T. L. SHEPHERD VERSUS SOLICTOR-GENERAL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 339, 3 September 1875, Page 3

T. L. SHEPHERD VERSUS SOLICTOR-GENERAL.

I Mr. Shepherd has .written, informing us that we liave been the medium of circulating false reports in reference to the River Pollution Bill," and requesting us to publish the following extract from ' Hansard.' " We may say that we have repeatedly ascribed good intentions to the member for the Dunstan. A reference to our leader of this issue will shew that. opinion the 1 bill, .whether the So-:rlici'tor'-:G«herars or Mr. Sh.epherd ; s, ;will not reach the Tinker's'Gruljy case, ;—.... GoLDEIEf.DS BILL'Ko. 1 "■•" : On the motion for the committal of this Bill, ~...-..■ \ Mr. T. L. Shepherd said the Bill originally introduced by him" contained two clauses which provided for the necessary fouling of streams and watercourses by miners. That Bill passed the second reading without opposition, and was remitted to the Goldfi elds Committee, who unanimously approved of it. The hon. member for Rodney, who was on that Committee, said he felt some doubt as to whether the Bill would stand the test before the Privy Council ..if a case under it were taken there, inaspiuch as it did not provide for compensation to the holders of riparian' rights: It was agreed that he and the hon member for Uodney should wait on the Solicitor-General, with the view "of taking his opinion upon that point. • Subsequently, having consulted the hob. member for Port Chalnief%••' the hon. member for .Taieri,; and other hoti. 'members, as well as. -hon. members of the Legislative.Council, he 'determination —the Bill being of •siichj,great*:'importance- to-the mining community—to provide.' compehVation'irrfespde'tive entirely of the opinidn-6f : the' SolicitorGeneral. • He submitted -his : views ."to the hon. member for fioduey', and he at; once assented to ; them. .'They then 1 drew up instiuctions for the -'olicitor-General to alter"' the Bill in accordance with that view of the. question.- He then took the'- written instructions to the-Solicitor-General, who rendered the. assistance usual on such for he-.;(Mr. Shepherd)_ thought iijfiif Metier' he-should recsive .that learned, gentlernaji's assistance, the Bid'slmuld^e^opcfly. d'rawm. Wh'en he was with, the Solicitor-General the h§ni member for Ro iney-eauie in and -submitted the point they.-U-id. previously ■■s'pnkvn .of-' naaiely, the,.right of this Legislature to pass

a'Bill depriving the holdera of riparian privilegta of iXia\r rights without granting compensation" to them. The hon. member at the; same tiin.ss_.r.sferred to-a -casehe -remembered reading; of an;-appeal from a-.-Cb.urfc in : l\ew South VVales tQ.the Priyy Council. The SoAvasnot aware of that case: 7, bat as h*e(Mr. ; Shepfierd)..'..had-" determined- to-give- xonipensafton It was Van?. npc-.--ss.ary to go further into-that: pqiirt. /.Mb. caused anotheri)ieetin(/ of the Golufieids'Conimittee to be called, having previously had priuted copies of the Amended Bill'delivered to each of the.'Committee. He spoke-.-to-nearly every member of that Committee personally before they met, and they all expressed their approval of the Bill as amended, and-when th*.Cominitt-e met they-unaui-mously approved of it. The Bill was then reported to the House. He had given a full" description of the affair-in consequence of very false reports having been industriously circulated throughout the Province of Otago that this Bill had been prepared by the So-licitor-General upon the instrucuons of the Government, and was to supersede the Bill he had introduced. That was an entirely false statement, and he was well aware from whom it emanated. Itemauatedfrointhemember who had been such a consistent opponent .of every measure he had brought forward for five years in the interestsof the Goldfields of this Colony; and when that hon. member fojud that this Bill was sure to pass through, a.3. he h,ad .received such...large promises %f support, including the support of. the Govern-nleP.ti-1?e might thai; hte- : sji>mit'ted tfte Bill as amended to the Government, _• and;ifc met with their approval! with a :S? r y- alight" alteration—telegrams were; sent to--the-Otago newspapers making it appear that the. Bilthe had prepared was-not suited .itt.the -wants', of the mining community, and that ibe Bill.before the lfb"use"waSirn entirely different measuie which had been prepared upon the instructions of the Government. He was careful in HisikipgMhis' precise and mihute's'fatemert, b cause he was aware that it would appear in ' Hansard', and would be published "by thp Tress in Otago, and would afford further'confirmation, if it were required of the mischievous and unprincipled -opposition he was in the habit of'receiving from certain quarters' of the House.

Mr. Speaker.—The hon. member must not uae'such' a phrase to members of this House. Mr.'T.'L. Shepherd would say the mischie? Tous'opposition he had re eived from one or two mtmbfjTs of tins House who y»§re repre-. scntatived of the. (Joldfieidi jointly, with himself.- - :He ; 'wpuld T e tliarydieu'tliose' mem'6f such 'imjjoTjaf?ce community they inrnie'iliately'; Set' l-hoirT 1 wits', to work] to -tefce all -itfe -'credit bf'tlie "result of his labors f'flih him. r He would, be, willing..that they Jj&©ttltP l^t%e i; crf drt r for tife Bui If Tie ; could t<> the Goldfields.. Hii ob> ject but todo p6o^ : He was awarejt was "a.matter of bread-and-cheese. fotliem";;aiidXnowmg'thaf, in many instances, flie future prosperity of Xhe miners depended on the passing of Hie Bill, he determined to leave no stone unturned to get it passed into law," He knew the Bill would pass ; it would go through the Legislative Council, because he had altered it so as to get the support of that branch .of the. Legislatu: e. A telegram that was sent to Otago said that one hon member had given the Bill his strong support, but he knew the hon- mem,>er referred to had never given him any support. That. Hon. member was but weak, aud if he had wished to give opposition, his effort would be futile. He knew the Biil wriuld becomo law,- a:id he was only" anxious that Ihe mischievous opposition which had been offered, to any Bills he had introduced in previous .years should become kuown. c~-—-7-'-' ■-*''"

Bill : : 4n;.r,Sommittee, reported without amendment, iand* read a third time.