ELECTION ECHOES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2514, 15 July 1915, Page 7

ELECTION ECHOES

BAY OF ISLANDS AN APPOINTMENT CRITICISED. A lengthy discussion took place in the House of Representatives yesterday regarding Mr. Vernon Reed's appointment as. a member of' the Auckland Land Board. Mr. E. M'Callum had asked whether the Minister of Lands had caused • to be appointed to one of tho Land Boards' an ex-membor of Parliament, who was recently unseated for corrupt practices on an olection petition beforo two Judges of tho Supremo Court. ■■ " . V •

In his reply the Prime Minister (the Right Hon. W. F. Massoy) said that Sub-clause'(l) of Section 224 of the Legislature Act provides that a person who commits any corrupt or illegal practice, shall ho .subject to such of the incapacities (if any). specified in the section . ... . as the Election Court in its report states in its opinion he should he subject to; Clause (b) of Sub-section (2) of Section 224 of tho Legislature Act, 1908, provides that a person convicted unon indictment shall be incapable of holding any public office. The gentleman referred to by tho honourable member for Wairau was not convicted .on indictment, nor did the Election Court in its report express the opinion that he should bo incapable of holding any public office.'

; Mr. M'Callum expressed dissatisfaction with the answer, contending that it was not in accordance with the law, and moreover that oven if it were legally right it was morally wrong in . view of ;the circumstances under which Mr. Reod had been unseated for the Bay of Islands seat in the House. _ Mr. G. W. Forbes (Burunui) and Mr. J. Payne (Grey Lynn) spoke to a similar effect, the latter stating that .tho appointment of Mr. Reed as a member of the Land Board was unpopular in Auck- '

Mr. J. G. Coates (Kaipara) said that there was no more popular appointment in Auckland than that of Mr. Reed to the Land Board. The Court had . decided the matter of the election petit-ion, and it should be allowed to rest. Mr. J. T. M. Hornsby (Wairarapa) asked why the. Government did not' prosecute Mr. Reed for voting at the rcceht by-election.

A member; How do you know'that he. voted?

Mr. Hornsby: I know that he voted;. He should have been prosecuted for demanding a voting paper. ' .The' Attorney-General (Hon. A. L. Herdman) said. that it was recognised iu - G Auckland that no man there was better acquainted with their district than Mr. Reed. The Election Court had not stated that Mr. Reed was not entitled to serve on a land board,

~ Mr.- Isitt. (Christchuroh North) said ™ the Attorney-General might prove that the appointment was a legal one, but he could not prove that it was a proper one. -

, Tl| o.Pnmo Minister said that for a long- timo there had been an agitation andr dissatisfaction in the North of Ancklantf with regard to the administration of the Crown lands in that dis- ,.- -Petitions had been sent to him asking him to make tho North of Auckseparate land district. He had hardly seen his way to do this, although ho had taken the necessary' power to do so. He had compromised by appointing tho present member of the House, for the Bay of Islands (Mr. btewart) as a member ; of the Land Board. . . Tins was before tho Bay of Islands seat was... declared vacant'. When Mr. Stewart was elected to the House ho could not sit on tho Land j I ;, ®- r - Massey), then received further: petitions asking him to appoint Mr. Reed to the Land Board, as being the most suitable man ,in the district. for the position. He took legaladvice on the matter, and ho was conit would be quite legal. He liad since received scores of letters trom the North of Auckland expressing eatisfactiou with the'appointment of Mr.. Reed, He was prepared to detend; the appointment from any platform..in -the. country. The Judgos decided that Mr. Roed had committed a fault, and had ordered that he should forfeit i his seat, and be disqualified from again holding a seat in. Parliament for twelve' months. Was that'not a sufficient punishment? : He doubted whether ..thcro was any member of the rwuso who at some time or other, inadvertently or otherwise, had not ,comt> a ,° rea<: h of the electoral laws. Mr. Reed broke the law, and ho was taking his punishment like a man. Ho would ask members of the' Opposition— he wasnot referring to tlie Leader of that party—whether offers of positions had not been made by their side in connection, with elections. :> Opposition.members: No! No! ' ) Mr. Massey: Is it >not a fact that there is a gentleman in Wellington towho was offered what is probably tho highest position in this country ill order to prevent him from recording his vote on a certain occasion? Opposition members: Name! Name! Name! Mr. Massey: If I could get the gentleman s consent, I would give his Ijame..' The appointment of Mr. Reed, he continued, was a legal and proper one. It was asked for by tho settlers, and it was approved by" tho great bulk of the people.