THE WAITEMATA ELECTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2105, 28 June 1894, Page 18

THE WAITEMATA ELECTION.

The Tuapeka election naturally led on to the procedure in connection with the second election for Waitemata. The Premier was f oroed to admit that the Government acted upon a different principle in this case, his reason being that in the Waitemata case the time between the declaration of the seat being vacant and the meeting of Parliament was very considerable. The Government, therefore, did not, as in the case of Tuapeka, wait for the House to assemble. The Speaker subsequently read the report of the judges upon the Waitemata election petition, and, in commenting upon this, Sir Robert Stout contended with much skill and force that in this case the writ should not have been issued for the second election until Parliament had considered the question, whereas it was issued forthwith, while in the Tuapeka caee the writ should have been issued at once, and the present unsatisfactory delay been avoided. Messrs Bell and Hutchison backed up their learned brother, and this triple alliance of the law jjave Mr Seddon no easy time. Sir Robert Stout's contention with reference to the Waitemata election is that the legislation inforcespeciallyprovides that Parliament reserves to itself the right of considering the report of the judges in. such cases and of declaring whether such elections shall be void. For the Governor or the Government to accept the report, or indeed to open it, being addressed to the Speaker, was a serious breach of the privileges of the House. The House might or might not have agreed with the report of the judges in any of these cases. Messrs G. Hutchison and Bell, following upon Sir Robert, very neatly cornered the Premier. They accused him or his colleagues of wrongfully breaking the seal of this document addressed to the Speaker. The Premier replied that such was not done, and the Speaker confirmed this statement. Then Mr Hutchison at once pointed out that the Government in issuing the writ had no official report to go upon, but must have acted upon newspaper reports. Mr Bell put the question direct — " Where did you get your information ? " Mr Seddon, however, shuffled out of replying by lamely stating that he had answered too many questions already that afternoon, and it was hardly fair to expect him to answer any more.