The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, MARCH 7, 1898.

Timaru Herald, Volume LX, Issue 2645, 7 March 1898, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. MONDAY, MARCH 7, 1898.

The Evening Post has been to the trouble of compiling a list of returns asked for by members of the House during the last session of Parliament and ordered to be laid on the table, but which were nevertheless withheld by the Premier. The list is as follows:—Ordered 13th October (Mr Guinness), lines of railways authorised, completed and estimated, cost of completing unfinished lines; 27th October (Mr Lewis), railway service — applications for employment therein ; 4th November (Mr Buchanan), advertising—amount paid to each news-

paper; sth November (Mr Monk), Kaipara railways — freight received for timber ; 19th November (Mr Pirani), telephone bureau — cost of establishing and maintaining free connections; 19th November (Mr Larnach), telephone bureau — capital cost of lines and connections ; 10th December (Mr Geo. Hutchison), travelling allowance of members of the Executive; 10th December (Mr Symes), West Coast settlement leases — rates paid by the Public Trustee ; 10th December (Mr Kelly), factories m cities and boroughs — names of and salaries paid to Inspectors ; 20th December (Mr Geo. Hutchison), opossums for acclimatisation societies. Other returns, such as the cost of the State farm, moved for by Mr Massey, and of persons employed to complete the electoral rolls, moved by Mr Kelly, were only laid on the table m the dying hours of the session, when members could not use them! Our impression is that the list is very far from perfect, and that there were other returns which were moved for, but were opposed by the Premier and m consequence not ordered, though there was no valid reason for keeping them back. We believe that the public scarcely recognise the magnitude of this evil, for evil it unquestionably is. It may sometimes happen that it is the duty or a Government to withhold information, but when that is the case the reason is that publicity would be injurious to the public . interests. Perhaps we should add that returns which are obviously frivolous and at the same time costly are sometimes called for, and that then a Government are justified m asking the House not to make the order. Information of various kinds is frequently withheld m the 1 Imperial Parliament, but it usually relates to questions of foreign policy, concerning which premature disclosures might do mischief. The general rule is that the represental tives of the people are entitled to l the fullest information, and it is : clear that m many instances it is impossible for them to obtain it except from the Government. It is grossly wrong, and clearly against the interests of the community that the people's representatives should be kept m the dark ; yet as far as possible that is the system upon which the Seddon Government act. On one occasion the Premier had the brazen effrontery to decline to ' give information, on the plea that it might be used to the disadvantage of the Government, and he was not going to provide ammunition for the 3 Opposition to shoot at him with. Such an answer was an implied admission that there was wrong-doing to be concealed. Although that is not the ground which the Premier usually takes for refusing information, there is good reason for believing that it is frequently the underlying motive. He knows that his action m a certain matter has been blame-worthy, and he avails himself of the means at his disposal for keeping the facts out of sight. But a Government should be prepared to stand or fall by their - actions, and should be alto- • gether above endeavouring to secure their position by not letting } what they have done be known. c It is bad enough to call on a servile majority to back them up m refusing information, but it is if possible worse to withhold the information after the House has ordered it to be ■ produced. The Premier practises both systems as it pleases him ; and his followers do not appear to recognise that they are degrading themselves and their constituents by permitting such utterly unconstitutional practices to prevail. The production of returns just as the session is coming to a close is pretty . nearly the same as withholding them. At all events the information is not available for use before . the prorogation, and it may be too ; late to be of any value m the followf ing session. Although the Premier [ no doubt thinks that his habitual ; reticence is of benefit to him by making his tenure of office more secure, we believe that he really damages himself seriously by his line of action. The delay may tide over a difficulty temporarily, but the constant keeping back of information cannot fail m the long run I to excite popular distrust and m!- -• dignation, and the day of retribuL tion will surely come. We may conclude by noticing the little fact that a great deal of the information which the Premier supplies without being asked for it is, to put it very mildly, grossly inaccurate. It has come to this that no statement which he makes with regard to public affairs can be accepted on his bare word. There must be corroborative evidence, or he might , just as well not have spoken.