“CORRIGAN” INCIDENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1925, Page 10

“CORRIGAN” INCIDENT.

f MINISTER REVIVES MATTER. THE APPOINTMENT OF DENIAL OF FAVOURITISM. By Telegraph.—Pre?w Association. Auckland, Last Night, Reference to the “Corrigan” incident, particularly a speech by Mr. J. R. Corrigan, Md?., at a meeting in the Patea electorate on Monday evening, was made to-day by Sir James Parr, Sir James Parr said: “When Mr. Corrigan was bowled out the other day by myself jn an attempt to circulate throughout his electorate charges against me which he had previously unreservedly withdrawn, lie rose in his place in the House and said lie was sorry for what lie had done, and he undertook to explain on every platform that ha had withdrawn the charges against me. He said further that he would do his best as a man to clear the matter up, but instead of carrying out his promise to the House and to myself and putting the matter right Mr. Corrigan asks the electors of Patea to believe that because I defended, my own honour against his serious charge this was merely what be terms ‘electioneering tactics’. Mr. Corrigan seems incapable of recognising the fact that « public man who has borne a good reputation through twenty-five years ol public life strongly resents a baseless charge of personal dishonesty and corruption.

“But- this is not all. The member for Patea says that the Minister for Justice should answer a charge that the Minister appointed only five justices of the peace in the Patea district. Here again Mr. Corrigan misleads Ills: electors. I explained the position fully in the House and he knows it. The usual practice is to appoint ■ not. more than four or five gentlemen as justices for each electoral district when the commission is issued every year. Mr. Corrigan had the temerity to ask me to appoint 17 men in his constituency in one wholesale lot. Such a request Las never before been made to a Minister for Justice by any member of Parliament, and I declined to consent to ‘stuff’ th? roll of justices in this manner. “The Under-‘Secretary for Justice advised me that although, the men were all of good character, only four or five appointments were really necessary, and that number was appointed. Ido not know their politics even now. If those appointed are Reformers Mr. Corrigan is responsible, as he nominated them and gave them first place in his list. For instance, at Hawera three gentlemen were nominated "when only one was required. The department recommended and I appointed the gentleman who was at the head of Mr. Corrigan’s own list.”