A PAINFUL INCIDENT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8233, 10 September 1906, Page 7

A PAINFUL INCIDENT.

MATTER MENTIONED IN

PARLIAMENT.

MINISTER OF JUSTICE PROMISES ENQUIRY.

In the House of Representatives on Friday afternoon, Mr Gray, Christoburch North, asked, without notice, whether the attention of the Minister of Justice had been called to the condition of the Chairman of |4.he Wool Commission, Dr. M'Arthur S.M., at a sitting of the Commission in Chnstchurob. Mr Gray referred to it as "a very painful incident," and read the newspaper report of the affair. Members followed the reading with close attention. Would the Minister take steps to prevent a recurrence of such a thing? asked Mr Gray. Replying, the Hon. Mr M'Gowan said the Government would consider the matter aDd make enquiries to see that the newspaper report was a correot statement. Mr Gray bad courteously intimated his intention of asking the question, but be did not say that it was his intention to read tbe newspaper report and an editorial oomment upon it. The Minister deprecated members Hansardising reportß before the latter were confirmed.

The newspaper report referred to above appeared in the Lyttelton Times of Thursday, and is as follows: The proceedings at the sittings of the Koyal Commission, whioh is investigating the causes of the recent fires on wool-laden vessels were interrupted yesterday afternoon by a painful inuident. Mr A. H. Turn bull was nailed ea a witness, and after he had been sworn, he was asked for and gave his name. "What are you, Mr Turnbuli," asked the Chairman of the Commission, Dr M'Arthur. "A merchant," "A very general term," remarked the Chairman. "We understand that you can give us some evidence that we want. Are you a receiver of wool" "No. 1 am not a receiver of i wool." >W "Oh! What do you do with wool then?" • "I have bought wool." "Oh, yeß. You have bought wool, but you are not a receiver of wotal. You WBnt to quibble over the word, do you?" "Not at all. 1 merely want to make my position clear." "So that's all. You're one of these snufflers then, are you?" "Excuse me, I'll not be spoken to like that," replied Mr Turnbuli, with some heat. "I don't know that you are in a fit condition to put a question to me, but if I stay io this box, I shall want to have questions put to me courteously. I am quite willing to answer any questions that are put to me courteously." . , "You are going to straighten me op," said the Chairman, "so I'll just straighten you up. What is .- your firm?" "A. H. Turnbuli and Co. "Who are the members of it?" "lam." • "Who's the Co. then?" "I am." "There isn't any Co. then? "No. I trade under the style of A. H. Turnbuli and Co." Mr Turnbuli prooeeded to explain what he had done in oonneotion with wool, but the Chairman interrupted to say, "I don't know why you should take your position in this WHy?" m "Nor I," replied Mr Turnbuli. "I don't know why you should treat a witness in this discourteous way." "That's my business," replied the Chairman. "If you insist on treating me in that manner," said Mr Turnbuli, "and if you put your questions in that tone, 1 ahall refuse to answer." "Well, I'll go on staighening you up," was the Chairman's reply, and he asked what ships had carried MrTurnbull's wool. Mr Turnbuli replied that he could not give the names fiom me-nory, but would gladly give the Commission a list of the names after referenoe to his bookß. Mr Foster continued the examination, but the Chairman again interposed to make reference to the earlier proceedings. "Why do you take up this attitude?" be asked. "Why should we fight?" "I doD't want to fight, replied Mr Turnbuli. "I think you misconstrued my answer." "I suppose 1 did," said Dr. M'Arthur, and there the incident ended.