HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 8869, 30 August 1890, Page 3

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Friday, August 29. — The Speaker took the chair at 2.30 p.m. In replying to Mr Seddon, Mr Mitchelson said the Government had already considered the working of the Public Trustee's Department, and they saw no reason for at present appointing a Royal Commission to investigate and report. Mr Seddon moved the adjournment of the House to enable the matter to be ventilated, and said circumstances which had come under his notice showed ,that the administration of this- department was not conducted on business lines, and needed an enquiry. A lengthy debate followed, a large number of members expressing the opinion that some change was necessary in this department, but thought the fault did not lie so much ' with the Public Trustee and his officers as with the manner in which the department was constituted nnder the Act. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m. On the House resuming at 7.30 p.m., Mr Joyce informed the House he had received telegrams from Lyttelton to the effect that consequent on representations from the Union Steamship Co., a body of police had been sent to Lyttelton to coerce the Unionists. He asked the Minister of Justice whether that was correct or not. Captain Russell said he had no communication of any kind from the Union Co., but that morning he received a telegram in his official* capacity to the effect that Free labor was to be sent to Lyttelton to certain steamers, and that there was a possibility of a riot occurring. He at once gave orders that an ample police force should be ready to protect labor, either " free or bond," in execution of their duty, but no unnecessary exhibition of police was to be made where they might produce irritation. The whole evening was spent in discussing the report of the Goldfields Committee on the petition of George Mansfield and others. Mr Seddon moved that the report, which was" to the effect that a sum of £100 each be given to five men who were injured some time ago by an accident at the Kumara Sludge Channel, lie on the table, and be referred to the Government for consideration. This was carried on the voices, and at 12.45 the House adjourned till 2.30 on Monday.