HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 7119, 17 July 1886, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Friday, July 1G. — The House mot at 2.30 p m. Sir R. Stout introduced tho Representation Bill. THE RAILWAY DEBENTURE SCANDAL. Sir G. Grey asked the Minister of Justice upon whose recommendation it was that Mr. Sleo was appointed a Justice of tho Peace, and what was the date of his appointment? Mr. Tolo said that local representation had been mode on tho subject. The date was June 8, 1835. Mr. Turnbnll moved the adjournment of the House, on tho ground that the aDswer was not satisfactory. Sir George Grey said he was not to be put off by an aljonrnmcnt being moved, and ho proceeded to quote a letter b) Mr. Sleo which was printed in the ovidence taken by the District Railways Purchase Committee, in which a promise of remunmalio'i whs made to Air. Steward and if they sold tho railway debentures satisfactorily. He explained it had become Itno.vn tint Sir J. Voxel's name was the original of the blank, and he f-übmitted that Mr Slee's proposal w «rmost improper, and ou^ht to be punished Sir J. Yogel atktil permission to make v personal statement, cxpLing that be would havo done ho on Wednesday but for Liein<* taken by surpiiae at lli-j Premier's rero'ution not b intj ti.iversed by tho motion for the adoption of the Co'innittee's repoit. A pirrairraph of that report referring to him was moat unwarrantable, lie admitted that Slee'd latter was exceedingly improper. Tho evidence had totally failed to establish that any member had any pecuniary interest whatever in reference to the passing of tho Railway Purchase Bill. Mr. Steward could not possibly have known the Government would purchase tlo debentures. When he first read the report, he thought it implicated Mr. Peacock, but, in reading that gentleman's evidence, to his surprise he found the report was utterly inconsistent with it. He read a memorandum, dated October 3, last year, to the Secretary of the Trecury, giving reasons which guided the Government in the purchase of the district railway debentuies, and also others five days later, showing that the arrangements had not, oven then, been definitely made to purchase. Ho ha r l drafted a lettei personally to the Waimate and Duntroca Company, but it was not cent, as Mr. Steward appeared on the scene in ths meantime. 110 claimed that all theso purchases had been a great bargain to tho Government, and tho account showed £80,000 to their credit, which it could not do had not the negotiations been conducted with discrimination and judgment. He denied the right of tho Select Committee to comment upon tho opinions hold by members who.n they examinnd. Nobody would be safe could this bo done. Regarding privileges of members, he quoto 1 the practice of the House of Commons, in which it had lately been established by a largo majority that director.-) of companies were free to vote on questions in which thoy were directly interested. Regarding the blanks in Mr. Sice's letter, ho thought it an outrage ou him that his name had been so used. IE Air. Steward liai lot him know, this matttcr would have assumed n very different aspect. He considered tho letter a contempt of Parliament. The Premier would confer with the Speaker and the leader of liio Opposition as to whether tho wiiler could not be punished for daring to Hiiborn a member of tho Government. Ho himself had given instructions to take proceedings against two papers in Wellington for thoir comments on his behaviour. Mr. Lance detailed n conversation with Sir Julius Yogel on tho previous night, to show that the latter then, for the first time, learned liia name was tho original of tho '• Blank" in Sleo's lettei. Mr. Thomson said, as Chairman of the Committee, he had heard nothing tc reply to iv defence of tho report. The resolution o£ tho premier, in his opinion, confirmed the L'ommirtr u's report. Tho Commit tao was fair unu impartiul in its constitution, and not one to bo warped by party considerations. i\'r. C '-rLk, as a member of tho Committee, doprecated tho application by t!-i Treasuior to tho members uf th. Committee of: such terms as "spiteful," " vindictive," and ' disgraceful," which he hud employed in tho course of his speech. The hon. member then defended the report of tho Cominitteo clause by clause, using most emphatic language. "He accused Mr. Steward of lobbying in favor of tho Purchai'o Bill by f'ai.- mer is and foul, and getting tho Waimato lino inserted at 2,30

in'the morning. He was nlao of opinion that tbe Treasurer should have warned Mr. Steward of the risk ho ran of his motives being misunderstood. Mr. Steward asserted tho Waimate lino was inserted about 11 at night, and not in the morning. He contended, as he had done before, that he felt he had done no wrong, although he admitted ho might havo placed himself in a false position; and all tho trouble would havo been avoided had ho at once wither iwa when the Government f lino i:il" the uc- .rotiations. Mr. Wi Peru said it wis too much luck for one mm to mako £1000, and he intended to move that the money be refunded for the benefit of tlu sufferers by the eruption. Mcssis. Barron, Bruce, Sutter, and Fulton disclaimed any id no, of being actuated by nialioo iv their s-lnre of the repoi •„ or that the Cjmmittee had acted more as prosecuto's than judges. Tho debate was interrupted by the 5.30 a-ljournmcnt, ani on resuming, ivlr. Fulton continued bia remarks, to the effect that iC the Committee really had been vindictive thoy might have gone still further. They had thought it fairest to leave Sir Julius Vogel's namo blauk in the lettfr, as printed; but a member informed him that Mr. Steward himself it was who first revealed the real name. [S'r J. Vo.el interrupted tho speaker to say that his rem>uks had not been directed at all the members of the Committee, but that he was infortned one at least Imd openly expressed his regret it could not bo made "hotter for Yogel.". Cries of " name."] Mr. Fulton said he spoko for himself. He contended it was the Treasurer's duty to warn Mr. Steward of the risk ho \vas running. After Messrs. O'Connor and D. Stewart had spoken, Mr. Duncau said tho Cominitteo had been biased, and a distinct effort hau been made at one oE its meetings to bring Mr. Steward withing the Disqualification Act. In support of this, he detailed somo of the proceedings which had taken place, explaining that ho had consulted the Speaker as to the propriety of so doing. Mr. Bryce said Mr. Duncan's speech, to his ni'nd, had proved more than anything else that had been said in the deba'e, oC the fairness of the Committee, for if there had been a disposition to be too severe, it was evident, when they came to draw up their report, they had proved reasonable, and devoid of party spirit. He toon it that the feeling of the House was unanimous that no member should be engaged in transactions iv which the Government were either buyers or sellers. Despite what the Treasurer had saidj the resolution passed on Wednesday distinctly cast the blame upon him. He (Mr. Bryce) went further than the Committee, for he held that if the member had. promoted the passage of any bill from which he hai expectations whether the Governmeut entered into the question or not, it was wrong. He objected, to the epithets applied by Sir J. Yogel to tho committee. He considered that the committee had done good servico to tho House and country. Mess-s. Kerr, Levistam and Bevan also spoke on thb question. Major Atkinson regretted that Sir Julius Yogel had attacked the committee in such a manner upoa terms for which he thought there was no ground. Ho had known Mr. Stewart many years, and always fouad him as good as hi 3 word. When he first heard tbe rumours hs disbelieved them. At the requebt of Mr. Steward ho had carefully psrused the evidence, and he was now bound to say, though with great pain, it bora out the report. Indeed, he cousliered Mr. Steward had no other course but to demand a further enquiry, for the present one had not clearly gona far enough. Mr. Slee's letter was of so gross a nature that Mr. Steward, immediately he received it, o.ight to have gone to Sir J. Yogel and bi ought it under the notice oE tho House. Proceeding to the. details of Mr. Steward's transaction, he (M-ijor Atkinson) argued that it was plain Sir J. Vo^cl could have come to terms with the companies witl'out Mr. Steward's intervention, and practically therefore tin commission came out of the public clust. Mr. Steward's on!j r hope of regaining the good name he had always borne was by refunding the money to the Government ; or to the companies. They mi st bo jealous of tho good num? of the Hons", and no member was justified in taking such a. commission after ho h>ul assisted, by accident or not. in passing an Act like the District Railways Purchase Bill. Mr. Steward himself bad admitted he oiuht to hive returned it, and I j could not in good faith retain that money in his pocket. He disliked ver} 7 much the letter mentioned in Mr. Bucklaad's evidence, wherein mention was made of £500 or £400 to be paid to Mr. Steward for some purchase or otner. This ought to be cleared up. Ho thought now they had been too hasty in passing Wednesday's resolution. He protested in the strongest possible terms against tho Treasurer's doctrine thnt it was right for members to engage in such transactions. Mr. Rolleston considered that if the Treasurer was sincere in his views he ought to ask the House to reverso the Committee's report. He was satisfied that the question had been canvassed with a desire to arrive at a fair conclusion, and also that the Committee's report was just and impartial. - Mr. Turnbull blamed tho Committee for not drawing Sir J. Vogel'a attention to the letter when ho was giving evidence before them. He thought the Treasurer's language had been, perhaps, too etrong. The motion for adjournment was then put, and lost, aud tho orders of the day carried. Sir G. Grey's second question consequently was shut out. Mr. Stout introduced tho Representation Bill. In answer to Major Atkinson, he said he would make his Btatcnisnt on the second reading. Tho First Offenders Probation Bill was passed through Committeo with slight amendments. The Mining Bill was particularly considered iv Committee. At clauso 152, progress was reported. Tho House rose at 1.40 a.m.

W. A. Collis's Photo liooms open tonight, t;iviiis a chanio to got Terrace views for Mondays English Mail. — ADVf. With a view to greatly re.lace stock and at the tamo timo enable the public to pioouro £ooJ furniture, carpets, piur.os, &.;., ilminir the dull times, J. G. Georgo will oiler tho whole of his stock at a small a'lvauce on cost, at the oM premises, corner oC Duvun nml Li.tnlet-streete.-AiJV. Mr Scobio Mackenzie was formally reported to me Speaker on Tuesday labt for neglecting to attend a meeting 0 C the Private Bills Cominitteo. Jlr. Mackenzie oxplained, h nvover, that ho waa on two Committees which sat at the siuie timo. The Speaker solemnly admonished him, but did not explain how ho was to be in two places at one time. Eight lnuikins on Tuesday night, with tho avowed intention oi! wrecking tho Star Ilotol, Auckland, attacked Mr. Adam Cairns, tho licensee Police assistance was telephoned for, and tho rioters Patrick O'Koefo and Kichard Lmitt wcroaricsled. They wore charged at tho Police Court, on Wednesday morning, when O'Kuet'o was sentenced to one mouth's haul labor. Larritt waa fined £5 and costs or ono month's hard labor. Tho other members of the gang arc known. Walter Ledger, a man witli several aliases, of Noltiu.'ham, was L»enteuced at Derby to live yeais 1 penal s'-rvilndo for stealing a lady's j-icket. The prisoner offered to tosa the Mugistrato whether tho ucatenco ghould bo ten. years or nothing.