, however, said he could not let' Captain .Russell move /this, but afterwards, put the' question to' the' House, and declared the motion negatived on the-voices. Mr Joyce then rose-to; make a personal ■ explanation, but the Speaker. would not hear him, and the matter was allowed to drop. ■ • ME VAILE'S SYSTEM." The Public Petitions Committee of the Council reported on tho petition'of Mr Samuel Vaile relative to the stage-railway system that as a question of policy was involved the committee had no recommendation to make. The Hon. Mr M'Cullough moved this afternoon that the report be referred back to the committee for the purpose of taking evidence. After debate this was negatived by 26 td;B.' : JOTTINGS." ; Mr Kelly has presented a petition from J. ■ J. Meikle, who prays that his name, be re-. moved from the prison records of the colony. . In reference to-the petition of Mrs C. Coul- ; ter and five others of Kaitangata, praying for | an inquiry into the Kaitangata relief fund and i for relief, the Public Petitions Committee j say it would require an amending act to give effect to the prayer of the petitioners, and th£ j petition is referred to the Government for ] consideration. . j