LOBBY GOSSIP

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2202, 15 July 1914, Page 7

LOBBY GOSSIP

AND POINTS FROM DEBATES >• DAILY SUMMARY \. : Tho greater part "of yestWay Uftery noon was- spent in tlio House of Repre-. sentatives in & wandering and discon- , nected disoussion upon the first reading •? of Sir. Payne's Workers' Right to Work Bill. Several other small Bills were ad- * vanccd a stage just before , tho' House < i toss at*s,3o p.m., but the presentation of reports, papers, etc., was blocked by the. discussion upon Mr. Payno's Bill, i lit'the . evening tlio annual . .Taxing'. Bill was introduced by Governor's MeSr i sage, and-road a first time. Tlio rest of J. tho sitting was devoted to tho Local V . Elections, and Rolls Amendment Bill. i\ tho 'Fruit Preserving .Industry Bill, and I. ; tho Harbours Amendment Bill,/ all of , "whiqh 1 were read a second tdnio. , ■ | A CHARGE'ANSWERED. ' n During tlio courso of tho \. Reply Debate, , the member for Napior ' (Mr. J. Vigor Brown) made certain \ Btatements dsrosatory to the character \ of nil officer of the Pensions Department t at, Napier.- In the' House yesterday tho Hon. F. :-M- -B. Fisher,: Minister in ?>•' Charge of- the- Department, : rose anc\ ' 'asked to be allowed to make a statement -in replv to what, iVIr. Brown had sairl. ' : • Sir Joseph Ward at once . raided a <1 point of order—that the-Minister had no ■: right in the absence of tlm member for Napi(sr (who was not in the-House) to make any reference to what Mr. Brown j-. had said, especially as the Minister had •- had his opportunity of replying' beford ■ the debate was'over, iind he had not , taken' it. . ..; v ~ ', Mr. Fishef.said.it wa3 imp6ssiblel-for, .-'hira to reply at tlio time, because he had . not the necessary information at. hand. \ He urged, that it was right :in the inj terests, of. the -officer ivhose.'.o|iaraeter '■f . had been attacked that lie should be ?: cleared as soon: lis possible. Mr; .-Sneaker', said the Minister .would r be in order; in mnlring a statement. • ■ Mr'.. Fisher said that the member■ for , ■ Nanier had challenged liirn -fMr. Fisher) . - . to '.lay- .the" polioe record' of vthe- officer : ' in question ,011 the table, of tho Hoffse.' • . This officer Hiad 'been for IS years'/in the Police lforco, and;when lie left on |. transfer to ; the Toiisions . Department he'had'a good conduct certificate'of (Hin, t' i charce and lie been;twice rewartled for soe.cial sen-ice. On the other hand two-bad marks w'ero recorded ..aiiainßt him for iruior breaches of discipline; . For one offence lie -was captioned,: and' for the other/ for : h'aving'failed to .roport: certain soandals against anotlie.'',: V . policeman-.' or iis Ijlr. Fisher parapbra'snd; •' it. "for to p°acli oil a pal," he. V T-as -nd-mnriishetl.His record in the i Department was also excellent. ■ - Mv. v Wsher'read ■ : both- records,- and . . tabled them. .' ■ NOTES IN BRIEF.- " •' ~ A" slight delav in distribution' of Order. Papers, in the. House iof .Representatives ■ yesterday . caused the Leader -of the t ' Opposition fSir to ask the' reason. Tlio Prime : Minister, who is resnonflibie for tlio preparation of the Orcler' Paner, explained that, ho had; received nine -deputations, before one o'clock that day. He; prepared/.tlio.' ' Order . .Paper ! as' sorin' a.s:. , ,ribpjye; : and - > sent it to the Printing Office.' .He Vfis sorry for any little delay.- .Sir Joseph . -Ward: "Oh, that's all right;"-