PARLIAMENT.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1520, 31 July 1905, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

SATURDAY’S SITTING.

(Per Presa Association.) Wellington, Saturday. After the Telegraph Office olosod Sir Joseph Ward said the Ministers had always had she right to send domssfio telegrams, but private and business messages had always been paid for. If Ministers should not have the right to send domestic telegrams, by all means let the House remove it. He had always imagined that the inviolability of 1 the telegraph service had been beyond question, but it was not so now, and it was a matter of great regret to him. 1 Hr Seddon said ho had boon mßny years in tbs House, but had never heard anything like what had been said that evening, and it in his opinion degrading in the extreme. The Government had only been doing what had been done by m previous Governments for 20 years and I what. wa3 supported by the regulations •The debate that night would shake the confidence of the oountry id the Post and Telegraph Department. Would not the scoundrels who in violation of their oaths had given this. information not give the same kind of information in business matters to those who would pay them for it ? So far a 3 his personal and public hpnor was concerned it remained unsullied. After further lengthy discussion the Imprest Supply Bill passed final stages, and the House rose at 4.50 a.m. The Council met at 10.30 this morning and passed the Imprest Supply Bill (No. S) through all stages.

SIR JOSEPH WARD’S REPLY.

to Times.)

Shortly before midnight Sic Jo3epb "Ward rosa to xsply to some of tha charges which had basa made about his Department. Me Fisher, he said, could only have got bis information from “some skunking cur outside the Department.” He generally denied tho charge# made In regard to the misuse of the services of his Department. Referring to the appointment which Mr Fisher had said had been made without compliance with tho examination he road a letter from the secretary of the Department, Btating that tho appointment had been made in a perfectly regular manner, and Ibat there had been no evasion, or attempted evasion, of the regulations, tho young man in question havme all the necessary qualifications. He said he paid his share of the wreath for the Christchurch funeral, aod if Mr Fisher’s information was givon him by someone in a Government Department, such man ought to be hunted out of it Dealing with the memorandum system, and the insinuation that it was with the view of getting rid of evidence that the copies were not kept by the Department, Sir Jossph Ward pointed eut that the copies of all telegrams were destroyed at tha cud of six months. Mr Fisher: But yours are destroyed at ■ crace, and that is the difference, r ' Sir Joseph Ward: They are not destroyed. Cootinning, Sir Joseph said jib at business and private telegrams (he did not include domestic wires) outside of the public busioes3 had always been paid for, he fctjieved, By every member of the Ministry. g 0 did not believe any Minister would eend such a telegram withont paying for It. He had always paid for his messages of this character. As to the right of Ministers to send free memorandums on domofiiic purposes, that had been in existence almost eversinco the Department had been established. It had been established as. far back as 1879, long before the pcesent (Government had come into office. In concluding s. forcible speech he expressed himself aa greatly concerned about one thing that had been made evident in connection with tho charges made. He had hitherto always believed in the inviolability and secrecy of the tel&groph office. He did not believe it now—.(Government hear, hears)—and he was shocked beyond measure to hear the statements that had been made. As to tbo jG76 said to have been paid to Captain Seddon, he had gone straight to she fountain head, or next door to it, viz., to an officer of the Treasury, who had informed him that Capiain Sod* don had never drawn any sum for - re-organising the stores, Ho (Sir Joseph) Jaad then gone to Captain seddon about ihe matter, and that officer hsd told him, and ho believed his word, that hs never rnn.iln any such charge. He said he had received no such payment for organising Btcres. .(Applause). . SPEECH BY THE PREMIER.

Mr Season B&id he had been many years in tho House, but he noysr heard anything like what had boon said that evening, and it was in hi 3 opinion degrading in • the extreme. Tho Government had only been doing what had been ■done by previous Governments for 20 years-, and what was supported by regulations. Members ought to be more oareful in making their statements, and should realise their responsibility before iauocniog their charges. Alter 1-1 years of office all that was brought against them was not Jbrought by the Opposition proper, but by a member who said that to avert tfap defeat of the Government he would support tho Ministry. It was not in accordance with Parliamentary lifo to attack a Minister through those who ware not there to defend themselves. No payments had been made which were not legal. It must foo remembered that tho charges levelled against Ministers were a reflection on tho Audit Office, and be (Mr Saddofl) was prepared to stand by tho Audit Depart•jfieat and the Auditor and Comptrollerteenoral. Tho debate of that night would snake the confidence of the country in the Post and Telegraph Department.’ Would not the scoundrels, who in violation of fibeir oaths had given this information, «ive the same kind of information in busi.ness matters to those who would pay them foe it? Members ought not to receive such information, and it would be well for the service if such men were out of it 06 the earliest possible? moment. If the sanctity of his house and family life v/ere to bo invaded, and made subject matter of debate on tho floor of the House, then ho more memuraodume for him. g 0 far as bis .personal and public honor •was concerned it remained unsullied. With regard to hie so-called health trip on the Hinemoa, he eaid that during that trip be was traosaotiog the business of the country, '