MR HINE'S CHARGES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 145, 28 September 1910, Page 3

MR HINE'S CHARGES

3PRESS VIEWS. Tlhie action of the Government in referring the ctorges made by Mr. Hine to the Lands Committee has given rise to a great: dieal of adverse criticism in the lobbies (says the Wellington Dominion, the Opposition paper). The suggested tribunal is considered to be most unsatisfactory by a number of members, and a good deal will probably be heard about the matter from the floor of the House. "The feeling on our side," said a member of the Opposition to a Dominion reporter, "is. that it is a shuffle on the part of the, Government." The j speaker went-.on to, say that' if the Government itihouigibt dVLr.' Hine was to be caught in this way they were very much mistaken. Mr. Hine would be very foolish to go into a Court with a case when toe knew that two-tihirds of the judges would be against ten, and, further, Mr. Hine had made a very fair offer when lie said he was prepared,to go before judges of the Supreme Court, and, in the event of their ruling against him, to pay tihie costs of the inquiry. "That offer," remarked our informant, "is still open." The New Zealand Times, the Ministerial organ, sa/e: We are disposed to think that the Prime Minister showed an excess of courtesy to tine member for Stratford in his resolution referring to the Lands Committee the "charges" madie 'by Mr. Hine with reference to, certain improprieties in administration and on the personal conduct of individuals. It would have been' very much better to (have allowed Mr. Hine to hold permanently itihe position in 'the public eye he now occupies. Hut Sir Joseph Ward is by nature chivalrous, and probably recognising (that Mr. Hine i„ not quite equal to the task of stating his* case in precise terms on the floor of the House decided to give iiim an opportunity—congenial, of course—to speak! in the privacy of a committee room. Though he is fully protected • by the privileges of the House in any statements he may make, and though he professes to be in possession of° information disclosing corrupt practices, every appeal to Mr. Hine to give the Government, sufficient information to base an inquirf upon has been received do silence. Wild ihorses, apparently, ( could not drag the revelations from ihinj —nan amazing circumstance is the case of an individual so given to striking attitudes as a champion of morality in public affairs. Such conduct is, of course, quaintly, reminiscent of Mr. Robert Acres, but though Mr. Hine -threatens to persist in not going beyond the vague indictments he had already laiunohied, we are inclined to believe that he may find his courage retumini" within tlhe next few days. Mr. ( w clumsy mud-throwing and deliberate' attempts to burke inquiry by withholding information at wihom ihie is aiming, ' is repeating-tactics that were nlavetd out long, long ago. .... ' _. .