PARLIAMENTARY

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1477, 7 September 1883, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY

UNITED PBESS ASSOCIATION.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THURSDAY."

The House met'at 11 o'clock this morning,

Replying to. a question put by Mr Bracken Mr Johnston said the Govenmont • saw no', reason why ministers of religion should travel free in the train to Seacliff Lunatic Asyluia for the purpose of visiting patients. - v " f: Replying , to Mr Holmes Mr Connolly said it would be unadvisable to employ the Solicitor-General to conduct and defend in .'Wellington actions in which the Government was interested, as it would necessitate the maintaining tho staff of a lawyer's office. The duties of the solicitor were to advise the Government on any point of law which might arise, and these were numerous. Replying to Mr Duncan, the Hon Mr Johnston said the Government would not pay railway employees wages for the time they were employed as jurors on an inquest caso. The Government would not supply platelayers with shovels, nor yet great them the three public holidays usually allowed public servants, Replying to Mr Daniel, the Hon. Mi- Johnston said the laying of heavy rails between Makarewa . and Thornbury was proceeding. The Government could, not at present interfere with the existing postal arrangements at Lake Wanaka. Replying to Mr Hamlin, Mr Rolleston said the subject of placing lights in beacons at Manakau bead would be enquired into; > Replying to Mr Kelly, Mr Dick said Bowern's pamphlet on the manufacture of cheese, butter and bacon, would be distributed over the colony amongst those interested in the subject.

Replying to Mr White, the Hon. Mr Johnston said the Government would see what could bo done for un-; employed petitioning for work. Th'e Government were not aware workmen

from the Addington railway shops had been engaged repairing the Catalonia. Prisoners from Lyttelton and Addington had been employed at those shops doing certain work, but the amount was very trifling. Replying to Mr Steward, Mr Johnston said the Government could not consont to the exptess train stopping at Waitaki North.

To satisfy objections made by the auditor,: the lion; Major Atkinson nioved that tho fares of numbers and their wives residing more than three miles from the seat of Government, be defrayed by. the _ Government for attendance at Parliament.

The House divided, ayes 29, noe-i 15. The House went into a Committee of Ways and Means, when the usual resolution preparatory to the Appropriation Bill was adopted, On being reported to the House, and the motion to introduce the ; Appropriation Bill being niade,.. Mr Smith complained of the treatment private members business had met with at the hands of tho Government; The Hon Major Atkivton replied in effect that members had three days per week for their private business in addition' to the two! days specially set apart for them. They had liberally availed themselves of. the order paper for questions, motions, and for bringing forward their grievances, on going into Committee of Supply, Monopolising as they did so touch 1 time, it would be impossible to go on with the Government business at all unless some restriction was made.

Sir George GitEvin a long speech impugned the general policy of the Government aftd moved as an amendment that tho resolutions of the Committee of Ways and Means be not agreed to until a copy of the agreement betweon the Government and the Bank of New Zealand is laid on the table. The House, went into Committee of Ways and Means,- when the usual reso-

lutionß making good the supply were passed after several members had called attention to. griovances about Bills' thrown out by the Council and questions crowded off the order paper, etc.

On the resolutions being reported Sir G. Grey move* that they be not agreed to until the Government, pro- | duced a copy of the original agreement with tho Bank of New, Zealand. . Several members attention to tbe neglect of their districts in matter* of publio works. _ Sir G. Grey's amendment was negatived, and. the resolutions wore reported. .\ The Appropriation Bill and the Publio Works Appropriation Bill were theii brought in and read a'first and On the motion for the third reading, Mr Montgomery moved they b# postpiffled' until all : ( other business was done. , j • After considerable discussion, the third roding tyss carried by 27 to 13. Further discussion then arose on the

question or agreeing to the title of the Bill, Sir tjeorge Grey and others objecting to the: Bill being finally passed until all ,the business of the session Was over.-' f discussion was interrupted by dinner hour. On the House resuming/at 7.30, both Appropriation Bills were passed without further debate. On the Hon Major Atkinson's motion, the Public Accounts Committee was discharged, Mr Mason then moved that the report of the Dargaville Committee be adopted. He said the report was unanimously arrived at, and the committee had'shewn neither personal nor party feeling.: . Mr J, Buchanan urged members on the eve of separating to let the dead past bury its dead. It would be well to let the matter drop, he therefore moved the previous- question. Mr Montgomery thought the report fully vindicated the Treasurer, and it would now be a wise, generous, and kind thing to let the matter rest where it stood. It was not necessary for ihe House. to pass any resolution to enable: the country 1 to judge of the faots. _ Mr Bryce quite agreed that if possible they should p»rt in peace. The slightest acknowledgement that he had made the charges he did in error, the' least expression" of 'regret from Mr Dargaville would at once end the matter. ;

Mr Dargaville said he would be unworthy to sit there if he withdrew one word or uttered one regret, He had made the charges because they expressed his convictions, and he claimed the right of free speech. He cajled the Committee a packed one, but was called to order by the . Speaker, and withdrew the expression, saying it had not fairly dealt with him. He had been tied down to a single charge, and that charge the evidence amply sustained, It would be a bad day for the people when freedom of speech was denied their representatives under terror of select committee and political ruin. He was acting according to his' conscience, and Ministers were trying to screen themselves from the consequences, Let them declare his seat vacant, and on this one charge of political corruption he would meet the man the potential ring of Auckland could find to oppose him. He cared not for the verdict of the committee. He appealed to the higher tribunal of his constituents. Any decision the House might arrive at he would treat with the contumely which, in his opinion, it would deserve. Mr Tornbulli said the report was moderate and fair.. Mr Dargaville was apparently very anxious to be made a

martyr of, but it was not worth while to make him one, and it would be well to let the matter drop. Mr- Seddov vindicated the course Mr Dargavillo had taken in showing the courage of his opinion. Mr Mosi urged the necessity of preserving freedom of speech in that House and hoped that the previous question would be carried. Messis Hurstliouse Slmw and Shepherd pointed out that this could not be done after such a speech as Mr Dargaville had made.

Mr Dodson thought Mr Dargavillo was simply for notoriety, no matter of how unenviable a character, and they should not justify him by going any further. Messrs J, 0. Brown and Hart is defended Mr Dargaville. Mr Sheehan said that far worse

things had been said in the House and it was unfair to piok Mr Dargaville out as a victim. They should be very careful of interfering with the liberty of speech in debate. ' ;

Alessrs Joyce;and Barron hoped the matter would be allowed to drop. Major Atkinson had been amply vindicated. Captain McKenzie and Mr Stevens thought Mr Dargaville had made matters much worse by his speech, and tho House was bound to assert itself. On division Mr Buchanan's amendment was lost by 30 to 17. The original question that the report be agreed to was then put, when .Mr Montgomery and all those who in the praviuos division had voted to let the matter drop left the House, with tho exception of Messrs Barron and Whito, Major Atkinson also left. The motion was then carried by 29 to 2. . The House then adjourned at 10.30 to Saturday at 3 o'clock for prorogation. In the Legislative' Council the Pro- : perty Tax Bill, Public Revenues Bill,' Appropriation Bill, .and Public Works Appropriation Bill were passed, and tho Council adjourned to Saturday at three o'clock. ' '