HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6285, 16 September 1898, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday, Sept. 15. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.30 p.m. QUESTIONS. Owing to "the illness of the Minister of Lands questions were riot answered. J Return 3 relating to cases dealt with by ! Goldfields Wardens,..travelling expenses of "Wardens, cost if printing the map issued i with "Hansard," and the names of the •District Court: Judges,' .their salaries and details of other offices held by them, were , ordered. j THE POLICE COMMISSION. .... I The debate oh the' Hon T. Thompson's ; motion relative to the report of the Police Commission, and Mr J. "VY. Kelly's amendment thereto, was resumed. j Mr Thompson's motion was that the re- i port, of ' the : Commission '-hould be re-. f erred to thia Pnblic Accounts Committee, j with a special direction to {examine into I and report as to what the increased cost to ! the colony would be if effect should be . given to tiie recommendations and schemes ; of the report and of Commissioner Tunbridge, and whether circumstances war- | ranted the increased expenditure in whole or in part. Mr Kelly's amendment was as follows _—" That immediate provision be made for the removal of the police from political control, for improving the present system of recruiting the Force, for the efficient training and instruction of the - Foroeyfor the retirement of officers and . men who' by/ reason of age or otherwise 'are inefficient, or are of drunken or mi.- . moral habits, or are addicted to gambling, fpr an amendment of tha law, so to punish; those who obtain liquor, during prohibited hours, and for retiring allowances and pensions to deserving members of the Force." Mr Moore said that the findings of ths Commissioners were hardly in accordance with the evidence, but he hoped that the result of the Commission would be to place the Force on a better footing than at present He objected to the reference of the recommendations of the report to the Public Accounts Committee, on the gronnd that the committee was a party one, which would bring down a report in accordance with the desires of the head of the Government and the Minister of Justice." , Mr O'Regan said that the expeni. of the Commission could have been reduced considerably if only the evidence of persons of I good repute had been taken. Ha objected to the colony being put to the expense of reporting the evidence of such persons as Che_kett3 and Annishaw. Nothing in the Teport of the Commission, in his opinion, j ustified the proposal that the House should hand over the control of the' police to irresponsible officers. He admitted that he had Bpoken to Colonel Hume respecting the case of Constable Young, and contended that political interference in caaea of injustice was no disgrace. Mr Millar dealt with certain cases, in connection with which it had been alleged that he had used his influence, and asserted that he had only approached the Department in order to remedy injustices. Had Mr. Taylor been an honourable man, he would have, withdrawn the statements respecting the revenue derived by the Bishop of Dunedin from certain property, which statements had been completely disproved. Mr Euchanan said that the refusal of the Premier and the Minister of Justice to give evidence largely detracted from the report of the Commissioners. Mr Duncan contended that the manner in which Mr Taylor had conducted himself before the Commission at Oamaru had done much damage to the prohibitionist movement in that place. Mr R. M'Kenzie said, that those who knew the witnesses who had given evidence did not believe _single sentence of it. It was perjured evidence, in many cases, from beginning to end. Mr Guinness said that the Commission should never have been set np, and the present debate would be abortive. The recommendations of the report should be dealt with by the Government, and not by a committee of the House. L The debate was interrupted by the adjburnment at 5.30 p.m.