CASE OF MR. JENNINGS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2217, 1 August 1914, Page 3

CASE OF MR. JENNINGS

HIS SEAT ON THE WAITARA HAR- . BOUR BOARD. , The facts about the removal of Mr. W. T. Jennings from tho Waitara Harbour Board a few months ago were all I related over, and over again from different .points of view in the.House of Representatives yesterday afternoon. It may be remembered that as soon as the Minister of Marine was advised that Mr. Jennings's. appointment to the board was'not legal, he made proper inquiry from the Crown Law Office. On receipt of the opinion, he advised Mr Jennings.of tho legal position,'and suggested that he should resign from the board. Mr. Jennings would not resign, and consequently in' the Supreme Court he , contested his right.to act on the board. 'He failed in that' action, and wasmulctin some £15 15s. costs. This session he' petitioned the House of Representatives that he should be recouped for his legal expenses, the total amount claimed being £32 10s. Yesterday the Petitions Committee presented their report on the petition, which was, "that the Committee has no recommendation to mako." ■■■ .

Mr. Payne led off the debate, which followed with a reference to "party bias," but he was'immediately stultified by Mr, J..S. Dickson moving an amendment that the report be referred back to the Committee. This amendment was supported by Mr. H. J. H. Okey. The Hon. P.'M. B. Fisher (Minister of Marine) said that even if the matter was referred back to the Committee, and a recommendation in favour of paying the'claim made, the , '' Department could not agree to pay,, because one ;item of'the claim was f6r-£5 for wages while attending to the business of the board,' He explained 1 that Mr. Jennings was appointed in April, 1911, and he was olily compelled to'give up his seat'two or three weeks before his term had expired. The Crown Law Office had Kiven a legal opinion that ho was not eligible to servo at the timo of his ap T pouitment, because.ty> was not on any roll,as. possessing an elector's qualifications. Mr. Jennings had Tcplied that he was qualified to go on the roll in 1911, but no election , wasMield then, and uo roll was.prepared. He (Mr. Fisher) Found that a roll was prepared in 1911, and an election held then. Mr. Jennings then said that he had made a mistake. Finally Mr. Fisher' said that if the matter was referred back to the Committee, and they called for receipts of the legal expenses, and inquired fully into the positjon', they would find that Mr. Jennings did not have a leg. to stand, on. Hβ was apparently very anxious to' continue sitting on the board, for when he was requested to retire he took Supreme Court proceedings, well knowing that he'■ could, retain his seat till judgment-was ■■given.' His claim was quashed early in April, 1914, and Mr. Jennmgs'a. term of office expired at the end of tho .same month..

' Mr.;P. C. Webb held,that the Minister of Marine acted in a very logical and fair manner in .dealing with the case. Mr.., A % H, Hindmarsh expressed the same opinion. ~-. .;,.. ...,-, ' There were' other speakers, of course, and the debate was almost entirely a party wrangle: Members of the Opposition, and especially Mr. Isitt, urged the Government to deal generously wjth Mr.', Jennings; This drew! the'retort from Mr. Lee that he was.ready enough to sympathise with. Mn Jennings, but not to be generous to him out of the public parse. If the hat were sent round' he would join with ;the others in subscribing. Mr; Bradney also con-, demned.the spurious generosity of membera of the Opposition, and suggested to Mr.. Isitt that if/he felt so vei7 f generous he should "get up a subscription list, Riid head it with £10." The members of the Government Party agreed not to oppose th,e .amendment, which was carried,