POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11808, 10 August 1900, Page 3

POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.

(Feom Our Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, August 9.

A QUESTION OF CONSCIENCE.

Speaking in the House this afternoon on the question of Ministers' salaries, Mr Laurenson strongly condemned the attitude of Mr Collins in regard to this matter. That very afternoon, said Mr Laurensou, Mr Collins had concluded his speech with a rhetorical nourish, declaring that he would do what his conscience told nini, yet this man, who thus spoke of conscience, had ridiculed conscience iv another room, saying that the conscience of a Spaniard whicn caused him to refrain from eating fish on a Saturday would allow him to commit murder on a idunday. Conscience, in the opinion of Mr Collins, was a figment, and his conscience was thereiore not

to be relied upon. Mr Morrison also replied to'Mr Collins, making a very bitter speech. He said Mr Collins ought to withdraw from the Liberal party and hang his coat and hat in some other room, lie aiso referred to the member for Christchureh in barcastic terms as a disciple of • the Bradlaugh school, accustomed tc tickling the ears of the unthinking crowd. Mr Jackson Palmer also had a word of rebuke for Mr Collins, and in sayiiig it, let the House know the secrets of tho caucus. He seemed to think the'member foi Christehurch should have made his big speech on the bill at the caucus, before making it in the House. He, however, did not do so, and no doubt this accounts .for the open-mouthed wonder with which the Government side of the House listened to what Mr Collins had to say. It seems that Mr Collins is in serious danger of being excommunicated by the Premier and his loyal followers. ' • ' ■■

i In continuing tho discussion on. the salary question to-niglit, Mr G. W. Russell strongly deprecated the bitter attacks that had been made on Mr Collins, who was known as a man who had the courage of his opinions, and able to givo a reason for any position lie might take up. ' SHOWING UP INCONSISTENCIES. Speaking at a-quarter to 1, Mr John Hutcheson, the iionest and outspoken .member for Wellington City, showed up some. of the inconsistencies oi a few of tlie new members.' Mr Barclay, during the course of his speech, had stated that it was enough for followers of the Government to agree to the request of Ministers if they told them they required furthe.r assistance. This reminded Mr Jriutciieson of the charge of the Light Brigade. It was, he said, another case of " Theirs rot to make reply, theirs not to reason why; theirs but to do and die." Mr Hutcheson also spoke very severely in condemnation of Mr Morrison's attack on Mr Collins, because, forsooth,' the latter had been guilty of speaking' his mind. Mr Collins (interjecting) : "It . was simply ! worthy of the source from which it emanated.' Mr Hutcheson afterwards proceeded to dress doivn Mr Laurenson, who has already become a very meek follower of this Government. Mr Hutcheson contrasted the earlier speeches delivered by the member for Lyitelton, and some of his later utterances. He said that the change came about after a certain departmental officer from Wellington went down and had a couple of hours with Mr Laurenson. It ;was after that he became the flabby opportunist he now was. Hers the Speaker interposed. He said Mr Hutcheson must withdraw that word. Mr Hutcheson did so, to substitute the words " obedient follower." ALL BY HIMSELF. When, at 11 o'clock last, night,. it was proposed to commit Mr G. W.r-Russell's Lunatic Asylums Board of Inquiry Bill with the Rating on Unimproved Values Act Amendment Bill, the. House said no, and only the latter bill was considered. Mr Russell did not like this, and apparently made up his mind to punish the House by prolonging the sitting to the best of his ability. He declined to allow a proposed amendment in the Rating- on Unimproved Values Bill to be withdrawn, and afterwards called for a division. When, shortly after midnight, tho motion for adjournment was before the House, he rose with the object of giving the House a severe lecture for neglecting its duties, but hardly had he begun when tho Speaker's voice warned him that he must keep directly to the question of adjournment. He began once more, and had made a fair start on the Lunatics Bill, when, once more, he was relentlessly cut short from the Speaker's chair. There was nothing to be done, and he sat down in despair, after grumbling about not being given the same latitude as other members. On the motion for adjournment being put, Mr Russell called for a division; but here agai'i he was thwarted, for the Speaker wanted a second <: No." to tell with the member for Riccarton, and the j second man not being forthcoming, the mo- ! tion was declared carried without more ado, members enjoying a hearty laugh at Mr Russell's expense.

MR COLLINS EXPLAINS.

Mr Collins, making a personal explanation shortly after 1 o'clock, said Mr Laurenson had misrepresented him in regard to a conversation attributed to him in reference to the question of conscience. Thef remarks were not made by him (Mr Colling), but by another member whom he would not name, as the discussion took place outside the House. Mr Laurenson said he would accept the Hon. member's assurance, and he expressed regret for havingmade such a statement in the heat of the debate, lie now remembered that it was another member who had made use of the words. Mr Laurenson then, by way of personal explanation, denied the statement made by Mr Hutcheson that he had altered his attitude towards the Government one iota since he started his campaign in the election. The hon. member had the files of the paper behind him, but he could not find anything in support of his statement in them, and he regretted that he then became "so far lost to a sense of decency as to descend to the depth he did." Mr Seddon, in replying, stated that the debate had been a discreditable one to the House. There is a somewhat thin liouse, only half- the members being- present.

MORE MEMBERS.

A large section of the Ministerial parly declared very emphatically during the debate on the second reading of the Ministers' Salaries and Allowances Bill that to increase the number of Ministers would enable the Cabinet to command too large a percentage of the voting power of the House, and that if an additional Minister were to be appointed, there should be an increase in the number of members, so as to maintain something like the existing proportion between Ministers and members. Pressure was brought to bear on the Premier, who ha definitely promised to bring in a bill, either during the" present or uext session, to increase the number of members to SO. The measure will not take effect till the next general election.

THE HONORARIUM.

The honorarium question is still unsettled but a number of members on the Go^ei-nmAit side of the-House are still agitating for "a, rise in screw." Whether the Legislative Councillors are to participate in the "rise" we have not yet been told. The "Lords" have so iar been ignored, but they may assert themselves in a way that will upset the calculations of the representatives of. the people when they are asked to consent to the proposed increase. THE TOTALISATOR. ' A petition has been presented to the Legislative Council by the Wesleyan Methodist Conference praying the Council;.to take into consideration, the followhig resolution passed by the Conference in March:—" That the Government be requested to introduce a bill making the totalisator illegal." NEW BILLS. Mr Millar has given notice of the Dunedin Drainage and Sewerage Bill, the Hon. Mr Ward of the Government .Railways Bill and tli3 Public Health Bill. JOTTINGS. Mr Guinness wants additional accommodation provided at the Rotortia Sanatorium, so that, at least, six additional freo beds can be provided. Mi Eraser has presented a petition from settlers in the Clutha Valley praying the Government to place a sum of money on the Estimates for the completion of the Thompson's Gorge road. The Otago Presbytery is petitioning against an extension of the divorce laws, and also for the abolition of the tolalisator.