AN UNPLEASANT EPISODE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1372, 24 February 1912, Page 6

AN UNPLEASANT EPISODE.

The further disclosures made in Parliament yesterday concerning the influences which have been at work in connection with the vote of Mn. Payne, member for ■Grey Lynn, will certainly serve to strengthen the feeling of uneasiness which already existed in the public mind. It, i'p regrettable that, the course of the ne-coiifidenco debate should have been InterruolwJ by tho tUj>cuwlo!» of tiw> AUfltpifcju in oirouJLailoa zegAMUiig

the member for Grey Lynn, although it was inevitable that sooner or later steps would have to be taken to have them fully investigated. The proper time, however, would have been at the close of the no-confidence debate. The Prime Minister and Mn. Payne were of course (piite right in demanding that inquiry should be made, and it was only to be expected that the occasion would be seized on by the former to seek to divert attention from the real issue before the House. But the public will probably bo quick to recognise that while there is quite sufficient in the. allegations that are in circulation to warrant the outburst of protest which emanated from the ranks of the Ministerialists, there was a tendency on the part of some members to over-act the part. . Mn. Payne admitted that he had been offered a bribe to break his pledge and voto for the Ward Government, but denied very plainly that the offer came from the Government or any member of Parliament, and also denied that ho was influenced by it. The committee which haß been set up to investigate the matter and also the question of privilege raised should be ablo to clear the air somewhat concerninc the rumours afloat.