"TAMMANYISM."

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 892, 11 August 1910, Page 5

"TAMMANYISM."

HR.HINE OUTLINES HIS CHARGES" WRONGFUL COMMISSIONS ALLEGED ; , FOUR PUBLIC MEN AFFECTED. During the evening sitting o£ theHous*yesterday, Mr. T. 13. Taylor>(Christchurch ' • North), referring to the allegations of "Tammahyisin" which had been made by ilr. Hine, .M.P. for Stratford, said ho did not believe anyone in that Parliament, whether private member or a .;; , member of the Executive, had ever used , , his public position in such a way that.a charge of "Tamiuanyisni" could be justly • :-,.' brought. The charge meant that a public man would use his. position for personal gain. Ho was prepared to. admit .• - that there had been administrative ac- . ' tious even during the past few weeks that ; ho could criticise, but he supposed that '' no Ministry that might como'iuto powor would be abovn such criticism. Be did not believe that any member of Parliament or mem tier of the Ministry was * using his position corruptly,for personal "-' gain. That marked the difference, be- ; " tween a charge of improper administra- •, tion. and a charge of /'Tammanyism/'-- : - •Mr. Hine said there had been instances ''".-:.. of corrupt actions on the part of ex-mem-bers of the Assembly, and he was quite right in referring to such-things if lie ;,-'•, . knew they.had been ; practised. It would . > be increasingly i important. for members to have : ..a. 'high standard, V for as • the - years went by, the . functions of tho State were being gradually extended. _ Just as the State mo?ed out and occupied positions in industries, manufactures and other undertakings which in.tho past had been occupied by: private enterprise, so it would become in- : ,'-'"-V'' creasingly important for every member.to expose anything in the nature of cprrup-; .-!-.'., tion. He was sure Mr. Hine was ..the ..:''. last whu Would maki< a general : state-' ;■' ment and leave it unsupported by: facts.' ■■■ That would not be a sportsmanlike thing to do. He felt sure that,there was some- ; ,'-.:■' thing behind Mr. Hine's charge, but Mr. ".:■' ' Hine could see that a charge of the kind ended nowhere at all unless he was pre-"; ';'■' pared to give such facts as would force . ah inquiry. He urged Mr. Hine to clear. . .." the.matter upV. ■'-.- ■ MR, HINE DEFENDS. HIS, ACTION. Mr.' Hine' said he would make, a statement in tho matter which would no doubt : ■surprise the House and the, country.' It . was'not a personal'matter- with him, but'.'. :i with the information in his possession he felt ho had a very strong public duty : ; /.. to perform, and he would perforin It. He ,-; was acting on public, grounds, and ■_~ 0n..;,,, ; public:grounds,alone. He'w'as quite''free's' : ■-,' from personal envy and malice and personal' ambition in bringing up the mat- ~.;, ■: '■ ter.. In-,this country it was known.that '• ■['■■ certain estates had been offered to the, - Land Purehase Board, and their puis ■. ' chase ' was refused. , Months, afterwards the''negotiations were reopened, and'the .. estates were bought. He quoted May to-'.".■,.' ; show that severe-pains and penalties had " ■ been imposed upon members in England ; for. offering and receiving/bribes. One ■"' member was expelled for receiving money for work done'in the House. Others had.'.'..''-..,';". i heen fined in large, sums. ; In ..regard to . 'procedure he said it was not : neoes-.. .' saryat that juncture to give the names.'•'.'■ ■■ Mr. T. E.-Tnylor, when he made, his ': ' charges in regard ; to the police in' 1897'.,'■' 'or 189S, had 6aid ho'would not give names, ■;'■■'. but attached numbers to , his charges.' Mr. 'Arnold also last'yearj' in connection'with ;his' police .charges,' did ■ not'(.give ' '..':■ names,'- but referred, to-ithe: cases, by -~ numbers. If in the cases .lie (Mr. Hine),.. .... was referring to an. inquiry was granted, the men charged with receiving moneys would have to come before-.the conimis-*-sion. He referred to the cases as fol- •;■';■'_■• low:— _ . . '; ■;. .-'..'. -'■ ";' No. I.— An M.P. acted as agent for- ■ the vendor of an estate, and received a, commission', '■."■'■'!■ .". No. 2.—ln the purchase of an • ' estate/two M.P.'s aided in collusion, and received a commission.. -'No. 3,-Aii M.P.. divided a com- '■ ;• mission with a land agent. , No. 4—An M.P. received a huge commission, running to four', figures, : for'-acting_as agent. "'''(-,:.'"'; v ,J ' : i Mr. Hine went on to say that these - . commissions were all' received in \ con'neotion with lands purchased' by' the ..' State. -..-•':. '■ '"'■''.- ■Hon. Mr. Carroll: Who. ' paid the.. 1 ;;. commissions?■ The 'State? ■ Mr. Hine: That has to be found out ...'■•'" \Mr. Carroll: Who received theni? ' 'Mr. Hine added that in his opinion '■/''•': he was fully justified in making these . statements. ■ ■ Mr. Ross:. Wore' they' acting in the. capacity of land agents? '.'.': .-■ .Mr. Hine:. It is not. for me. v to . say. To his' mind,..;' whether: ..a ;;.. ' jnan was a laud agent or not, if a man,.',. ,V was a' member of that House, he had no v right to carry, on his profession, in that . way. - ■ ' ■'■'■.. • ■ . ■ 'v . . Mr.Hanan: He's beginning to shuffle now. - ■ . : - '.■ .- ■•'' \ ;■'. .-■■ '-"'.].,'■■■ Mr. •■ Hine: You'll see who is,going-t0... shuffle when the commission is granted, 'r,,. In conclusion; Mr. Hine said that'the;;-'.!.'■;_"■ longer the inquiry was delayed the more ~ '•.,' , impatient the country would become.,/1f,.. the national life was going ! to' bo so - v. ■'■■'. lowered that M.P.'s-received a conuhis-., 4 ,, . . sion from private individuals ia connection with the sale of. estates to ..the-... Government, he was confident iio-self-V:.: ;, respecting man would aim at getting- a;■■,-.'.' '<- seat in the House. ;„."•',, .'■ ■•l.;*,,^*, .'.■■'■ Sir Josenh -.Ward said -that Mr. Hine : had stated" the other night the men' ,'■ ■;;■'.• were not members of the House.. : _ ... , , .Mr. Hine: At the time: .thesq' commis-'.,.;'5; sions were paid they were members of :-■!.'.;; Parliament. Probably by , to-morrow U ,:!',; will have, further, cases."'" The 'inquiry,- ■•)..; sliould cover all cases of purchases byrthe,-.-.>-,.-'■;; Government. ■'...'• v'-,,'-'''.>'.'' : : The Prime Minister .considered thatAif:' Mr. Hine-whs not' nrepared- to state the' ;.. name publicly, or "to the, Ministry,„.the'."-:. .-.. conntrv would disbelieve him. '-:.—-,',: ; . Mr.'T. E,' Taylor'pointed out that Jfr. ....•', Hine would bo privileged, if he gave tne... !'. , names. If he (Mr. Taylor) were m. his :.-,,.' place; he would out with, them like -<_a \ ■ ;■,-■■ shot. That would be because he .would'. ;> .. be prepared to fight them. -.'■•,,,'■:•■'; , : 'l '■■ No further comments were made on the .: siibjeot-.last night. ,-.,,'. ;.., ~,;., \- .-