HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6597, 22 September 1899, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday, Sept. 21. AFTERNOON SITTING. ! The Hons3 mst at 2.30 p.m. ['■ FEDERATION. Mr Flatman 4'ave notice «to ask if ,the Government would appoint a Parliamentary Conference to meet in Australia during the recess to make inquiries iaito tie- question of [Federation. THE WRIGG CASE. The interrupted debate oil .th-3 question of grantingja New Zealand.Crcss to H. Wrigg .was resumed, the motion, oeing that the report should lie on the iable and be printed, to which there was an amendmsnt that the ireport should be referred to»th9 Government for consideration. A division was called for, »the voting being: — Ayes, 30; noes, 30. The Speaker .give his casting vote against title azneadment. The Eon A. J. Cadman moved a further ' amendment, that the. report should be referred back to the committee for further consideration. ' ■ Mr Lewis reviewed the evidence upon •.vihich Mr Wrigg was granted the Gtosb, contending that the service performed was not a dangerous one, and was in no sense ■worthy of tho Cross. Tha means Mr Wrigg adopted to secure the Cross were also referred to by Mr Lewis, who characterised tbem as lamentable and degrading. The finding of the committee, taat Mr Wrigg was not entitled to the Cross, was not. intended as a reflection upon the Minister of Defence, but merely indicated the -opinion-of tie committee upon the merits of granting the award to Mr Wrigg. Mr Bollard quoted' from the evidence given by witnesses before the committee in support of his statement that witnesses iht&d contradicted themselves. The evidence was quite complete that Mr Wrigg did perform the service claimed, although there was difference as to the degree of danger connected therewith. "Mr Moore blamed the Premier for making the question a party one, and wing Bis power to get the committee to reserve its decision. He was on the committee which took evidence upon the subject, and, personally, he gave much attention thereto, and, but for the fact that the Premier made it a party question, lie believed that a great majority of the members would vote against «e Cross being^granfced. .Captain Russell complained of tlie manner in which the Premier had burked discussion of the question, after giving a promise on the floor of the ■ Home that facilities would 'be given for its full consideration, co "matter what difficulties were uut in tie way. However, th.3 Opposition. was strong enough to force .a Ml discussion of the scandal with regard to granting a Gross to Mr Wrigg. He contended that the service claimed, even if it was performed, waß not j eufficraitly meritorious to warrant being rewarded with the New Zealand Cross ; farther, e.ven if all the circumstances warranted the Cross being , granted, the Brere fact tlw/t Mr Wrigg was a suppliant for the distinction,- had 'interviewed Ministers, and importuned members of the Hcruße, was sufficient' to disqualify him for the honour. Never in the whole military history of the nation had such degrading means been taken to obtain, an honour, the most coveicd honour in military circles. He objected to such an honour being given" at the discretion of Ministers, and hoped that there would be a full discussion when the whole -evidence was before the House. The Premier said that it was absurd to accept ihe statement that tho q«?sHon was not a party one. The Opposition well knew that, from its inception to tin; present time, the whole affair had been made a party one, and efforts imd been made to make political capital out of the. matter. He denied that he had broken faith with the 'Opposition in regard to the agreement as to giving time to discuss Ahe question. The committee was unanimous that the Government was not to .blame for recommen-din'g .that the Cross should be granted to Mr Wrigg. • Replying to the argument tha/fc, ; after the lapse of thirty years, the Cross should no* have been granted, he pointed to cases where the Crocs had bsen granted to persons after a lapse of twenty-four and seventeen years respectively. The statement that the OrcJss was granted on the application of Mr Wrigg himself was not correct ; on the conitray, it was granted on the application of Captain Bowers. Then, as to the statement that Mr Wrig<g had personally interviewed Ministers on the subject, he could not see any objection to that, TJhait -was done too often by the Opposition, and if they were consistent, they would be more careful of doing so .in future. There could be no doubt that an act of bravery had been .performed by Mr Wrigg. He urged that the question s'hould be referred back to the committee that the

evidence should bs printed, and then let the most full ajid complete discussion follow. Mr G. Hutchison urged that ths matter should go to the country'. As it stood .it present-, there was nn political or p?.rty spirit in' connection with ih.?. matttr. , The debuts was -interrupted -by the 5.30 p.m. adjournment. "