PRIVILEGE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1515, 10 August 1912, Page 6

PRIVILEGE.

.THE WAIRAU PETITION CASE. MOTION AND AMENDMENT. Mr. R. M'CALLTJM (WairauJ" asTced the Prime Minister, whether he proposed to take any action on the breach of privilego question raised by him. Tho PRIME MINISTER said ho had intended to submit a motion as soon as the evidence was laid before tho House by tho Privilego Committee. Mr. J. A. HANAN (Invercargill), who ivas chairman of the committee, presented tho evidence, which, he said, had just been completed. The PRIME MINISTER then referred to the case as it had first come before tho House, and the motion upon it. _ Ho did not wish' to magnify tho case, 'but ho thought every member would agree that members of the Hoiiso must be protected from slanderous and libellous statements euch as appeared in tlie letter of which complaint was made. He had not a doubt that Mr. William Sinclair regretted that he had written the letter, but Parliament had a duty to perform to its members. He would move:— "That this House expresses its sympathy with the member for Wairau, and regrets that 6uch a libellous letter should havo been written by William Sinclair to William Carr, and hereby records its censure on the said William Sinclair." Mr. Massey added that ho was not of opinion that Mr. Wni. Sinclair should bo given an opportunity of being heard at the Bar of tho House. Tho Hon T. MACKENZIE (Egmont) seconded the motion, saying that he hoped it would bo supported by every member of tho House. Ho congratulated tho member for Wairau on having como through the ordeal without any reflection on his. character. Mr. W. A. VEITCH (Wanganui) Eaid that tho report of the committee seemed to suggest that he had guilty of a breach of confidence in making public a confidential •letter. He added, however, that he had handed to Mr. M'Callum only the enclosure covered by tho letter marked "Private and confidential." The leitor itself he had destroyed. The document he gavo to the member for Wairau was of such a nature-that ho could not regard it as confidential. Sir. R. M'CALLUM (Wairau) thanked tho Primo Minister for his motion, and assured him that it would fully inert tho caso so far as he (Mr. M'Callum) was concerned.

Mr. Seddon's Amendment. Mr. T. E. Y. SEDDON (Wostland) moved an amendment to insert tho words "and 39 members of the House" in tho motion after tho words "William CaTr." Mr. G. WITTY (Riccarton) seconded the amendment. - Ho read a letter which lie said had been sent out by the Woirau Reform League, asking for donations to a fund to fight the Wairau election petiTh'e Hon. W. FRASER, as treasurer of tho party, stated that not one shilling of its money went in the direction indicated by Mr. Witty. Tho latter had mentioned some Reform League. Tho party could not bo responsible far what individuals in particular localities might do. Mr. Witty said that he thought ho had made it clear that ho did not accuso\tho Reform party. , ■ Government members: 'Why did you read the letter then? Mr. Witty: That is my business. Government members: Very bad taste, anyway. Mr. Witty: The very best taste! He had shown tho letter to tho Prime Minister before reading it, so that the latter might clear himself. He knew that the hori. gentleman who held the purse-strings for the Reform party held them tight, and he knew that no money went into the district eo far as ho (Mr. Fraser) was concerned. Concluding, Mr. Witty obseTved. that if there was a bogus Reform party at Wairua ho had nothing to do with it. Sir Joseph Ward and Mr. G. W. Forbes also epoko to tho amendment. Mr. A. Harris (Waitcmata) accused Mr. Witty of attempting to stab tho Reform party in tho back. Mr. Witty raised a point of order. Mr. Speaker said that the phrase used by Mr. Harris was only political. Mr. Witty said that not much significance attached to it. Mr. Harris said that Mr. Witty had read the letter with the sole object of getting an underhand stab. at tho Government: • ■ Mr.-Witty: Evidently it got home, too. Mr. Guthrie: That's nice, too! Mr. Hams declared that Mr. Witty Lad acted in an underhand and despicable manner. Mr. Witty sought to mako a personal explanation, but was pulled up by tho Speaker. The member for Riccarton succeeded, however, in getting in the observation that he had shown the letter to the Prime Minister, and that tho latter had not objected to its being produced.

About Chivalry. Mr. L. M. ISITT (Christchurch North) eaid that it was very manifest to him that members of the Government party were conscious that they had not done tho generous or chivalrii; thing. Ho appealed to them to do the straight thing! The PRIME MINISTER said that he regretted that the amendment had been moved, and that the time of the Houso had been wasted for an hour. As to ■what Mr. Isitt had said, not a single member of this House knew less about chivalry or generosity than tlie member for Christchurch North. Otherwise that member would not have spoken as ho had a few minutes ago. The Prime Minister continued (hat ho had done what he l>elieved to be his duly, and had drafted a motion which he believed to be fair and lust. Advantage had been taken Df this to.attempt to make political capital against him and his friends. Until tho. matter was raised by Mr. Scddon, he had never heard of the thirty-nine members. There was no doubt that an nttenipt had been made to reflect upon the members of the Government party. Mr. Forbes: Did they get tho lottersP The Primo Minister said that if the members of his party did get tho letters— and he knew that some of thorn did not —they did the right and proper thing by taking no notice of them. Mr. Mnssey was hero interrupted by tho dinner adjournment. Had Done His Duty. Resuming after the adjournment, The PRIME MINISTER said ho claimed no credit for generosity, but he claimed that he had done his duty. It .was satisfactory to the party chiefly concerned, Mr. M'CaUum. and it was accepted by the Leader of the" Opposition. What fl'iould have been done was to allow tho motion to be carried unanimously. Instead of that, how had it been received? An amendment Iwd been moved intended to reflect upon himself and the pnrtv to which he liclonccd. Tf it was not ini.endrd to reflect upon them, undoubtedly it would have that effect. Ho had not* tho flighted intention of accepting any amendment, He hud heard of the'exist-

enco of the circular rend by Mr. Witty s ! ho had heard that it was being passed round, ami Hint it was going to bo used nt tho first opportunity. That was ono stylo of political warfare, but it was not fair tactics. Ho endorsed all the remarks inado by the- Hon. W. I'raser as to Hie party's share- in (ho petition. For himself, he- had never hoard of the \Vairau election petition until ho rend of it in the newspapers, and not one of the party on the Government benches had had anything lo do with the petition. He suggested that the amendment be withdrawn, and that the motion be allowed to pass. Air. It. ai'CALLUM (Wairau) said Hint Hie Prime Minister kid conferred with him More framing- the motion, and ho was satislied with it. Ho also saiil that tire funds for the petition did not conio from the party, and that the party outfiide Mnrlborough had nothing to do with it. The heading of the circular, "Wairau ltei'orin League," was really a piece of gross impertinence. Mr. E. P. LEE (Oamimi). referring to Mr. Veitch's complaint, said that tho committee had no intention of traversing his conduct. For all that he thought, Mr. Vcitch would have been following a safer course if he had destroyed tho letter. Ho (Mr. Lee) had received the letter, and, regarding it as the product of a disordered mind, he treated it. as such and destroyed it. Ho did not suggest that Mr. Veitcli, in acting otherwiso, was doing anything in the slightest ilpirrpp dishonourable. Mr. G. LATJKENSON (Lyttelton) maintained that tho proper thing to do in such a case was (o send tho letter to tho person slandered. Mr. Voitch was to bo commended for his action.

The Prcpsr Thing To Do. Mr. W. H. D. BELT, (Wellington Suburbs) iaid it was a perfectly reasonable and proper thing to do to put' such an obviously ridiculous letter in the fire. Ho called the attention of the Rouse to> tho fact that tho members now in Opposition had taken up a different attitude about a letter out of which arose tho Hine charges. Mr. Hine: That letter was not marked "Private and confidential." Mr. Bell: But it was treated ae such. , Mr. J. COLVIN (Bullor)said he thonght it was a friendly act to show a 'slanderous letter to the person slandered. Mr. T. E. Y. SEDDON (Westland) said he had never, in moving his amendment, intended to reflect upon members of the Government party. Mr. Mandcr: Withdraw your amendment, Sir. Mr. Seddon: I'll do nothing of the sort . Mr. J. A. HANAN (Invorcargill) snid that the effect of the amendment was admitted by the sender of the letter, and that the House would bo justified in passing the amendment. Mr. D. BUICK (Palmerston) said he had burned the circular lie received, but no reasonable .man could say that Mr. Veitch had dono wrong in handing it to Mr. M'Callnm. Tho trouble had all been caused by the members of the Opposition party, who had set out to pick holes in the Primp Minister's motion. Mr. .1. G. COATES (Kaipara) congratulated Mr. M'Callum on having completely cleared his character. Mr. W. C. BUCHANAN (Wairarapa) and Mr. E. ATMOBE (Nelson) - also spoke to the motion. The amendment was lost by 39 votes to 23. The motion was carried.