POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 30, 17 September 1896, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

BY rELHCHAPH.— SPECIAL CORRKSI'ONDKNI ) Wellington 1 , Last Nighr.

A KKAVY PROGRAMME. Tiru proceedings in the House this afternoon were almost farcical. No fewer than 10 Bills wen; set down for committal, nearly every due of which w.'.s highly debuteable, and they would take about a week to »ct through committee. The first Bill wag the Old Age Pensions, and this was allowed to be committed without comment. The Premier then moved to have the Public Revenues Bill also committed, but Capt. Russell objected, on the ground that the Old Ajje Pensions would probably occupy till midnight, but if it were through committee before 11 o'clock the Premier could easily take the next Bill. Mr Seddon, however, pressed the matter to a decision, and won by 40 to 17, and then moved that the Government Loans to Local Bodies Bill bo committed also. Cant. Rus'cM agsin objected, and the Premier was bea'en on a division by 2S to 27, thus showing that the House refused to sanction an all night sitting. The Premier still pressed for another Bill (Shops and Shop Assistants), and he was defeated this time by ;!0 to 28. He made another attempt to get the Undesirable Hawkers' L'revcntioi Bill in Committee, but the voices agaiust it were so overwhelming that when the actingSpeaker declared the "Ayes have it " Mr Seddon angrily exclaimed "Let them have it " and refrained from dividing the lions?. He persisted, however, to force the Masters and Apprentices Bill into Committee, but this time he inn beaten by 31 to 18. The New Zealand Institute of Surveyors Bill was I hen next on the Order Paper, and the House icfuse I to commit this Bill by 36" to 24. Mr John McK".nzi-. , 1 who U in charge of the Bill, then a'ike 1 that it he discharged from the Order Paper, as he refused to «o on. There were two other Bills rennining for committal, but the Premier evidently siw that the [louse would not he trifled with any further, and contented himself with goingon with the first two Bills i'i Committor The probability is th.it the Old Age Pension Bill alone will occupy the whole of the night's sitting, as the Bill is one of the most debateable of the present session. AN AUTOCRATIC PREMIER. The Premier again, to d'iy, refused to answer questions on Ibe Order Paper which have been accumulating for teviral days past, Cap'ai'i Russ.dl.repeated the pivtis*, he made yesterday, and Ktniii i sisted th<it the P.enr'er should crinp'.y with the standing orders, by replying to questions which were given due noti cof by honorable members, lloa-ktd whether the etmd ng o ders of the House were to be obeyed or whether they were constantly to submit to the will of one man. The Oppo.-i' ion Leader desired to move tin adjournment of the House in order to debate the matter, but the act'n ;- Speakc - ruled the motion out of order, and Mr Saldon onoo mo e had his way ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES. The Representation Commission con eluded its labours this afternoon. Sixteen objee'ious to the boundaries were received from the North Island, and some few were entertained but others were not allowed. I un lerst-md that in one ease no fewer than five electorates would lie affected by the alteration asked, and the Commissioners naturally declined to entertain the objection. The Commissioners were to meet tins afternoon to sign the joint report of the Commiss'on from both islands, after which the report will be presented to the Governor in the usual way. Mil DUTHIK'S DETRACTORS.

The member for Wellington to-day asked fur the indulgence of the House in order to refer to a personal matter which ho considered reflected not only on his character but on Irs position as a member of the House. Mr Duthie then read the following extract from a correspondent's letter in the London Financial News :—" Mr Ward's so-called defence in ihe House of Parliament will still further a'arm the British investor by showing how little real confidence can be put in those who control the public iustitu'ions of th's colony. The saying that when thieves fall out honest men get their due occurs forcibly to the mind when Mr Wa-d's accusation against otlr r members of the Co'oiral Parliament are considered. As Treasurer, Mr Ward has had uuniistakeal'le opportunities of knowing the private affairs of the financial institutions of the colony, and in his mad rage at being himself forced out he. has not scrupled to tell all that he knows. However interesting this nny appear to the British investors, and however valuable it may pove as a warning for the future, these can be no doubt that in thus pub'i-hing lllittes, which he cou'd only have learned as a Minister of the Crown, Mr J (..'. Wild has peifirmed an additional discreditable action. Thanks to him, however, we learn for the first time that the affairs of the Bank of New Zealand have not ho n above suspicion in regards to its dcaPngs with Mr J. Duthie, a member of the Hui'c, while others Mr Ward stigmatised as be'ng criminils themselves or closely related to criinina's." Mr Duthie then added it is painful to find one self so alhlhd to, ami held up in a ncwspipcr of r.pute as a warning to the British investor, and as an example (f a class of untrustworthy men entrusted with Parliamentary lespen ibility. As to the f.icts, I have never been charged with Icing connected with any transaction with the Bank of New Zealand whatever. I never enter on speculative trnuHictiniv*, and never bid suspicious dealing with any bank. Over 'Jo years ago I transferred my business to the Bank of Austral isia, "choosing it as a Conservative institution, which would probably be able on any financial crisis overtaking the community to stand by the community, and to stand by the c'ients in whom it had confidence. Such an occasion lias not arisen, and my account has always b'cu in such a position that any hank would take it at a moment's not'ec. It would be out of place for me to offer a defence as to personal character, but t may say that representing this city as a member of th; socially Conservative party, my political views are not fully sympathised in by a large section of the electors, yet I received their support, and I believe their confidence in my personal integrity. Mr Ward here rose and said that as his name had been mentioned he denied that he had either directly or indirectly communicated with the Financial News or any other paper or any person connected with the paper about the matter. He would make no •comment and would not withdraw anything he had said in the. speech referred to. Mr Duthie said Mr Ward had not been accused of having made any communication, but what" had appeared in the News was a distortion of what Mr Ward said in the House. The 1 rouse then proceeded to other business.