THE REPORT KILLED.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9874, 14 October 1899, Page 3

THE REPORT KILLED.

The Coal Committee report was shelved by tho familiar tactics of "talking out," and .at tho present stage of the session this means its death. Tho report having been read by the clerk of the House, will appear in Hansard, together with tho debate, but the evidence will never sec tho light. Tho killing process was led by Mr Duthie, an arch, individualist, on tho plausible pretext of deferring consideration of tho report till the evidence was circulated. The member for Wellington proceeded to expose the insincerity of his motion by himself attacking the report at length. The hand of the enemy was strengthened by the fact that the enquiry had been confined almost entirely to West Coast coal and Westport in particular, which formed a grievauco with representatives of other coal districts such as Waikato and Whangarei. , Mr J. Allen, himself a southern coal mine owner, wanted to know where Kaitangata came in. Ho objected to the fillip to the sale of West Coast coal, which tho adoption of the proposals would mean, and declared that he would sco the report in tho fire first. The Premier hero facetiously enquired of tho speaker whether any person interested in a coal mine could vote on the matter before the House.

Sir Maurice answered that Parliamentary etiquette forbade a member voting on such circumstances. Tho Premier put the ease from the "people's" point of -view in a strong speech, justifying State action in face of combined interests and excessive middlemen's profits. Tho Opposition, which had been making merry of the report, subsided into glum silence. "Why don't you laugh now-- queried Mr Sec Won, but there w as no reply. The fatal 5.30 was approaching, but at a quarter past five Mr O'Regnn, the Chairman of tho Committee, who had presented the report, caught the Speaker's eye. Buller, however, with more courtesy than judgment, gave way to Captain Russell, who had risen simultaneously, and the Opposition leader kept the talk going till the half hour. Tho Premier stated that he regarded the report as preliminary, and next session a wider investigation of the tmbjeet may be expected.

The semi-final of the Wanganui Club's Draughts Tournament was played last ni<*ht and resulted in Higgie defeating Reid,