The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, JULY 13, 1886. The District Railways Purchase.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1287, 13 July 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. TUESDAY, JULY 13, 1886. The District Railways Purchase.

Tomorrow evening the House of Representatives will debate the report of the Committee appointed to enquhe into Major Steward’s connection with the sale and purchase of the Waimate and Hakateramea-Duntroon Railways. The evidence take;; by the Committee is not yet circulated, and we shall for the present suspend our judgment upon the very grave charges piade by the report, but in order that our readers may fully comprehend the whole matter we propose to state as briefly as possible the details of the transaction now made the subject of enquiry. It will be remembered that last session a Committee of the House recommended that the Waimate Railway should be struck out of the schedule of the District Railways Purchasing Bill. The Railway was so struck out in the Lower House, but on September 17 the Bill was recommitted and the Waimate line, mainly by the exertions of Major Steward, was restored to the schedule. Three years befoie, Major Steward had been instructed by the Directors of the Waimate and Hakateramea-Duntroon Railways to endeavor to sell their debentures to the Government Insurance Association, but some difficulty arose and no sale eventuated. On the passage of the Bill of last session the Directors of the Waimate Railvmy again asked Major Steward to negotiate for the sale of their debentures. The commission arranged was per cent on ,£33,000. Major Steward then applied to the Rotorua and Hakatera-mea-Duntroon Railway Companies for authority to sell their debentures, amounting to £150,000 and £6r,000 respectively. The Duntroon Company declined to sell, but negotiations were opened which resulted in the disposal of the Rotorua and Waimate debentures to the Government, a transaction by which Major Steward earned about £1035. A very large part of the commission, we understand, is still unpaid, as, from a variety of causes, the delivery of the debentures has been delayed. This is the whole transaction so far as we can gather from the particulars telegraphed from Wellington, and, although we shall wait for further information before expressing a definite opinion, we are disposed to think that the evidence has been overstrained and the report ungenerously framed.

At the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning a lad, an employee at the Ashburton Olnb, was charged under section 109 of the Licensing Act, 1881. with having supplied alcoholic liquor to a prohibited iperson. Mr Crisp, who appeared for the defendant, succeeded in satisfying the Bench that his client had no knowledge that the person supplied was a prohibited person, and the charge was dismissed. Although the Management of the Olnb may congratulate itself upon having escaped a conviction, we trust it will see the importance of exercising greater care in the future. A mere boy, snob as the defendant in the case under notics, should not be placed in charge of the busiest bar in town, and the person responsible for this Indiscretion is also morally responsible for a serious breach of the law. The special provisions of the Licencing Ac* relating to Clubs are new on their trial ; there is a very strong feeling in some quarters that tbeaddi ional drinking establishments they have brout h' Into existence extend a great social e\ Be this as It may, It is quite cortai: that If the privileges granted to Clubs he abased a very strong effort will be ma<?o to secure their withdrawal. If the members of the Ashburton Club value their charter they should take steps to ensure I more careful management In the future. I

The Wellington correspondent of the Press referring to the report of the District Railway Purchase Committee says :—Thera is not muoh liko’ihood of the Committee’s report being adopted, although it may only be rejected by a narrow majority. That the question will I be made a party struggle there seems very little doubt. From all I can hear the division Is at present likely to be a , close one. It is rumored to-night that Government will bring down a series of resolutions on the District Railways Committee’s report condemning that report and explicitly exonerating Mr Steward. It is also rumored that Mr Steward will resign immediately and offer himself for re-election to test the opinion of his constituents on his actions.

The Civil Service Reform Bill passed through Committee in the House of Repreeentatives last night. The clause proposing to appoint a Royal Commission to report periodically as to sdjustment of salaries to cost of living was struck out by a narrow majority, and the clause providing for the nomination of cadets for appointment by member* of the House of Representatives was retained.

The Defence Bill was also passed through Committee last night. Mr W. C. Walker, the member for Ashburton, moved to strike out the sub-section providing for capitation allowance of £3 10s to garrison corps, and 30s to other corps, and to aubstitute “ such sums as shall be voted annually for that purpose, to bo distr buted according to the number of volunteers In the colony.” 1 his was a protest against any distinction being made between town and country corps, and ultimately the spirit of Mr Walker’s amendment prevailed.