A POLITICAL SCANDAL

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10567, 24 February 1912, Page 5

A POLITICAL SCANDAL

WELLINGTON, Last Night. In the House of Representatives tU. afternoon, Mr L. M. M* **" umed the debate on the Address-m-Lplv, and the amendment thereto. He complimented the mover and seconder on their speeches. The reason why he could not remain silent was, he said, that a member of that House had been most cruelly and malignantly slandered. He did not wonder that the. Opposition was elated, and he did not grudge them a little elation after their long period of melancholy. He proceeded to criticise the policy of the Opposition, which ho described as a miserable, attenuated policy. The arguments of the Opposition were a reproduction of the same old tune-thoy asked to be placed in power in order to carry out a policy against which they had voted tooth and nail. He accepted without reservation the statement of members of tho Opposition that they were not guilty of the charges of hurling slan- ' ders upon Sir Joseph Ward. Those slanders had been uttered, however, and people outside the House placed their own interpretation upon them. Ho admitted that the Government had, to a certain extent, done.'Work meet for repentance. Ho referred, inter alia, to the military scheme. He ' -did not care what Government was in power. If a Government Depart- . roent attempted to force a territorial scheme in the way it did, they would wreck the whole scheme. He deprecated dealing with young lads, who 1 followed the dictates of. their fathers, as if they were criminals, and * branding. thfem at' the outs^, : o|:: their/ . lives • 'Criticise '■ the Reform ■ Party. Asked Where the reform came in. Their platform was meagre, and they sought power on the strength of it. AN ELECTION INCIDENT. Mr W. H. D. Bell next rose, and explained, in connection with the y words used by him during the election, that he had no intention of taxing the Premier, in connection with the loan, of improperly accepting money. Sir Joseph Ward acquitted Mc IJell personally of the construction put upon his remarks, but said the main point was the impression which such remarks made upon the public mind.

THE "BLACK" PAMPHLET. j The question of the "Black" pamphlet here cropped up, and Sir Joseph Ward said ho had never attributed it to the Opposition, but declared it ¥ was promoted by a supporter of the Opposition outside the House. Nine-ty-nine men out of a hundred looked upon it as a blackguardly way of attacking a public man. Mr Massey said Sir Joseph Ward was wrong if he said it was an" Oppositionist. Sir Joseph Ward replied that ho I was not wrong. Thero were menj who had not quite so much information as he had| and if he saw fit to do so he could put one or two men in gaol that day. MR PAYNE AND HIS PLEDGE. ~" v 'Mr Dickson then rose, and said he [ wished to make reference to a statement that an alleged' inducement of £IOOO had, been offered to a certain member. Mr Payne had stated to ■ him in Auckland that he was., j going, to support the Opposition on a no--confidence motion. Later, ho received information that Mr Payne was going to break his pledge, and that hots were beng made on that contingency. He put the question to Mr Payne in the presence of Mr Massey on Friday last that he (Payne) had been offered money to with the Government. Mr Payne refused to say anything at first, but eventually said, "I have been offered it. I have been called into an office in Auckland." ' Sir Joseph Ward: You should say what office, and who the people . were!

Mr Dickson said he would not do that. He would leave the matter to Mr Payne. Mr Payne: You know! • Mr Dickson: I do not! Mr Payne: You do; say it now! Mr Dickson said he was very pleased to understand that Mr Payne say who had acted this contemptible part of endeavouring to get a man to break his pledges, for, say ( £SOO He did not wish it to be understood that he (Dickson) suggested that the offer had been made by any member of the Government party. He was quite satisfied that other members could make statements similar to those which-he had just made. In bis opinion, Mr Payne was not the only man who had similar offers or inducements made to him. It was the duty o:f the member for Grey Lynn to explain tho matter to the Tfouse.

A- .Sir Joseph' Ward said it was the daifcy of every memiber who as anxious to maintain his own dignity and •that of the House to make a clear statement on a matter like this. Mr Massey said he was present •when Tile statement was made. Mr Dickson averred that Mr Payne told him. he had been offered £SOO ov £IOOO in a merchant's office in Auckland to break his pledge ■Mr Payne, by way of personal explanation, said i.e >.'a.j. called into the office of Maurice O'Connor by Clias.

ALLEGED ATTEMPTED BRIBERY MEMBERS CLAIM BREACH OF PRIVILEGE [LABOURITES AMD THEIR PLEDGES STRANGE ALLEGATION OF INTIMIDATION (By Ttlegiaph-Pras Association-)

McMaster, who said, "Do you know 1 have been authorised to give you anything between = £SOO -and £IOOO ilf you will ko hi the direction of th© Ward party." He took no notice of this remark. Mr x'ayne proceeded to say that he believed McMaster was now taking round a petition calling upon him to resign because ho had gone back on his election pledges. Tho Houso adjourned at 5.30. ALLEGED BREACHES OF PRIVILEGES. On the House resuming at 7.30, Sir Joseph Ward raised the point as to whether a breach of privilege had not been commit tea in placing an anonymous letter on the table. Mr Massey explained that he had been giving the whole of the circumstances connected with the interview between himself and Mr Payne, and had quoted those portions of tho letter which he had read to Mr Payne. Sir Joseph Ward said the rumour, or:, allegation, was directed at Mr [Brown and -himself. Evidently the member for Parnell had been put up to make the allegations. Mr Massey took exception to this statement.

Sir Joseph Ward said he wanted to see the letter, so that he could prosecute the man who wrote it. He asked Mr Massey, as a matter of fairness, to produce the letter. He asked the Speaker's ruling on tne point. The Speaker ruled that there was nothing in tho letter which made any direct charge against Sir Joseph Ward or Mr Brown. In his opinion it was. not a breach of privilege to lay/theater on .the'table.' ••/\ - \, Mr Payne said he wished to. raise. a.question of breach of privilege on his own account, and asked- tbatr the original document be placed on the table.

The Speaker said it was for the House to decide. If Mr Payne considered anything read constituted a breach of privilege, then the name of the writer or.-the person who was wronged by the letter could be as.certained.

Mr Brown then rose and wished to raise a question of breach of privilege in his own ease, remarking that the statement that he had been concerned in a, payment of £IOOO was absolutely untrue. He moved that a breach of privilege had been' committed.

Mr Massey declared that Mr Brown's name had not been meptioned.

Mr Payne said he was going to move that a committee be set up to clear him of the charge that he had been squared for £IOOO. The Sneaker suggested that MiPayne should move, "That the publication of the following extracts in a letter constitutes a breach of pri- \ r ilege." iMr Veitch seconded the motion.. He said that whatever the charge was, it should be proved up to the hilt. The responsibility for proving the charge against a Labour member rested with the gentlemen who brought the matter forward. Thero might be a fear that any member who recorded his vote on the Liberal side might be charged with something similar.

Mr. Payne, said ho wanted tho original, tetter ./laid on. the table-to" enable him to prosecute the writer. Mi< Brown' said it was a. cowardly •thing to make such a statement as had'been made, while he had no redress in, thfrlaw courts .against the writer:.of the letter. "Mr Payne told me some days ago," he concluded, "that Mr Massey said thnjt ho (Payne) had been squared by Brown for £1000." Mr Ha.uan said it was a curious tiling that such a dastardly charge had not been made until after the member for Grey LyiinJiad spoken. Thero was nothing to show that the letter was not a "fake." There was no signature, and all they had was an extract. s Mr Fisher hoped tho memiber would have every opportunity afforded him of having a fair hearing. Mr Robertson said he was of opinion that the charge brought by the Opposition against Payne was designed to intimidate the Labour members who had not yet spoken. Ho could see .a way to keep his election pledges, ye vote-to keep the Liberals on the 'benches. Mr Massey read a memorandum of the'interview with Mr Payne. Mr Payne bad told him, at the inerview on the question, that be thought he intended.to voto for tho Government. Ho (Mr Massey) had replied that itwould be a disgrace to him and his constituents if ho did so. Nothing definite was settled. Mr Payne said lie would consider he matter and give a C definite reply. Ho did not i 'do so, and of course lie (Mr Massey) did not run after him. ! Mr Dickson was present at the interview. He hoped a committee would be set up and it would be found that ho would do tho right thing to members of this House. Mr Payne repeated, as a personal explanation, his transactions with Mr Massey, and the offer of McMaster of a bribe. The Hon. J. A. Millar asked why, if the offence had been committed, and the Leader of the Opposition knew of it a fortnight ago, he had not made it public earlier in the session. In his opinion, if Mr Payne had voted for the Opposition, they would never have beard a word about the matter. GO TO THE VOTE. "

Mr Attmore urged the Hou.se to go to the vote, but Sir Joseph Ward objected to the suppression of discussion. Hho Hon, R. McKeiiKie said the thanks of the House were due to Mr Veitch for giving a lead in the matter. There was feeling of intimidation in connection with the Labour party, and what- Mr Veitoh &M said would have a

most salutary effect. The result of tho inquiry would foe that an offer only had 'been made, that no money had passed. Mr Forbes said the whole thing was a political "fake," and had been, arranged with tho object of damaging the Government party. - NO DIVISION TAKEN. The House'adjourned, after considerable further discussion (whichdidn't reach us oAving to the closing of the telegraph office) without a division being la Icon.