MR. PETER HEYES

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1869, 1 October 1913, Page 4

MR. PETER HEYES

THE 1910 INQUIRY RECALLED.

A COMMITTEE'S POY/ERS. Mr. J. 11. BRADNEY (chairman of the A to L Petitions Committee) made a statement in refcreneo to a petition by Petor lleyes, of Wellington, praying that the charges on which lie wa.s asked to resign his position as Commissioner of Taxes be fully inquired into, and that ho inay.be granted compensation. Mr. Bradney said that ho was instructed to report: "That the committee has passed the following resolution, and begs to report the same to this House: —'That consideration of this petition bo deferred until members of tho committee ask the Speaker to rule as to what powers members of Parliament sitting in committee have with regard to tho obtaining of papers from Ministers in chargo of Departments.' Mr. Bradney explained that his committee had received a letter from Mr. J. J. M'Grath, solicitor to Mr. Heyes, asking that the report of the Civil Service Board of Inquiry, .which sat in 1910, and which recoinmondod that tho services of Mr. Heyes be dispensed with, should be produced, together with evidence connected therewith, for his (Mr. M'Gratli's) perusal, and for the information of the committee. _ Mr. Bradney continued that he liacl written to the Minister of Internal Affairs, asking that the documents mentioned should bo produoed. The Minister had replied, stating that he could not aceedo to tho request. The conference before tho Departmental inquiry related to confidential matters, and the official record could not bo made use of. The committee desired, Mr. Bradney stated, to ask for Mr. Speaker's ruling as to what its powers were in calling for persons and papers. •Mr. SPEAKER said that a committee having power to call for persons and papers should pass a formal resolution, asking "tho Minister or some officor authorised by him to produce a paper or document. If he refused, tho chairman of tho committeo should report the fact to the House, and tho House would deal with the matter.

Mr. J. A. HAN AN (Invercargill). said that it would surely not bo suggested by a committee or by the House that a Minister should produce a confidential document.

The Hon. JAS. ALLEN said that it would bo easy to establish a precedent which would bo disturbing in futuro. He quoted rulings, one: "It is not usual to compel the production of confidential communications between the law officers and Departmental officers of the Government," and another: "The House may not compel a private document to be laid upon the table. A motion may be mado that an official document bo laid on the table." Mr. L. 31. ISITT (Christohurch North) said that the committeo was not seeking to forco tho production of a document. It wanted the guidance of tho House. A Ruling Deferred. The PRIME MINISTER asked that tho Speaker should defer his ruling until the following day. Ho did not know whether Mr. Speaker was acquainted with the details of this matter, but it was tho first ho had hoard of it. On the morrow they would both bo in a better position to deal with it. Mr. SPEAKER said that if , it was the pleasure of tho Houso ho would hold ovor his ruling. SIR JOSEPH WARD said that a great deal of evidence had been taken by tho Board of Inquiry, which related to tho affairs of peoplo who were not before tho Board of Inquiry at all. He had refused at tho timo to lay tho report on tho table. It was impossible for t'ho reason ho 'had stated.

The Hon. F. M. B. FISHER said that tho action of the committee was taken at his instance, not with a iviow to' socuring that any personal information should be divulged. It had been stated on behalf -of Mr. Hoyes that information was required concerning only two transactions, tho Karamca transaction and tho Wellington Terrace transaction, and that the divulging of that information would not mako public a single figure regarding the transactions of tho Taxation Department. The recommendation made was that only such information should (be given as was not confidential.

Tha Hon. W. H. HERRIES Bnid that the whole matter had boon thrashed out extensively in 1905, when Mr. M'Gowan, thou Minister of Mines, was forced to produce documents relative to the Seddonvillo coal mine for tho use of members of tlio committeo only.

Mr. A. E. GLOVER (Auckland Central) urged that all papers connected with Mr. Ileyes should be placed at the disposal of the committee. Tho HUME MINISTER said tlmt tho more ho heard of this matter tlio more convinced he becamo of its importance. Tho question should bo adjourned because a fvery iniportant precedent might Ijo established. A motion adjourning the debate was agreed to.

UNIVERSITY CONTROL. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE. The report of tho Education Committee of the House on tho petitions for an inquiry into university education by a Royal Commission was presented. The committ-eo reported as' follows: — (1) That the University of Now Zealand should bo brought more closely into touch with tho affiliated teaching institutions. (2) That the question of dealing with tho subject of xinivorsity reform in New Zealand was postponed in 1911 in tho liopo that tho University Senate would itself evolve a scheme of internal reform. The Senate has recently issued to the graduates three schemes for their consideration. It is, .however, very doubtful whether this course of action will lead to any practical result. (3) That while day teaching is essential for the prosecution of all higher ■university work, tho continuance of evening classes is necessary under present conditions to ensure the correlation of tho university with tlio technical work of tho country and the general life of the people; any schemo, therefore, for improving and extending the work of the university should endeavour to provide for both. Tho committee does not advise the setting up of a Royal Commission, but makes tho following recommendations: (1) That the Government bo asked to bring clown legislation to alter tlio constitution of the Senato, so as to make it consist mainly of members elected from tho councils of tho affiliated colleges. . (2) That a body representative of tno Professorial Boards bo constituted, and that it possess advisory powers in all academic matters. (3) That provision be made in accordance with the recommendations of tlio Inspector-General of Schools in his report on the university colleges of New Zealand in 1912 for: (a) Strengthening tho various faculties of tho affiliated colleges, including grants for specialisation in Victoria College and Auckland University College; (b) for better equipment of "tho libraries; and (c) for the prosecution of research, (4) That to meet the immediate needs of the colleges for the current financial year the sum of £4500 bo granted as followsTo Auckland University College for strengthening tho faculties of arts, science, and commerce, £1300, in addition to grants hitherto made; to Victoria College, to moot the deficit in tho current year's finances, to enable .the registrar's office to be put on a proper footing, and to strengthen tlio teaching staff, £1.500, in addition to J.he irianta oonsaring in tho appror>4a-

tions of 1911-1912; to Otago University for strengthening the Medical School, £1500, in addition to all grants appearing in the last appropriations.

Discussion Dcforreti. The Hon. A. L. lIERDMAN said that this report whs of enormous importanco as affecting the university life of this country aiul its future. He would suggest that consideration of the report and tho discussion which should take place upon such an important document should be postponed for a week in order that members might have an opportunity of becoming seized of tho value of the recommendations and of haying an opportunity of perusing the evidence. Tho PIUME .MINISTER agreed to give the House an opportunity later on of discussing the reports. He gave the assurance that tho time afforded would bo at least as favourable as that offered that day.

LEGISLATURE AMENDMENT. The report of the Standing Orders Committee on the Legislature Amendment Bill was agreed to. BJLLS PASSED. Tho Now Zealand Institute of Architects Hill and the Local Elections and Polls Amendment Bill were read a third time and passed.