"TELL ME HOW YOU KNOW."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 954, 22 October 1910, Page 5

"TELL ME HOW YOU KNOW."

THE PREMIER AND MR. ALLE& M'VWJio-fhas given you .tie,information' at your disposal ?". was a question wiioh' ;,the Prime Minister, asked.Mr. Jas. AlM.P. for Bruce/ when : the Defence Estimates were, before the House' of Representatives,: last, night.: . ;,''Dp".;you really r want' 1 to:.know?" quo Tied Mr. "Allen.:./-, - ;.; ■,-.-.. j "Yes," replied 'Sir-'Joseph:' .Mr: Allen; The';; daily newspapers. .(Laughter,) •••■. Sir Joseph: I; think Tkhqw too much of.the work of.the: Department not to know more than-that. Have offioers imparted confidential information to you? - •'",, ; -.-" ..; »■■: ; .Mr. Allen; No; L.told: yon that before. .'-;■:'■ '-'■:■>. - : r v y ■ ''■'■■"/" i 'Sir Joseph:: Yes, you did. '■■■..■' ;" Mr.'.AMen:'. : \Ve get to know all-sorts of'things.' (Laughteri) ;'.', ,■".-;'•' ; Sir Joseph: We ought to know wnp some'of them' are. :• '■■'•■'.' -..'•:;• ' : .1 ■ •This dialogue brought Mr. T. lor, M.P.. for '■ Christohurch; North, to. his feet. "I would take any information from amy public servant," he re-: inarked, "and. I would. keep, it confidential." .'■' Ho 'added, that he'.' thought that all members were entitled- to as much information jp. regard _: to.'.' the public Departments as.the Ministers... : . Tlie Prime Minister'said that in his opinion: the first duty of. a., publio official, irrespective of his was .to. be loyal to the Government of the day: When one found distinct:. leakage?——* Mr. Allen: Are you. referring to. me? Sir Joseph: ,0h no; but I want you to; tell me how you -know ;these things.. Mr. Allen: Well, I ,havo. told you: (Laughtor.) .•'..,., . - '.'••.. Sir Joseph:. You are not as'frank as you ought to be. Mr. Allen • I know another person -who is not so frank .as he: ought to bo; '.. ■ 'Sir Joseph: . I wonder who ho is;? (Laughter.) : . -,'■■"'■', Mr. Fisher (Wellington Central) said that it was all, vory well for the Prime Minister to assert that officers should be loyal to the Government of the day. But members had to consider their loyalty to the people who had' sent them to Parliament;to yraich their . interests. ■ ' :'' i'-.':