THE NEW LIBERALS IN WELLINGTON.

Otago Witness, Issue 2683, 16 August 1905, Page 33

THE NEW LIBERALS IN WELLINGTON.

AN ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING.

THE VOUCHER INCIDENT,

THE AFFIDAVITS TO BE MADE

PUBLIC.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, August 14.

i The attendance at the meeting addressed ' by the members of the New Liberal party to-night comprised about 3000 people. The meeting was a most orderly one, and was throughout entirely sympathetic with the speakers and their impeachment of various "phases of the Government's administration. They had an excellent rereption and hearing, there being very few interruptions, and these generally of a good-humoured nature. Mr Taylor, who was the first speaker, occupied the platform for three-quarters of an houv. He wap. received with cheers, immediately followed by a call for cheers for the Premier, which were given, intermingled with groans. Mr Taylor declared that his party was a party of protest. Their recent charges against the Government were met by an appeal of emotion. A tear-drop had%been the answer to strong criticisms. — (Laughter.) It was time, he said, that this " tear-drop argument " was discarded. _He again repeated the statements as to the "favouritism shown to certain newspapers in the matter of free telegraphed reports of the Premier's political speeches and the abuse of the memo, system. As a result of their revelations in regard to the memo, system instructions had been sent during the last fortnight to the telegraph operatoi's throughout the colony to greatly curtail the privileges hitherto prevailing in Jhis respect. He reiterated his previous charge as to the Premier drawing the travelling allowance of 30s a day whilst on his health trip in the Hinemoa last year. The Premiar had not replied to this charge, and if he did not attempt to reply to it, what could he say? Perhaps he would shed another tear. — (Laughter.) Mr Houston (member for the Bay of Islands), whom he described as " a faithful echo " of the Premier and "a phonograph set to only one tune," had attempted to make out that the Premier was justified in drawing the allowance because he transacted a large amount of publio business at Mongonui. " Suppose he did transact a little publio business," said Mr Taylor. " Suppose he signed a telegram or kissed a , baby — (laughter), — or something of that 1 kind. Even if he did he should have ' teen contented with the salary which he was drawing." The Premier, he said, had repudiated the national purse when in England, and yet he came back to the colony and accepted the mon,ey. The Police Foroa, he asserted, had been utilised as spies for the furtherance of a system of espionage, and he gave an instance which he alleged had recently occurred in Christchurch. He criticised the administration of the Government in regard to the State coal mire and various other departments, and, referring again to the Premier's methods of replying to attacks, he said that Mr Seddon was politically as "tiicky as any three-rard-trick man." Mr Bedford, who did not at first quite gauge the acoustic proper Lies of the large ha-11, met with some little interruption dur-

ing has opening remarks, but he quickly engaged the attention of the large audience, and was applauded for his criticism of the Government administration and his , justification of Mr Fisher's action in regard | to the voucher question, a few cries of "No" and "Yes" mingling with the applause in the latter case. In regard to the typical telegram he (Mr Bedford) had read in the House as illustrative of the memo, system, the Premier had received it with "a tear-drop," or at all events with a lachrymose wail because of a name that happened to be mentioned in it. He (Mr Bedford) did not know the name mentioned referred to the Premier's daughter, and ha felt very bad indeed at having mentioned the name of the Premier's daughter who had died. He at once rose in his place in the' House and mado an apology. Afterwards, however, when he began to think more of the matter, he found that the Premier's daughter had died 25 years ago. Mr Seddon had not been a Minister foa- more than 14- years, so that he well knew lie could not have received a memo, regardiug a child that had died more than 10 years before he was a Minister. He also found that the Premier did not have a daug-hter of that name at all. He (Mr Bedford) then began to see what a beautiful actor the Premier was. — (Prolonged applause.) Mr Bedford was loudly applauded for the statement that he believed that at the next election the people were going to throw the liquor traffic into the convulsions of its death agonies. He also believed that the pendulum would swing round on the totalisator and destroy that also. — (Further applause.) The time had now arrived when the power of the Premier should be curtailed. It was too great. "Less power to the Premier and mcire power to jour Parliament," said Mi- Bedford, and he resumed his seat amidst a round of very hearty applause. IMr Lanrenson, who w^is also well received, j said the new party had justified its existence ! in several ways, but especially in the way ' it had aroused public opinion throughout the colony. They had held the largest meetings ever held in the colony. — (Applause.) They had also held the rowdiest meetings. — (Laughter and applause.) And now they had four libel actions under way, though they had only been in existence four woeks. — (Much laughter and applause.) They meant to fight these actions.— (More applause.) Mr Laurenson appealed to the audience by his humorous way of putting things. His remarks about vouchers beingopen for inspection by members of Parliament were i-eeeived wibh much enthusiasm. ■ Mr Laurenson's somewhaib severe criticism i of Mr Soddon's administration of the Education Department was heartily applauded. In Sir Joseph Ward's depart .ent, he said, you always get replies to letters signed'J. G. Ward, Minister of Railways," or whatever department that hon. gentleman had in his charge. When it came to education, what happened? He received lettei one day signed "J. M'Gowan, ActingMinister of Education," another time it was " Albert Pitt, Acting-Minister of Education," and, sometimes "R. J., Seddon, Minister of Education." He concluded with an appeal to all to take a keener interest in the political life of the colony. MR FISHER AND HIS ;' DUMMY." Mr Fisher, who was received with loud and prolonged applause and cheers, said, in referenoe to the voucher incident, that he had bean diescribed in the House as *' a political baby, only five weeks old." -Well, he said, '' that voucher is my dummy. " The baby wants this dummy." — (Loud , laughter.) He said -that he had no wish ' to deal with the inquiry at the prv^ent stage, but he must refer to it as a Star Chamber inquiry. - He would not have referred to -it if it had been an open inquiry. He had no wish to reflect on the j integrity of the departmental officials, but he would point out that when the Premier asked them about the alleged payment to Captain Seddon the answer bad not been "No," as in reply to questions about other matters, but it was "No trace of the payment can be found." Perhaps, he said, their index was not quite up to date. Alluding to the recent debate in the House when the charges were first j made, he said the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones rose ' with his " lofty statesmanlike mind." — (Loud laughter.) Sir Joseph Ward had referred to the " miserable skunks" and " miserable sneaks" who had given certain information. But these men were, now coming out in the daylight with their information. — (Applause.) The Government, he believed, had had 50,000 copies of the Sneddon voucher printed, but if they found the other voucher would they have 50,000 , copies oif that printed? If Captain JSeddon j had not received the payment, why had the. Premier insisted upon a secret inquiry? Why did tie not say : " Walk right in, gentlemen ; have a look at the whole lot of them"? If there was no payment, how was it that three civil servants were pre- ' pared to swear that they had handled the voucher? Why did Captain Seddon not swear that he had not received the payment? It was he (Mr Fisher), and not the three civil •servants, who had first suggested the question of an indemnity, but he had i now their authority to state that they would . give evideace, indemnity or no indemnity, before any tribunal that Parliament liked , to set up. — (Applause.) Mr Hall-Jones had suggested that the sealed packet . might only contain blank paper, but everything they told that Minister went in one ear and out of the other. There was nothing to stop it.— (Laughter.) These three officials, he sa.id, thought more of the hqnoiir of their country than they did of their billets. — (Applause.) To-morrow, if the forms of the House permitted, he would lay the affidavits on the table, so that every member might see and read them. — (Applause.) He claimed the right to criticise the action of any public servant, even though that servant might be a relative of the Premier. It had been said that he (Mr Fisher) had . made a mistake ; that he had been led into | a trap, and was "politically dead," but he assured them that he was very far from being dead.— (Applause.) "They wanted . me," he said, referring to certain members ! and newspapers, "to haul down my flag before my powder had run ont. The Premier's ammunition was exhausted at the. , first swoop, but I have been firing ishots ' all the time, and I am going to fire another ' one to-morrow."— (Applause.) He was going to we this inquiry through, and if necessary to sec another Inquiry through. The envelope containing the throe affidavits referied to has been handed by Mr ' Fisher to the Auditor-general. All three of the officials signing the affidavits reside at Christchurch. It is stated that Mr T. E. Taylor, M.H.R , intends to bring an action for libel against t*h,e proprietors of the Dunodiii St.»r on [

' account of references made to him in c letter published in last Thursday' issitf of that paper.