IN PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1215, 25 August 1911, Page 5

IN PARLIAMENT.

DAILY SUMMARY.

SIR ROBERT STOUT AND THE ISLANDS. The Legislative Conncil applied itself during a brief afternoon sitting to a discussion of Sir Mnurico O'Rorke's motion in regard to pensioner settlements, and eventually rejected tho proposal by a large majority.' The debatri upon the report which Sir Robert Stout (Chief Justice) sent to Sir James Carroll as tho fi'uit of his mission of secret inquiry at Rnrotonga kept tho House iu a tense, condition nearly all tho afternoon, and far into tho evening. Mr. Wright opened by declaring the report to bo unfair, biased, unsatisfactory, and unworthy of anyone holding the position of a New Zealand Supreme Court Judge. In support of this statement Mr. Wright dealt seriatim with tho comments of tho Chief Justice on the charges against the Islands administration. As a motion was stated by tho Speaker to bo necessary if there was to bo a discussion, Mr. Wright accepted a suggestion to move that the report be referred back to the Chief Justice for further consideration.

Sir James Carroll made no attempt to deal with the charges,, and the Chief Justice's remarks in anything like tho searching manner of Mr. Wright. His defence consisted mainly of imputing personal or political motives, to those who had formulated the charges. Ho introduced some fresh matter in his endeavour to justify this view .of Dr. tions. Ho also talked of tho heavy expense of- education and medical services for the Islanders, b'nt promised improvement in these' directions, and he eulogised in genernl terms both Sir Eobort Stout and Captain Smith. The House had listened just as quietly to Mr. Wright's outspoken censure of the Chief Justice ns it did to tho placidly expressed excuses and psychological excursions of the Acting-Premier, but the Ministerialists could not remain silent when Mr. James Allen alluded in another way to Sir Robert Stout. This member's Briticism was directed not so much against Sir Robert Stout as against the Government's treatment of that gentleman .

"You have utilised the Chief Justice!" he exclaimed, "for purposes for which ho should never have bean utilised. You have .dragged him upon the floor of the House." Then, tho attack being upon tho Government, its supporters created quite a hubbub of indignation. Mr. Allen also rebuked the Government for a long course of.neglect of the welfare of the Island population, and expressed the fear that if any more Pacific Islands were to be brought under a colonial Government, that honourable responsibility would not be given to New Zealand. He insisted further that the assertion of The Dominion and of Mr. Wright, that the Chief Justice had made in his report an absolutely, incorrect statement must not be allowed to pass without a proper inquiry being made.. Mr. Fowlds/who spoke in the evening, and who is Acting-Minister for Justice, took the view that the incorrect statement by Sir Robert Stout was merely a slip of the pen. The report was "sound, sober, and satisfactory." He scolded the Opposition for attacking tho Chief Justice, and' repeated the plea as to the cost of education and health measures in tho Islands.

. Mr. Ma-ssey spoko of the action of the Government as tending fo destroy the dignity of tho Bench, and roundly de-clared-that the Chief Justice appeared to bo toojond of secret inquiries. Tlio country- was sick of Star Chamber methods. The Cook Islands report was the' work of an advocate rather than a Judge. Ministerialists cried: "Shame!" and Mr. Massey repeated his words.

Several othor Governriiont supporters Bpoke. Most of them appeared in the roll of scold in which Mr. Laurensen excelled them all. Mr. Ngata, though he purported to bo defending the Government, of which ho is a member, said that if ho were a Karoiongan, ho would wish all the white men to leave the Islands before they established the courts arid boards and laws which burdened the Maoris of New Zealand. Mr. Wright replied, nnd the motion was lost on the voices.