Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 3559, 20 July 1874, Page 2

{From our own Correspondent.)

July 17. Colonel Brett’s condemnation of the Volunteers is thus reported in Hansard “The time has arrived when the Defence Minister should remodel the defensive foroe of the Coiony, and thus effect a saving of large— I may say g gantic—sums being thrown bioad cast over the Colony. Vou all know the Volunteers in several Provinces are and 1 Wltil re g r et—in a deplorable state of inefficiency. They are neither useful nor ornamental, but are the laughing-stock of the whole country, and raise the contempt of all professional men of arms. J trust the Government will briug forward some comprehensive system to do away with this useless body, and leave the Colony to depend upon the Armed Constabulary, in whom it has faith and confidence.”

On the second reading of the Telegrauh Bill Mr Vogel said Major Atkinson’s proposal to post telegvama After transmission, and to making the telegraph mere machinery like the post office, seemed the exact thing. The only objection was the cost and the necessity of the revision of telegrams to determine the accuracy of messages and if the proper charges were made. It would be quite possible then to post messages from the head post office. Posting and properly addressing 7 -,000 tdegrams monthly would cost L1.2U0 annually, and live or six females might well do the work.

On the Civil Service Bill coming up, Mr Swanson objected to the pension system, ihe real cave of the Government is to insist on provision being made for Government servant’s family in the annuities office. Civil servants are too fond of insisting on their rights.

On the motion for the second reading of the Marriage Law Amendment Bill, the members seemed to show considerable apprehension a$ to the possible effects on the morality of the people if the Bill passed —Dr Pollen put a question as to whether there was any particular scandal which it was intended to cover ; and Mr Waterhouse’s answer was an indignant “ivo.” To the objections to the measure Mr Waterhouse replied that members did not remember the purport of the Bi 1 : it was not to legalise marriage with the sister of a deceased wife, but to recognise as legal marriages contracted legally in Great Britain or any British Colonies. —®r Poileu replied that to recognise as legal marriages consummated in other Colonies, whei-A the law was different from that of t»w Zealand, would be to encourage breaches *be law, by inducing persons situated in tqe relationship contemplated to go to one or other of the Australian Colonies, and thefe enter into marriage which might be found illegal from imperfect domicile. On the casting vote of the Speaker, the second reading was fixed for a fortnight hence. On the motion for the appointment of a Committee re the Ward telegrams, the Premier said he did not consider it desirable to appoint a committee. The Government had considered the mattorcarefullyfor three days, and at the best the charges were so vague that uo action had been taken. Any member Aould have acted simi arly had he been n Go Gove. umeut. vvi hj reference to the limes getting hold of the telegrams, where h&lt-a-dozen persons were in possession of iniormation. it was just to assume a leakage had occurred through the telegraphists, and that it had gone through large numbers of hands before being published.— Major Atkins m said that Judge Ward made a very formidable charge against another J Huge, and he would ha •• e acted very differ efftly. He would have said to Judge Ward .- Pi ove your charges, or retire immediately. ” An inquiry should have been instituted, and he was astonished that the Government should ask to let matters stand, if the charges were true, Judge Chapman ought to be dismissed j if not, Ward should retire, ihe inevitable opinion, if matters were left as they now stood, would be that the charges were true, but that the Government did not

want to be unkind to Judge Chapman. Ha hoped the Government would reconsider the matter, and appoint a Hoyal Commissioner to inquire into it.—Mr Vogel did not think any person in the Colony was competent to examine it, and was doubtful if even Parliament was.—Major Atkinson said the difficulty could be got over by introducing an Act to appoint a Commissioner. —Mr Shepherd thought the motion a most improper one. The Government were entirely responsible, and the House did not know if the Government had finished with the matter. He would not be surprised to learn that Judge Ward was called uptm to retire.— Messrs Gillies and Sheehan urged the right of irarliami nt to take the matter up.—Mr Fox eulogised both Judges, aud raised as a point of order the competency of Parliament to deal with the matter un ess a prima facie case was proved. He supported the motion, but against his will. He agreed with Judge Ward that the telegrams were impudent forgeries. The published telegrams stated that Judge Ward would soon be in Wellington. The original contained no such reference, bat the fact was that Ward so telegraphed to private friends in Wellington. This point confirmed the previous contention that it must have leaked out through the telegraph.—The Speaker aaid it was competent for him to put the motion, but he did not think the telegrams of a character to call for an address to the Crown to have Judge Chapman removed ; hence a committee was unnecessary.—Mr Gillies, in replying, expressed surprise at the Premier offering opposition to an inquiry, and placing such a construction oa telegrams as to make it be believed they were private. It was clearly intended the charges should be of a general character. One thing that decided him in taking up the stand lie did was the reference made to Judge Chapman’s private character. Ihe people of Otago as well as many in other parts of the Colony, would not be satisfied at the Government trying to take blame from any Judge’s shoulders, be he Judge of a district or of the Supreme Court., Judge Chapman would not, as Judge Ward, have an opportunity of travelling the length and hr a Ith of the land, saying he had made grave charges against another Judge, which the Government was afraid to investigate. The second reading was agreed to without division.

.ta answer to Mr Murray Mr Richardson said the date fixed for the completion of the uunedin-* liutha line was September 1, 1875, and of the Tokomairiro-Tuapeka line, be had no reason to doubt them being completed within the contract time—tbe Clutha probably before. The Government was only too anxious to have the lines made as remunerative as possible, and when any portions could be opened they would be. The owners of land taken had been compensated, and’ those on the Clutha line paid. On the Tokomairiro Ime had boon made with, most of th; proprietors, but a good many were waiting for the completion of the surveys, for they could not give transfers until they got a title. With respect Co live fences, it had not been considered right to plant them until the line was opened, oh account of the great care quicks required at first.