AN ALL NIGHT SITTING.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6025, 11 November 1897, Page 1

AN ALL NIGHT SITTING.

DISCUSSING THE ESTIMATES. [From Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, Nov. 10. I After the breakfast adjournment consideration of the Estimates was resumed, j For some time the Minister of Lands, who was in charge of the item "Premier's expenses to Hobart, .£SIS/' turned a deaf ear to all entreaties that particulars should be furnished as to how the amount was arrived at, and the Government following preserved an absolute silence, leaving all discussion to members of the Opposi+ion and the Left "Win jr. Efforts to wear out the Opposition proving wholly fntile, the Hon J. M'Kenzie aniaoirace<# shortly before noon that he had sent a message to the Premier urging him to state the items making up the totnl of 4JSIS. The Premier having made his statement Mr T. E. Taylor withdrew without qualification, his extraordinary assertion that .£250 of the amount had gone to swell Mi Seddon's private banking account, explaining that he had made the allegation under extraordinary excitement, following on an all-night sitting and goaded to irritation at the persistent refusal of Ministers to offer any information to the Housu. The Premier's frank statement as to the channels in .-which the money had gone certainly tended to more rapid progress being made with the Estimates. It was expected that the " little bill " of ,£1750 for the Premier's English trip would prove a stumbling block, but the readiness with which information concerning items was supplied, practically disarmed criticism. This is the Premier's explanation of where the money went : — Railway and steamer fares for three, including Secretary, and transportation of luggage, &c. £lUi) : gratuities on steamers and trains and at hotels, .£120 ; hotel expenses for three, ineluding Secretary, in America, Great Britain and elsewhere and extras whentravellingby train, and cash out of pocket, £110 ; newspaper, postages and sitting-rooms and advance to Colonel Pitt for contingent, .£'100; miscellaneous expenses, incidental to trip and entertaining. &c, .£.">oo. If members would total that up they would find it amounted to ,£1970. The 'number of days he was absent from the colony was 140, viz., from April l:j to Sept. S. The imprest account, £11 50. was the amount which his colleagues, after careful consideration, decided w;is the sum lie was justified in charging against the colony. It would, Mr Seddon contended, put him practically in this position, that he had given five months of his time to the service of the colony, leaving him in the same position as he was in when he went away. He had not been extravagant in anaintaining the dignity of his position as Premier, or in doing justice to the colony, nnd ho thought the colony had received back, in the form of services rendered, every sixpence he had charged. The Justice Department votes then came on, the Premier refusing to listen to appeals for adjournment. :tnd the sitting cli'.l not conclude till late in tho c-veuiiiir.