Chips from Hansard

Manawatu Herald, 13 September 1898, Page 3

Chips from Hansard

Me Pibaki— l never shield myself behind any official, and I hope 4he Premier will not do so. The state of affairs in the Police Force is not a circumstance compared to the state of corruption existing in the Civil Service. Give me a Royal Commission to mako an inquiry into the state of the Civil Service, I will bring oat some facts that would surprise the country. I give nobody into the Premier's power : I know him too well. The honourable member has not got the pluck. I did not refer to the honourable member for "Wellington City (Mr Fisher) when I said a fellow member — that would be farcical. Mr Taylob, -There has already been an offence committed on the Ministerial benches that I have never heard equalled by any private J member lam referring to the j Premier who was not called to order, j when be said to the member of Patea ! 11 What about— ? I say, Ido not care whether the woman be of honour or dishonour, I have never heard a private member drag the name of a woman on the floor of this Houso. Take Ihe Lawlisß case, and I say in any other country bat New Zealand, with perhaps the exception of

America, the Lawliss case would have brought about the defeat of the Ministry. What is the history of it ? A Magistrate, the Government's own appointment who, at the time of his appointment, was indebted to the Government to the tune of £100, a loan without interest — did his duty.

Whilst Mr Taylor was speaking the Premier interjected " A very good man " and Mr Fisher called out " Do not answer him," to which Mr Taylor said " Sir, the Italian Consul, says •Do not answer him.' At the present moment that gentle. ia enjoying a vory unenviable notoriety in the City of Wellington.

lam not going to quibble with the honourable gentleman (Mr Ward) over a few figures, but I shall always take the financial criticisim of the honourable member for Awarua with a little salt after trading this document.

Mr Ward asked whether he (Mr Taylor) had a right to refer to his private affairs in the course of this debate. If so, he said, I will refer to his. Mr Taylor, •' Oh, you miserable coward."

Then there was trouble. Mr Tanner : I have witnessed many scenes in this House.

Mb Fisher : And let a fellow like that escape, (a fellow member.) Time was, Sir, when it was an honour to be a member of the Parliament of N<=w Zealand. That time has passed I fear.

I never in my long experience* listened to such a degrading and disgraceful speech.

It is because there has, been admitted to this Parliament a gentle man — I am bound by the Standing Orders to call him' a gentleman — from whom nothing is sacred.

What credit would it be to me to say that his father, who was a notorious drunkard, was sentenced t-.o seven days in gaol for stealing beer from a public house ?.

You cannot deal with this <ma,n. He has none of the finer feelings. He is impervious.

I ask any man who i 3 a judge of character- and I am a judge of character myself — to look at hia face and head (Mr Taylor's). Did you ever see such a face and head on a man before ?. Take away his glibnesa of tongue and simply look at his face and head.

And what was the class of evidence taken throughout the proceedings of the Commission — the evidence pro* duced by this Mr T E. Taylor ? It was the evidence of pimps, suborner?, crnnkß, grievance mongers, common informers, defamera, libellers, backbiters, and foul tongued, foulmouthed slanderers.

On being called to order by the Deputy Speaker " Yes, I withdraw it. Consider that withdrawn" Mr Deputy Speaker. " The honourable member will resume hia seat. When obeying the ruling of the Chair, he must do so respectfully and not in that flippant manner.

Mb Fisher : As to the jeremiads of these great colonial financiers? we are informed on the very highest authority that Jeremiah wag afflicted with boils. I think these gentleman must be troubled with boils, or worms, or something.