TROUBLE IN THE COUNCIL

Otago Witness, Issue 2369, 27 July 1899, Page 44

TROUBLE IN THE COUNCIL

THE CHAIRMANSHIP OF COM-

MITTEES.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, July 20.

For some time past it has been apparent that there would be trouble over the election of the Chairman of Committees in the Upper House. The former Chairman (the Hon. Mr Baillie) is getting up in yeare, and his eyesight is failing, so that the Government took advantage of the position to ask him to retire, in the hope of electing one of their own staunch supporters (Mr W. C. Smith) to the position. It was found, however, that Mr Smith's nomination would be unpopular, oven with the Government supporters in the Coxincil, and some of the Government meu set themselves to lobby with a view to securing the defeat of Mr Smith. When the question came up in the Council this afternoon, the . Hon. Mr Walker, Minister for Education, in nominating the Hon. W. C. Smith for the position, took the opportunity of expressing the regret he felt at the retirement, through -failing health, of the Hon. Captain Baillie, who had occupied the chair for ebout 20 years. When he approached Mr Baillie and requested that he should withdraw from the chairmanship on account of his failing eyesight, he had been met in the most open spirit, and Sir Baillie had willingly agreed to withdraw. In asking that Mr^ Smith should be elected, the Minister said lie was nominating a, man woll qualified for tho position. Mr Smith's nomination was seconded by tho Hon. Mr Orrnond, who said that Mr Smith was, on account of his long connection with both the.Houses of the Legislature, thoroughly well acquainted with the forms of parliamentary procedure, and be would, he felt sure, discharge his duties with impartiality.

The Hon. George Jones moved as an amendment that the emotion of Chairman should proceed by ballot. He could not look upon the nomination of Mr Smith by the Government as other ttia.n an interference with the liberty of members, and strongly resented the Government saying that such and such a man should be made Chairman, whoever he might be. Such a step was a pernicious manifestation of the evils of party government, and one that he, at ajiy rate, took pronounced exception to.

The Hons. George M'Lean and S. E. Shrimski opposed the ballot, and in the discussion that ensued it became ai^parenl that Mr Baillie had not voluntarily withdrawn, but had merely fallen in with the expressed wishes of the Minister. Members who had, on that understanding, promised to support Mr Smith's candidature therefore felt themselves absolved from adhering to their promises to support Mr Smith. Amidst considerable laughter at the expense of the Minister, one after another rose and declared, with a considerable amount of heat in some cases, that they had been deceived as to the real reason of Mr Smith's nomination. Mr Rigg put a new complexion on the proceedings by pointedly asking Mr BailJio whether he would placo himself in the hands of the Council. Mr Baillie replied that he had no objection to doing so, and this gave colour to the suggestion that' the_ Minister had brought some pressure to bear upon him.

Eventually, a. division was iaken, with the result that Mr Jones's amendment was carried by 21 votes to 18. From this it was evident that Mr Smith's chances of success were small.

After the declaration of the division was announced, Mr Smith said it was necessary Uipl he should explain his position. The Government had nominated him as their candidate, but ho was sorry to say that the leader of the Council, the Hon. i\lr Walker, had thought fit, while holding him up with one hand, to knock him down with the other, by secretly canvassing against him. He had known of tlus all along. As a matter of fact, the Hon. W. Kelly had heard the Minister declare in the lobbies that ho hoped the amendment would bo carried, "as it would knock Smith out." When taxed with this afterwards, the Minister could not deny it. If the Government had not wished his election, why had they nominated him? They would find that a very difficult questic.i to answer. During his publio career, extending over 15 sessions in the House of Representatives and five in the Council, he had never known a leader to act in such a manner as the Minister for Education had. The Council would naturally ask why had the election of Chairman been postponed for four weeks? The reason was simply in the fact that it took time to work such a move as the Minister had been up to. True, he had been successful, but one liked to be killed openly. That was why be had opposed the ballot. Tho Minister had seen fit to go against the wishes of his colleagues, and canvassed in an underhand manner against their nominee. That was the position, and those were the circumstances to which he had been a victim. Mr Smith, during the course of this speech, at times exhibited considerable feeling. The Minister for Education, who had been manifestly uneasy during Mr Smith's exposure of the tactics pursued, expressed astonishment at what had been said by the lion, gentleman. He assured Mr Smith anrl the Council that he had not canvassed against his nominee. On the contrary, he had done his level best to secure his election from day to day in the hope that another result might have been obtained.

After the Minister had resumed his seat Government followers in tho Council got up one after another and supported the Minister in his statements, jach one denying that th« leader of the Council had acted a double part. Mr Rigg did not think Mr Smith had any reason to complain that a. combination had been formed against him. There had been one, but it was not the work of the Minister. A section of the Council had an objection to Mr Smith on the ground that he had been disloyal to the party measures that were before the Oounnil ]*«t session.—

(Laughter.) The hop. gentleman then sug>" gested that as Captain Baillie was willing to accept nomination he should be elected. It was evident that Councillors had been deceived into the belief that their former Chairman had voluntarily resigned. That was nofi the case. He now proposed that Captain. Baillie should be re-elected. The Hon. R. Reeves seconded the motion. The proceedings at this stage became somewhat irregular.Several Councillors stated that they had been canvassed by Mr Smith. Generally speaking, the debate was such as is seldom heard in the Upper Chamber. Mr Smith made a personal explanation, explaining that he had only canvassed members of the Council at the request of the Minister for Education. On his arrival in Wellington he met the Minister, who asked him (Mr Smith) to try and ascertain how he stood with members. Ho denied approaching the Government on tho subject. A member of the Cabinet had first mentioned the subject to him, asking whether in the event of Captain Baillie not seeking re-election he would consent to stand. On tho declaration of Mr Rigg, who called himself 1 The Leader of the Labour party," a man was to be punished if he dared to vote according to his conscientious belief. That was indeed a pretty state of affairs. It was a great pity that the Council did not have a leader who would deal fairly and straightforwardly with members instead of a man who worked secretly. He would have pleasure in supporting Captain Baillie, and had he known " that that gentleman would have stood lie would not have consented to nomination. After more " personal explanations " by j members. Mr Rigg's motion for the election of Captain Baillie waa agreed to on the" voices.