MR WATT, M.H.R, IN THE HOUSE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXV, Issue 10236, 29 June 1883, Page 2

MR WATT, M.H.R, IN THE HOUSE.

ADDRESS IN REPLY.

Mr Watt ': I-had'tf*. ' ih't'erifibn W&kf '„ any part in this debate, and would, ript/ •have risen i-but*- to rep^el'. ; th_'itfßihuatiorj i thrown out against me by the honourarJle L member'for- Ak'aroa.'or- ratheT>-hi*r*ibcp.,' i sation of bribery. lam not susceptiblei of bribery. I ,came' forward! as < an ! independent member, and I told thh . electors'tbati asked;ifor their s'uffra'ges" to suppoit the Government, and they ' responded to' the call/ and ■ p have done' 1 so. With regard to the Wanganui 1 Bridge, that m6ney^vQsd,havetb?p_j paid no matttr wh > rep.Tsanted' the' ; district, and if th*^ hon, member, , for, i Aka'rba had carried his memory, baok- . four years he would t have been aliletp^ , trace the'orij,lu ; -'of''that '£lT,b'oo, andi give the House a much clearer idea of how matters stood. He seemed to regret veryVmuch'that I was' successful at 1 the election and displaced his friend and compatriot -Who preoefled me: Th _._'on. '- gentleman is in a minority in tbit House, :■ and he-isi in '-a* nruofity in' that regret, .'. because very few join him in it, and. l know tHatW'uiy'ri'litrioti'at' aniyrate^l '. was congratu'ated very, much, and the people were very s 'glad to- think that a change had taken place. With regard to bribery, I think itris a pity that members of th'e House should make suoh aocusatiohsiagjainstieach! 'other. ' We'do not bear of ' bribery i outside at the!hiist-ings.'-The constituents db ' not 1 accuse' us of bribery. Although there is no doubt tbey will select the best men to represent them, yet - they always bave an eye to who is likely to .^gefc the ; largest share -'of e&cptadlture for thera, i*jud wh^e^'tliey-tak'eVafgreatibterest in tho policy of , the Government, ; there is jvothingth^t. gives/thorn; greater ■ satisfaction * than' to see that their district is well cared for by the Govern - ( ment and by their representative. I . think that for members of this Honae to ! license oacli other of bribery because : th y have done their best for their - , ( constituencies is vory bad taste. When ttbe hon. member for Dunedin South ■■ 'rose to speak, I thought he would deal ..with the whole scope of the speech, but . -:I was disappointed, for he confined himself to one side of the question .entirely, and his speech was nothing I ' more nor less than abuse of the Colonial •Treasurer, because that hon. gentleman had dared to defend himself jjagaiust the "attack made upon him by the hon. . imemher for Akaroa. What would we think of the Treasurer if he stood still • • v ithout replying to the attack made ' upon him ? Por my part, I should say that he was not fit to sit where he is, and I think the defence he made was l -y^ry commendable. With regard to "the remarks the hon. member made about bribery and the construction of •I two or three bridges, I think he is the Slast member in the House who ahor'd : say a word about bribery. Last session he got the largest bribe that was given in this House— be got £200,000 for his ' h trbour. His own colleague voted tbat the sum should only be £150,000, but ■ '•ftl'th the support of the Government he got his £200,000. I think there is not.fcft-'tgr'eaten. bribe!. than 7 .that, r ..and, if the hon. — .gentleman has any.i.gratitnder; he . . sho.n'.d; give 'the government hia.vote in the. same way ;as he- says other 'membors have done. ' t My. honorable: i f -iend- th'e member for , .JJumaramade some allusion to;- my constituents at -Wangan* 7 • lam sot-. ■ the honourable :l gentleman 'is not in his place, butl'have rio'hesitationiri sa3'in>; '-tliat the statement he" mado was grossly false. :••'.- -IMr Speaker : I cannot allow you to imake uro of suoh an expression as that. • 'Mr Watt: I will withdraw. it, Sir,' and challenge. him Jbo prove it by referring to my address prinfcedboth in the Chbonicle and the Herald. I was rather misrepres i er-,t9d.-i n tho; Herald, but. he may take.the.repor.t; in that paper to prove his^assertion iif he oau* I say there is not a, word of [truth in it. And T was never called upon for any explanation about tho £17,000 when I met my con • stituents. . Thev- did • not want explanation ; they had got the 'money. It did npt matter to, tbem. whother it was part ofi an (Sid prdviucial'debt or not':' They had beon relieved of 'responsibility and had got the money. Tha only thing thoy 'quarrelled 'about was whether or uot tho bridge shonld be made free • without any further charge upon it. OKOWN-'ANI) -TATIVB LAND BATES. ' Mr. Watt asked the Colonial Treasurer whether it is his intention to place a sum of money on the Estimates for the purpose- of paying to municipal or other corporate bodies the rates on Crown and native land 3 -within the.il* respective districts for tho voir onding Slat Maroh,, l*_K3 f i-iii---term_ of " The Crown and Native! Lund**- Bating Act, 1382," und whether it U tho intention of Government to: aniond the sntao Act so as to enable lhe various corpor-ite bodies to be paid ;the ■■ aforesaid rates when due ? Jjjc.iiL.b.odijep. were very ; short of funds in consequence of the discontinuince of subsidies, and ho had been asked to put. this, questior:, to .which ihe hoped the' Tibasuroj- -would givo favourable consideration;; ; .. '; M*ij-iv Al tin son replied that it wns the intention of'tha Government to ask tho. Jlfjusc to vote- these moneys, and it re,, j__.. tluilr intention to .iraenrl the \cl. It .■::.- si '.i\-f!i-.i.,ht iii the Act a a il. ::_od ... \}r__™.{. .\),.n;i Cii'V.v. 7 ■! I.mv-. aV^vs l."e. li, -.1 '■:••.<• 1 •:!' j '"in -i'i- I! -'-' "l''-i*'' <ljy il W.13 ;•!•.>.... l.!.At- .h. l_'*v v.-o'.v to ho.- vn-e. c.glit limes por elay.