GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 341, 15 September 1898, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. TUESDAY. THE Council met at 2.30 p.m. INEBRIATES INSTITUTIONS. The Inet nates Institutions Rill was read a third time, and passed. WEDNESDAY. The Council met at 2.30 p.m. ISANKRUPTCY ACT. The Bankruptcy Act Amendment Bill was introduced by Mr Lee-Smith, and was considered in Committee. _ The measure met with hostile criticism from Messrs McLem and Oliver, the latter holding that it was a direct incentive to the farmers not to keep a record of their transactions. Several motions to report progress were negatived, and it was eventually decided that sheep farmers and gold miners should not be expected to keep such full books of accounts as traders. Further discussion was then adjourned, leave being given to sit again. The Council rose at 4.45 p.m. ■ HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. TUESDAY. The House met at 2.30 p.m. REPLIES TO QUESTIONS. Ministers, in reply to questions, stated that it would be impossible to introduce this session an amendment of the Rating Act in the direction of providing that a Government subsidy shall be payable upon separate rates levied upon' a particular riding or ridings of a country, for purposes for which a subsidy would be payable if the rate were levied over an entire countrv. That payment for valuation rolls by local authorities was to ( be spread over three years. That it would be wrong to have two systems of valuation existing, that of the Government Valuation Department and that of local authorities. That one meat exporting company in the colony had askel the Government to appoint a veterinary surgeon to inspect nieat exported by the company ; but the matter would he dealt with in the Slaughterim.' and Inspection Bill, and if that measure tailed to pass the application would receive very careful consideration. That the Department kuew of no complaints with reference to men employed on co-operative works on the Mamaku-Oxford-Rotorua Road. That 7900 copies of the map of the Hororata estates had been circulated with Hausard, and there would probably be a secoud edition. That it was questionable whether it would be wise for the Government to insist on work done by local bodies, and subsidised by the Government, beiug done under the co-operative system. That the encouragement of young persons to provide by contributions in their early years for pensions when aged, would receive the careful consideration oj the Government. That the question of giving collectors of Customs power to detain auy cargo found to be in a heated condition would be considered by the Cabinet. inebriates' institution. The amendments made by the Council in the Inebriates' Institutions Bill were agreed to. THE POLICE COMMISSION. Mr Taylor drew attention to the fact that the index to the Police Commission's report was incomplete, and that in the case of one return it had been printed in a different form to that in which it was presented to the Commission. Mr Seddon intimated that he would look into the matter. THE ESTIMATES. The House went into Committee of Supply on the general Estimates. Class 1., House representatives' salaries and other charges, £3740. Capt. Russell asked Mr Seddon when lie intended giving the House an opportunity of discussing the question of the appointment of officers of the House. Mr Seddon sud if fair progress was <q f il with business he would be glad to nave the matter settled before the House prorogued. Mr Taylor reminded Mr Seddon of his promise made last session to give an opportunity to deal with the matter, and requested him to fulfil his promise. Mr Seddon said members had beeu in such haste to leave for their homes towards the close of last session that auy resolutions on the subject, if they had been brought down, would not have received the consideration Decessary. The only change possible was for Mr Speaker to recommend to Ministers appointments to be made, and on these nominations the Government of the day would make the appointments. No resolution that could be passed could take away constitutional responsibility from Ministers. He did not think it was right that an irresponsible officer, so far as the Crown was concerned, should have the control of the expenditure of the moneys of the Crown. After further debate, Mr Moore moved " That the vote be reduced by £l, as an indication that the officers of the House should be nominated by the Speaker. After discussion, Mr Moore withdrew his motion, on the understanding that an opportunity would be given to discuss the matter before the Supplementary Estimates were brought down. The vote was agreed to. Mr Carson, as an indication that Hansard should be abolished, moved that the chief reporter's salary, £4OO, be struck out. The motion was negatived by 48 to 6. Mr Taylor moved that the item, Hansard supervisor, £125, be reduced by £25, as he considered the officer was well paid prior to receiving the increase of £25. He pointed out that the aggregation of these increases would result in a cry for retrenchment. x\fter discussion the motion was negatived by 40 to 13. Mr Buchanan moved that the item assistant night-watchman, £llO, be reduced by £l, as he disapproved of the Premier having made this appointment. After a short discussion the motion was negatived. As an indication that the cost of the printing of Hansard is excessive, Mr Massey moved, "That the amount for that servica, £3500, be reduced by £500." After a short discussion it was negatived by 31 to 14, and the whole class was agreed to. WEDNESDAY. The House met at 2 30 p.m. POLICE COMMISSION REPORT. Respecting the alteration of the return and the imperfect indexing of the Police Commission report, Mr Seddon said the return in question, dealing with the offences and convictions in the Clutha district, as presented, was found to be incorrect, and the corrected return appeared in the report. The Secretary of the Commission was unaware that the index was incomplete. On the consideration of the Police Commissioner report being called on, Hon. T. Thompson moved that the report be referred to the Public Accounts Committee, with special direction to examine and report as to what th'Mi ncrease(l cost t 0 tlie c010,, y wo *: be if effect were given to the recommendations schemes of the report and of Commissioner Tunbridge, and whether the circumstances warrant the increased expenditure as a whole or in part. In the course of his lemarks he said it was estimated that the cost to carry out the recommendations of the Commissioners would be £16,328 yearly, and of the recommendations in Commissioner Tunbridge's report £13,423 yearly. The cost of the Commission had been £4250. He contended that the statements made by him in reply to Mr Taylor's charges last session hud been

verified by the report of the Commission. The result of the Commission, lie said, would have the effect of restoring in the public mind confidence in the police force. The charge that there had beeu political interference with the administration of the police force had been completely disproved. Mr Taylor said the Minister's defence had beeu a feeble quotation from the evidence of the new Police Commissioner, but the late Police Commissioner's evidence fully substantiated the charge of Ministerial interference. Every charge he (Mr Taylor) had made last year had been fully justified by the evidence taken. He dealtseriatim with the different charges he had made against the force, and referring to the promotion of 72 men last October, after the Commission had been appointed, he said it was in the nature of destroying their evidence, as they were promoted in order to quieten them. For the past eight years not a sing'e defect in the force had been remedied, and the record of the same period was one which should make any administration ashamed of itself. Mr Seddcn said the speech just delivered by Mr Taylor, as compared with the speech in which he made the charge?, was a speech with a brake on, and the facts as revealed by the Commission had made Mr Taylor go back on almost every charge he had made. Of twelve charges made by Mr Taylor only one charging an unfortunate policeman with a breach ot the railway regulations had been proved. Two other charges had been partially proved, and nine were absolutely disproved. If Mr Taylor did what was right to himself and country he ought to go on his knees and apologise to the country for incurring an expense of four thousand pounds in order to prove that a policeman had transgressed the railway regulations. He denied that the Government had appointed Mr Tunbridge at the instaucc of Mr Taylor, and said lons- before the latter's advent in the House the Govern ment had decided to obtain the services of a competent man from England to take the position of Commissioner of Police. The evidence of the Commission had not showed that there had been political corruplion in connection with the force committed by the present or past administrations. Respecting the chirges of drunkenness in the force, he said that to one case of drunkenness during his administration there had been five during the pro ious administration. The report of the Commission had restored confidence in the police, and having done this it was worth the money it had cost. Referring to the charges made as to corruption in the Civil Service, he said that these charges, unless nipped in the bud, would come to be believed in. The report of the Police Commission having disproved all the charges levelled against that Department would have the effect of stopping enquiry into the condition of the Civil Service. The Civil servants were a credit to the colony, and no uecessity existed for an enquiry respecting them. Mr Pirani contended that the Premier had begged the whole question in his speech and had failed to rise to the occasion. He contended that the Premier had made a misstatement with respect to the number of Mr Taylor's charges which had been disproved and which he (Mr Pirani) pointed out was only two. Political influence in connection with the force had been proved up to the hilt and the report of the Commission had Bhown beyond doubt that the force was in a disorganised state. Mr Lawry contended that the allegations that he had attempted to exert political influence with respect to appointments to the force had been fully disproved. He referred to the report as an abomination of abominations. Mr George Hutchison asserted that it could hardly bo contended that the report of the Commission was the result of judicial decision on the evidence adduced. He knew of no precedent for a Minister of the Crown who had been summoned to appear before an enquiry beine permitted to plead the interests of the State in refusing to attend. The country owed a deep debt of gratitude to Mr Taylor for having insisted on an enquiry which had undoubtedly shown that abuses existed in the police force. Referring to the cost ot the Commission, he expressed the opinion that in addition to the £4,250 it should cost Ministers their seats. The debate was proceeding at the 5.30 adjournment. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. Mr Hutchison continued his remarks on the report of the Police Commission and proceeded to cite individual cases treated in the evidence. Mr Kelly said it was amusing to watch the Minister for Defence 'Mr Thomson) and the ex-Minister for Defence (Mr Seddon) attempting to hoodwink the public into the belief that there was no political interference with the department. Though the report was colourless, he considered that it was the duty of the Minister to relieve himself ot a position which the evidence given before the Commission showed he was incompetent to fill. As an amendment to the original motion he moved that immediate provision be made for the removal of the police from political control, for improving the present system of recruiting the force, for the efficient training and instruction of the force, for the retirement of oliicers and men who by reason of age or otherwise are indifferent or are of drunken or immoral habits, or are addicted to gambling, for the amendment of the law so to punish those who supply liquor during prohibited hours, and for retiring allowances and pensions to deserving members of the force. Mr Scobie MacKenzie said a gross impropriety had been committed in granting a Commission to enquire into the administration of a Department of State. It was an unconstitutional act and an unpardouable weakness. Mr Hall Jones said no previous Royal Commission had been so abused as this one, but the Government had nothing to fear from it. He quoted from the evidence to show that political interference with the Department had taken place under the Russell Administration. He asserted that as the people became better acquainted with the report of the Commission they would see there was no foundation for the charges against the force. Mr Montgomery said the Minister for Defence had shown no individuality in his administration of the Police Department. The demand for the reform of the force had not been undertaken because it would have involved giving a system of political patronage, which is becoming the bane of the country. When the force was reorganised as the result of the Commission Mr Taylor would get the credit which was due to him. Mr Duthic said the Government, histoid of agreeing to" the enquiry into the police administration, should have resigned. The corruption revealed in( connection with the police force was only an example of a similar state of affairs existing throughout the different departments. It was not too late to overturn this state of affairs, but if itwere Dot done scoundrels would be rampant and actively supported. Mr Morrison quoted from the evidence to show that during' the different administrations political interference with police hail existed. Mr Wason expressed the opinion that the work of reform should have been left to Commissioner Tunbridge. Mr Hogg said the complaints as to the police administration had existed almost Irom time immemorial. » Mr Massey said the country had got full value for every penny spent on the Police Commission. (Left sitting Ht midnight).