Abase of Free Passes.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7295, 26 August 1893, Page 2

Abase of Free Passes.

The Melbourne Age of the let instant publishes a “ summary” of a return of free railway passes granted to members of the Victorian Parliament and their wives from 1885 to 1892, the summary filling eleven columns of the paper. The return was produced in the course of the trial of a libel action against the Age, In some remarks upon the list the Age says : - The 18th day of the bearing of Speight v. Byrne was perhaps the most remarkable of this unique case. Counsel for the defence was engaged all day reading to the court a gigantic return of the free passes granted to the wives and families of members of Parliament since 1885. Both Mr Furves and Mr Deakin, in turn, attacked this huge list, and struggled on bravely hour and hour reading the names of the people to whom passes were issued, the date for which each was made available, also the stations end the members applying. In a number of instances the departmental records were a little ambiguous, only showing that the free pass was granted at the request of an “M.P.” It is assumed that in such cases that the husband or father, as the case may be, Ims mado the application. Free use of the free pass system was made by members. According to the return read yesterday, the ladies attached to the households of our politicians have availed themselves of the privilege to travel over the Victorian railways. The practice of the department since 1885 has been to grant a pass to any member of Parliament for any or every member of hia family. In moat oases these passes were made available for a month, but in soma instances for much longer periods, The> majority of applications were for a specified journey, but some passes wore also granted from " station to station,” which means that the lucky holder of a free pass awarded in that, fashion bad the right to travel over tbe whole of tbe Vietotian railways as a “ dead head ” for one, two or three months, just according to the period for which a “ station to station’* remained in force. In glancing down the 1 .*fc tbe absence of the names of certain politician® and the frequency of the occurrence of others will be observed. An attempt was made yesterday by Mr Purves to ascertain the money value of some of the passes issued, but the return gives no information on that point, and the witness under examination could only supply scrappy information of isolated fares, which in some cases represented a £lO value. The witness who produced the return, a clerk in the Department, was ashed some questions upon it by Mr Purveaj the following are some of his answers : Mr Purves: Amongst the other passea issued was one. Melbourne to Wahgunyah and back, tp Mrs Wallace, wife ofMrJ D. Wallsoe, M L 0., for herself, five sons and governess. What Is the first class return fare ?—46a 9d. Then two fares would be 93a 6d. Tee. And the five eons, I suppose you could do them moderately ? (Laughter.) -They might all be under ogo. Mr Purves: Yes, if they were all twine. (Laughter ) Witness (continuing) : There is also an entry showing that on 6th April, 1886, Mrs, M’Lellan was granted passes from Melbourne to Queenscliff, Melbourne to Ararat, Melbourne to Sale and Melbourne to LillyAale-* available up to the 16th May following Mr Deakin : Bho gets four different passesto Queenscliff, Ararat, Sale and Lilhdalo PWhat does that mean ?

Witness : Perhaps at that tiaao passes warsnot issued from station to station, and that, was the only way to get it done. Mr M’Lallan, may not have been very well at the time, and * Mrs M’Lellan may have had to go with him* to look after him. (Laughter.)

Evidence continued : In the return there if? also an entry," 55iss Butlers and party, Seech worth to Bright and buck ” Mr Furves; Could ebo t.ke an orphan asylum with her P la there any limit to the number she could taka ? Witnera : According to that return, no. Examination continued : There in also an entry, “ Mrs Carter and five children, Wilhamstown to Bairnsdale and back.” Mr Furves : What Carter is that P Witness : W. T. Carter. Mr Furves : Oh, that is to avoid vaccina* tion I suppose. (Laughter ) Examination continued ; There is also an entry, “ Mrs Webb and four servants, Rochester to Melbourne and return, one month.” Mr Furves : Four servants ! Surely that cannot be. Will yon turn up your book and ■9O P Witness : Yes. It says :—"llth November, 1890—Mrs Webb and .our servants, Rochester to Melbourne.” Bxaming continued: In one case a pass was used to travel to Upper Fern Tree Gully, and in another case to travel to Yan Y ean. The return fare in each etna would be about 3s. Mr Deakin : Y<>n stated in your re-exam-ination that by yt-ur reading of the word “family,” it meant a member’s wife, sons and daughters onlv. Witness: Yes. A member’s family is hie wife, sons and daughters (Laughter ) Mr Deakin: Ido cot quest'on that at allHare you not noticed in the reading of this return that mention is made sometimes of a father, a daughter in law and son-in-law P Witness: Yes Mr Deakin : There are other entries which afford no indication as to relationship ; and outside those I notice there are occasionally mentioned so and so and “ a friend,” as well as children and nurses. In one instance a lady and four servants are mentioned, and in some oases grandchildren. Mr Duffy thought the entry as to four servants accompanying a lady was evidently a mistake. Ur Deakin (to witness) i So your definition of “ family ” was a little too restricted. . Witness : Not my definition. Mr Deakin : The practice exceeds your defi nition. Witness ; Yes.