A PRIVY COUNCIL CASE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2202, 14 May 1896, Page 17

A PRIVY COUNCIL CASE.

London, May 10. The appeal case of the Attorney-general of New South W»L*b v ' Rannie. with regard to the legality of the payment of membftfs of the Logislative Assembly has been dismissed, thus upholding the decision o! the Sydney Courts. The information upon which the above appeal was, founded was .one laid by the Attorneygeneral of New South Wile* at the instance of Mr -Colin M'Kay Smith s Rgtuust Mr Edward Alexander Rennie, Auditor-general (as nominal defendant), to obtain an Injunction to restrain him from counfcersiguing auy instrument authori fling pa; meat to members of .the New South Wales Leginlative Amenably uuder ths .provisions of the Parliamentary Representatives' Allowance Act, mainly on the ground that the act in question applied only to one Parliament, aud was not intended to provide, and did not ■o provide, for payment of mtmbers of future Parliaments. The matter originally came before Mr Justioe Manning, sitting in equity, when an injunction again*t the Auditor-geueral was asked for, but, as it was admitted that .this mode of procedure would lead to waste of time and unnecessary expense, it was agreed to turn the motion into .a decree, and take the order of the judge dismiseiug the euit merely as formal, no argument having been gone into. Subsequently the -appeal came before the Full Court, which held tbat the act did apply to future 'Parli&nionts, and dismissed the appeal.