PARLIAMENTARY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1718, 24 June 1884, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

I UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

MONDAY.

The House met at 11 o'clock,

Mr Conolly said, in ' reply lo Mr Feldwiuk, that no warder bad ever been dismissed from the. Auckland prison service for his refusal to flog a prisoner. Wnrders were required to administer such punishments,, but'as to what'would be done in the. event of their refusal he was not prepared to say.

Mr Moss, on a motion for adjournment, protested against warders taing compelled to do this work. If it was necessary to administer such chastisement he would suggest that the Judge, Magistrate, ;or ".even the Minister, of Justice was the proper person to do'.it.' It was monstrous to. say that, a warder should chastise :a prisoner in that way and afterwards be entrusted with the charge of hiin.

Mesrra Feldwick and Daniel denounced the infliction of such punishment. .

Mr Cqnollv ' Sftid this was not a question aa to whether or not such piinishmeiit should be inflicted. The only question' was' as to who should inflict the punishment, In England and in this colony, too, the punishment was invariably .administered by the Avardeus. The alternative proposition .was as to the -propriety, of appointing a'pi'tblic ilaggclator, and lie confessed Unit a proposition' ot- this kind lia'd jfever entered into his head. .The punishment- was only inflicted in the case of brutal and. disgusting offences, and he did riot see his. way to have it abolished altogether,

. : Sir G. Grey inveighed against the injustice done to warders in this matter. It appeared to him the height of injustice. It. was only 'reasonable to ask that a person should be got, upon whom this as well as other duties might devolve, Mr Holleston denied a statement made by Grey that Conolly was mainly respohsible for the measures under which this punishment was' proceeded on, . Roleeston explained that on en-qui-yho found that no proclamation had been issued 'inHhe, namfr of Grey as superintendent of Auckland re the gum iields leases.' He found, however, that all the correspondence on , the subject had passed through the office of tlie Supei intendent.

In reply, to a question, Mi' Rolleston saicl. he would withdraw the statement made that these .leases were provided,for by Sir G. Grey, as superintendant of Auckland, still he held to the fact that they were so provided for by an officer under his immediate control. •r' : - ' 1 ' On the-motion of Sir G. ■ Grey the 'debate was adjourned. . .... , . Mr, Locke,-, the new member for the East.,Coast,i was introduced',byCol. Trimble and Mr Newman, sworn in;, and took his oath.