PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1846, 4 September 1913, Page 7

PARLIAMENT.

» •_ A DAILY SUMMARY. The House of Representatives spont a greater part of yesterday's sitting in a party wrangle upon tho report of tlio Westport Inquiry Committee, which wag - ultimately laid "upon the tablo at 11.15 p.m., after a hostilo amondinont had tail defeated by a largo majority. Tho tworhour discussion on questions, which usually takes placo on Wednesday,afternoon, was crowded out. Soon after tho Houso met, Mr. G. M. Thoihson directed' attention to a report published in Tns Dominion that day of statements made by Dr. Hunter, of Dunedin, before tho Education Commit-' teo of the House, about tho Otago Medical School. Mr. Thomson said that tlio report was onesided l , in tlio absence of any reference .to oross-oxamination to which Dr. Hunter was subjected' by members of tho committee.' Extracts from the official report of tho crossexamination appear in another column. Returns presented by the Minister for Defence, and giving particulars of the number of persons undergoing military training and the number ot persons summoned.for (refusing to comply with tho provisions of tlio Defence Act, gavo an opening for a general disoussiom. Mr. Lamrenson took up tho attitude attributed to Jonah, and for once in a way was thrown ovorboard by lus colleagues on-tiho Opposition benches. He suggested that the position disclosed by tho returns imperilled tho future prospects of the' Dofenco scheme. Mr. 6: W. Russell and! Mr. J. V. Browm took a more optimistic vioWj and tlie Hon. Jas. t Allen, in rounding off the debate, showed that Mr. Laurenson and some other Oppositionists hadi taken a gloomy:view of the position not warranted by a corrcct reading of the returns. On the motion of Mr. Allen, Sir Joseph Ward was added to the Joint Defence-Com-mittee. Sir W. 0. Bucfhanan and Mr. P. C. Wobb were added to the Minos Committee*. ' , ■ The report of tho Westport" Inquiry Committee was presented by the chairmam, Mr. E. P. Lee, at 3.50 p.in. It exonerated the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher of all blamo in connection with the appointments to tho Westport • Harbour Board, which wcto the subject ; of inquiry. Mr. L. M. Isitt read a series of resolutions which had been ( approved by tho Opposition members on the committee, but had failed to command tho support of a majority. These rejected resolutions included a statement that the member for Nelson (Mr. Atmore) was justified in bringing ' his charges against tho Minister. I ■The debate that, followed was fre- ( quently bitter in tono, but did not bring 1 many new facts to,light. During the j evening Mr.-G. W. RussolJ moved to | add to the committeo's report a declaration ' that the Government should re- , movo Mr. Simpson from the Westport Harbour Board. _ , ( A'division being talcen, tho amend- , ment was negatived by 41 votes to 27, j and half an hour later the report pre- , sented by tho chairman of the commit- . too was approved on tho voices. The | House roso' at 11.37 p.m. •' , The Legislative Council sat yesterday , afternoon, and tho Magistrates' Court 'Amendment Bill and several other matters were advanced a stage.