TAMMANYISM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 878, 13 August 1910, Page 3

TAMMANYISM.

MR HINE’S CHARGES. FORCEFUL SPEECH BY MR T. E. TAYLOR. The subject of Tammanyism was referred to at length in the House on Wednesday night. "I do not believe,” said Mr T. E. Taylor, "that there is anyone in this Parliament, whether a private member or a member of the Executive, in connection with whose public affairs a charge of Tammanyism can be justly brought. The charge means that a public man will basely and ignobly and corruptly use his position for private gain. The meaning of the term has changed a good deal during recent years, but behind the term Tammanyism in America there is a suggestion that in the public life of that country there is something tigerish in its nature, something that is crouching, and will injure the body politic. I am prepared,” continued Mr Taylor, "to admit that there have been administrative actions even during the past few weeks that I cau personally criticise severely and blame, and I presume that would be so in connection with any Ministry, but I do not believe that any member of Parliament or the Ministry uses his position corruptly for personal gain. That makes all the difference between a charge of improper administration and a charge of what we have a right to refer to by the term of Tammanyism. The member for Stratford (Mr Hine) has told the House that there have been instances of corrupt action on the part of exmembers of this Assembly. I hold that he has no right to refer to such things unless he knows they have been practised. It will become increasingly important for every member ot this House to be jealous for the raaintainance of the high standard of political integrity as the years go by. Increasingly important because the function of the State is going to be gradually extended ; and just as the State occupies the position in connection with industries and manufactures that in the past have been occupied by private enterprise, and just as under private enterprise there are always a lew men financially interested in very closely scrutinising the way in which the business is conducted, there cannot possibly be that close scrutiny on the part of all the people, and it becomes the urgent duty of every man in this Assembly to expose anything that he knows is in the nature of corruption. But,” continued Mr Taylor, "the member for Stratford is the last man who would desire to make a general statement and then leave it unsupported by facts. It was not a statesmanlike thing to do. It was not a right thing to do. (Hear, hear.) I have in my short political life done as much fighting as most men, but I always believed in direct attack. I don’t believe in innuendo. It is not straightforward, and it leads to nowhere. If the member for Stratford does know that corruption has been practised, either by a member of the House or an ex-member, or by someone who is not a member at all; if he knows, for instance, in connection with any laud purchase transaction that any persons have benefited financially where they have no right to benefit, it becomes him to place the facts before the House. He can’t get a Commission such as he asks for to go roving up and down New Zealand unless the Commission has something to enquire into. I feet sure he is not making rash statements here. There must be something behind the charge. A charge of this kind ends nowhere at all unless he is prepared to give the House such facts as will force an enquiry. (Hear, here.) Mr Hine,” continued Mr Taylor, "made reference, when he was speaking, to the appointment of the late Commissioner of Police (Mr Dinnie), as chairman ot a Maori Land Board. There was nothing in the nature of Tammanyism about that appointment. I think it is a feeble appointment, but I want to remind the House of this: That there was a very powerful deputation waited upon the Government before Mr Dinnie was dealt with, as a result of the Commission, and that represented that he should be kept in his position, and then, when the Commissioner (Mr Bishop) declared that Mr Dinuie’s administration had been very faulty, we find that certain prominent men in connection with the Presbyterian Church pressed the Government not to dismiss Mr Dinnie from his position. I always welcome the advent of the Christian Church into the political arena, so long as they come for a political purpose, but when I see a section of the Church coming to the Ministry of the day and beg that a public servant shall Ire retained in his office when he has been declared guilty of incapacity, I take exception. If it had been, for instance, a deputation from the Roman Catholic Church, there would have been such a howl from the Orangemen of New Zealand that would have been heard through the length and breadth of the Dominion, and we would have had charges against the Premier that he had been urged to make an improper appointment or to retain a man who was incapable. It happened now that the Dissenting Churches had come into politics, and they had been using their influence in a matter in which they had no right to interfere at all,” He urged Mr Hine to place his facts before the House. It was not right to make a general charge. As soon as Mr T. E. Taylor had finished his speech, Mr Hine,

by permission of the House, was permitted to make a statement. He said he would like to take the opportunity of making his position clear. He realised that he had a very important duty to perform. In preferring the charges he had, he said, he was quite free from any political spite, political ambition, or personal ambition. The statements he had made had been made in the public interest. Proceeding, he quoted from Mays Parliamentary practice to show that the Governments of the day were brought into close contact with agents and officials throughout the country and that very responsible duties were cast upon Government. He then declared that it was known that estates had been offered to the Government for purchase, refused, and purchased months afterwards in consequence of certain influences. In the charges he had preferred he was asked to give names, but he was not going to do so. When Mr T. E. Taylor preferred his charges in 1898 he did not give names, nor did Mr Arnold when referring to the police. The latter had numbered his charges, and it would be convenient if he (the speaker) followed the same course. “ No. 1,” he said, "was the case of an M.P. who acted as agent for the vendor and received a commission.” Mr Hanan: 11 Where was this?” Mr Hine, “ In connection with an estate.”

"No. 1,” Mr Hine proceeded, " was the case of two M’s.P., who had acted in collusion and received a coramisiou.”

An hon. member; "Are ;hey members of the House now ?” Mr Hine; "No.” "No. 2. case,” he continued, "is that of an M.P. who divided commission with a land agent.” " Are these M’s.P. now,” some member asked ? Mr Hine made no answer to the interjection. Continuing, Mr Hine said that case No. IV. was that of an M.P. who received a huge commission, manning into four figures, for acting as agent.

Mr Hanan asked if the same person was concerned in the charges preferred, but Mr Hine made no answer. Mr Hine after a pause, said that all the charges he had made were in connection with the purchase of land by the State.

Mr Hanau : Who paid the commissions ? Mr Hine: "That will have to be found out.” Another member: "Who received the commission ?” No answer. Mr Hine said he had given four cases where members of Parliament had received commissions. It was not for him to say whether they were acting as laud agents or not. A member : You are shuffling. Mr Hine : "You will see I do not intend to go any further tonight. The longer the enquiry is delayed the more impatient the country will become.” Sir Joseph Ward said Mr Hine had taken a very extraordinary attitude. Why had he not written to the Government preferring his charges ? Did the charges apply to any member of the present House ? Mr Hine said that he had not said they did. At the time the commissions were paid the recipients were members of Parliament. By next day he would probably know of further cases. The enquiry should be made far reaching. Sir Joseph Ward said that if Mr Hine was not prepared to give the names either publicly or privately to the Government the people would disbelieve his story. It was his duty to give the names aud the cases. The collision suddenly collapsed, when Mr Graham rose to speak and the dreary round of the financial debate was resumed.