Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JONE 80, 1896. The Innocent Ministry.

Manawatu Herald, 30 June 1896, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JONE 80, 1896. The Innocent Ministry.

■ ■■■/.••*:-.. Any one reading speeches of Minis* ter3 on the debate on the appointment of a Banking Investigation Committee, would feel glad that New Zealand had suoh men, so desirous do they pose for the truth, and nothing but the truth, only. Just fanoy the Premier deolaring he did not care who waa on the committee so long as the inquiry was an impar tial one. As we have said, this conclusion might' be come to by the perusal of this debate, but by those who know Ministers, there is bound to be a suspicion that things are not always what they seem. Without desiring to say anything too strong against the Government, it cannot be, denied that the only truth they have ever shown an; earnest desire in publishing, ha3 been that which would not reddwn to their opponents, credit ; in any oj.her case members find a great difficulty: in extracting information. "We are enabled to afford a very good example. Some days ago the member for Otaki gave notice that he would move, That there be laid before this House a Return showing,-?(l) The total cost of the Courthouse; at Otaki ; (2) the cost as estimated by the Public Works Department ; (8) the list of the workmen employed,. showing the. amount paid to each : (.4) the name of the overseer and the total amount paid to him ; (6) . the date upon which it was commenced and the date of completion. .As this work is the only one of a like nature under-taken-in this district^ the public were naturally in terestedin it, and many statements have b^n made- which, a plain answer froi&'lhe Government would clear up. jftr Wilson simply desired to give ttie Government an opportunity to put themselves right, but we have to explain how the Government view it. Instead of providing the reply they have opposed the return, by some parliamentary blocking, and Mr Wilson had to a3k the Premier, by notice, "Why the motion, No. 13, on the Order Paper of 24th June, relating to the Otaki '. Courthouse, is opposed ?" The Premier has not had even the courtesy to explain the reason, so we have again the repetition of the reprehensible conduct of last session of Ministers refusing motion3 on matters where fair investigation is only reasonable.