The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 1885.

Kumara Times, Issue 2782, 21 August 1885, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. FRIDAY, AUGUST 21, 1885.

The question of Mr Seddon's disqualification to sit or vote as a member of the House of Representatives by reason of his connection as a bondsman with the construction of the Kumara sludge-channel No. 2 is a matter which, on the motion of Captain Sutter, the member for Gladstone (in the Wellington Provincial district), occupied the attention of the House nearly the whole of last Friday afternoon, and the result was ihat on the motiou of the Hon. Mr Stout, Premier, it was resolved appointed, to consist of Messrs Bruce, Conolly J. C. Buckland, Fraser, Hislop, Hursthouse, Moss, Russell, Sutter, and the mover, to consider the matter, and to report in ten days." The report, therefore, will be submitted to the House on Monday next. By the " Disqualification Act, 1878," all contractors are incapable of being elected as or of sitting or voting as a member of the House of Representatives, and any member so offending ceases to be a member. According to the interpretation clause the word " Contractor" means " a person who, either by himself, or directly or indirectly by or with others, but not as a member of a jointstock company or any incorporated body, is interested in the execution or enjoyment of any contract or agreement entered into with her Majesty, or with any officer or department of the General Government, or with any person or persons for or on account of the public service of New Zealand, under which any public money above the sum of fifty pounds is payable directly or indirectly to such person in any one financial year." It appears that the whole question will rest upon this—ls Mr Seddor. a "contractor" under the meaning of the Act, or is he directly or indirectly interested in the contract or agreement with the Government to construct the No. 2 channel. To the first we say Mr Seddon is not a contractor to the Government. He acts only in the matter—and if anything in an inferior degree—to the manner in which he acts as a County Councillor or as a member of the Board of Education, which bodies are entrusted to the spending of money voted by Parliament for the carrying out of public works. Mr Seddon, we are positively assured on the best authority, is not holder in any claim that is to be benefitted by the construction of the No. 2 sludge-channel, nor is he with others directly interested therein. Every man, woman and child in Kumara may be indirectly benefitted by the construction of the channel, but surely h sensible body of men like the Committee appointed will not admit of such a technicality being allowed to disqualify a member of Parliament from sitting as such. Mr Seddon's actual position is set forth by himself very clear]}' —his interest in the matter is not beneficial ; on the contrary, he is liable to loss by reason of his participation in the bond to the extent with the other bondsmen of £BOO. The special correspondent of the Lyttelton Times reports his speech on the occasion more fully than we gave yesterday from the Press Association ; it states that after several questions had been put and answered, Mr Seddon rose to make his defence. Captain Sutter tried to prevent him, on the ground that ho iiad

been accused, and the Speaker decided that he had a righc to make his defence. It it as follows ;

Mr Seddon said that when the sludgechannel No. 1 was constructed, its capacity was found to be 20 parties, and was stretched to 26. Complaint was made by the aggrieved that Government had damaged them by straining the channel, allowing more men to

use it than could be accommodated. The Minister of Mines of the day (Mr Rolleston) and the manager confirmed this. Damages were threatened against the Government, involving not less than £30,000. After petitions, a Commission was appointed by the late Minister of Mines, which recommended the constructtion of a second sludgechannel. The Warden said the persons interested in that work would be held by any Court to have a claim against the Government for the improper providing of channel No. 1. The determination of the Government to assist the construction of the sludgechannel No. 2 represented a compromise. An agreement was made with the miners that if they made the channel they would have from the Government £3OOO of free water. The House gave £2OOO. In December, when he first appeared in the matter, the miners resented that, and insisted on the £IO,OOO estimated by the Government Engineer as the cost of the channel. Thew would do it themselves for the smaller sum named in the original Estimates. When the Premier came to Kumara, and saw both sides of the question, he found that his suggestion of a Board of Indemnity between the miners on the one part and the minei's of the other part would have fallen through, because the names of substantial men were required who had permauent interest in the country. The Premier suggested to him (Mr Seddon) to back his opinion—that there would be no loss by putting his name to the bond. He had raised the question of disqualification at the time, but had been satisfied that it was not a case of disqualification at all. The bondsmen were after that elected trustees by the miners interested in sludge-channel No. 2, and they contracted with Martin and Co. for the completion of part of the work. The Government were to pay the money to the trustees of MiMartin on the certificate of the Engineer. He explained that his interest in the matter was not beneficial; on the contrary, it was a loss, to which he whs liable by reason of his participation in a bond to the extent of £BOO. He said that all the papers asked for by the member for Gladstone, and more, were laid on the table last session, on his own motion. He was sorry to stand in the position in which he had been placed, but be had done his duty, and feared no tribunal. He concluded with an impassioned appeal for justice, vindicated his good name, and trusted the member for Gladstone would apologise humbly for having imputed bad motives to one who had done his duty to New Zealand. We must take exception to the appointment of Captain Sutter on the Select Committee of Inquiry ; he is the accuser, and had therefore no more right to be on the committee to consider the charge for disqualification than a prosecutor has to sit as a judge or juryman to try the accused person. On this subject the Lyttelton Times of Monday last remarks :

Whether Mr Seddon has incurred disqualification, or whether he has not, is a question which the House of Repiesentatives has remitted to a Select Committee to decide. Though the case is sub judice, therefore, it is right to say that the discussion has proved one thing, namely, that the question is purely technical. Mr Seddon's honour is not in any way involved, as nearly all the speakers unfavourable to him took commendable pains to clearly admit. The consequence of that is equally clear, namely, that people who have been industriously circulating imputations round the lobby to the personal discredit of Mr Seddon and others, ought to be ashamed of themselves. Whether Captain Sutter, the accuser in this case, destined to be famous in our Parliamentary annals (all cases do become famous on account of their grave consequence, and the high standing of the Legislature) was responsible for any of this improper circulation, this backbiting and slander, we do not care to inquire. A very much more important question is involved in the fact that Captain Sutter has been made a rr.eu?ber of the Select Committee. He is tlte accuser, and lie has been made one of the judges. It would have been just as seemly and just as decent if Mr Seddon had been put on the Committee. The accused has just as union light as the accuser to be made one ef the judges of the case. Captain Sutter, moreover, has proved himself to be eminently unqualified for the position

of judge. His attempt to prevent Mr Seddon from replying in the House to charges he had brought agaiust him in the House is one of the most grossly unfair things on record, if not the most grossly unfair on record in our Parliamentary annals. The Speaker's rebuke was a lesson which Captain Sutter, perhaps, will never forget; but it is too much to expect that a single rebuke will be able to change a bent of mind of proved unfairness. Captain Sutter's proper pl«ce is the place of the accuser. He should retire from the position of judge, which is not a proper place for him to occupy.

Five of the candidates for membership of the Hospital Committee having withdrawn, the Returning Officer, Mr R. E. Wylde, notifies the election of the remaining required thirteen, namely, Messrs G. Anderson, H. Burger, C. Burgess, P. Caldwell, J. Hannah, H. Hope, W. Morris, G. R. Rudkin, G. Watson, J. W T ildridge, J. Wooldridge, G. Voysey, and L. Ziegler, to be' the members of Committee for the ensuing term. Those who withdrew were Messrs C. Harris, G. Haymes, J. Metcalfe, C. Stockman, and the Rev. R. Heffernan.

According to a cablegram this afternoon the man arrested as a Russian spy in India, assuming the garb of a priest and giving the name of Father Kanovich, has been convicted and sentenced to six months' imprisonment. The Indian authorities did not succeed in establishing, as telegraphed yesterday,.the belief of his indentity with the ex-Communist Oliver Pain, who kept the Mahdi informed of the movements and strength of the British troops in Egypt. If there be any doubt existing in the minds of any persons—and we believe there is in those of many—as to whether General Gordou is dead or alive, it must now, we think, be regarded as settled beyond doubt, as the last, or latest tittle of evidence comes from the military correspondent of the Daily News at Dongola, and is told by a Greek. This story of Gordon's murder and treatment after death, given in another column, is very humiliating. The Union Company's steamship Waihora arrived at Melbourne this morning, from the BJuff. Commander Edwin wired at 2.35 p.m. " Indications of a strong north-east wind and glass fall." The Borough Council held their ordidinary fortnightly meeting last evening. The business was unimportant. Sittings of the Resident Magistrate's and Warden's Courts were held this morning by Dr. Giles, R.M. and Warden. In the R.M. Court John Palmer was charged by the police with allowing his chimney to catch fire on the evening of Thursday, the 13th inst. Defendant stated that the chimney had been cleaned about a fortnight ago ; he attributed the fire to the fact of the chimney being rather narrow at the top. His Worship stated he could not consider this accidental, accused would be fined 10s, and costs (7s). — George Grant was brought up on a charge of stealing from the dwelling of Mrs Elizabeth Campbell, of Seddon street, a gold cameo brooch, a small brooch, and two pairs of gold earrings, and was committed for trial to the next sittings of the Supreme Court, Hokitika, which will be holden on Thursday, 3rd September. The parliamentary correspondent of the Grey River Argus telegraphs :—" There is a possibility that the vote of no-confidence may blow over after all; indeed the chances are that the Ministry will have a much longer lease of power than many believed possible a week or two ago. The Post thinks the session may be brought to a close in two or three weeks, but that is hardly possible. It indicates, however, seeing the position the Post occupies towards the Ministry, that they are anxious for a speedy termination of the session.—Some of your members are confident that the ,£150,000 for the East and West Coast railway will be carried, as Government has given a pledge to stand or fall by it. —The Select Committee appointed to inquire into Mr Richard J. Seddon's connection with the Kumara sludge-channel held their first sitting today, and appointed Mr Conolly chairman. A good deal of interest is taken in the matter here, as the genial Dick has something more than a mere local reputation. With a good many faults plainly discernible on the surface, he is very generally liked for all that."

His Worship the Mayor of Hokitika received the following telegram from Mr JJevan, the membar for the district, in answer to one he sent with reference to Government assistance to the Coal Prospecting Association :—"Have succeeded in yetting conditions of subsidy altered ro ii for £ system to extent of £3OO, and when that amount is expended, if good progress is made, will grant another £2OO. Mr Montgomery or other qualified officer will be sent.'''

A coal-miner named M'Donnell, at Denniston, broke his ankle this week through a fall. He is in the Westpoit Hospital.

Messrs Girdwood Lahman and Co. will sell by auction on Monday next, at the Preston Yards, Greymouth, a lot of really prime bullocks, heavy weight cross-bred wethers and pigs.

The cost of the late London Lord Mayor's funeral at St. Paul's is stated to amounted to about £9OOO, cf which £550 are undertakers' charges. A census of the German Empire is to be taken on December Ist.

Over £2OOO was paid from the office of the County Council, on Wednesday last, by the Treasurer, Mr Rae.

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