THE FEDERAL TARIFF.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9140, 8 May 1908, Page 5

THE FEDERAL TARIFF.

DISCUSSION ON KEROSENE DUTIES. • STORMY SOENE IN THE HOUSE. Press Association —Copyright, Melbourne, May 7. There was a stormy scene in the House during the discussion on the kerosene duties. Sir William Lyne interjected: I am told'that there, is no use in goinc on, because the Standard Oil Company have members in their bag. Mr Reid, rising tea point of order, characterised this as a slanderous statement and a scandalous thing to say. It gave currency to infamous slanders uttered outside that a member could be bought in, connection with the tariff. It was most abominable that the greatest slander ever cast on members should come from a Minister of the Crown. Sir W. Lyne interjected; “Isay deliberately that a message has been brought to meadding (amidst a storm of dissent) that the company had been to every member and tried to get a promise. The company had got a list of ..members who promised them support. “So much,” he said, “has been said about this outside that I turned a representative of the company out of my office. It gis a scandal that men should be sent from America to force the matter through.” He said he cast no imputation on members, but they had had quite enough of this in America. Asked how members were influenced, Sir W. Lyne said by persuasion. He did not know that -any member was bribed.

The noisy scene continued for a considerable time, members hotly attacking Sir W. Lyne, denying being approached by the Standard Oil Company.

Eventually Sir W. Lyne withdrew the charge unreservedly. When pressed to give the name'of his informant he stated that the information came from one of his colleagues.