A GALE IN THE HOUSE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XVI, Issue 5107, 31 October 1895, Page 3

A GALE IN THE HOUSE.

THE HON. MR, WARD'S DENIAL. By Telegraph—o«n Correspondent. Wkm.ixgtox, Wednesday. Quite a galo has been blowing in the House, this forenoon, Mnrsden Thompson asked whether the statement of the 2W, that in spite of the lion. Mr Ward's denial, he did actually meet Mr Mui ray on board tho Hauroto, was true. Mr Ward, in reply, said the statement referred to had been made by Mi Duthie and reiterated despite his denial. Mr Ward was proceeding to read

certain correspondence oi tho subject, between Mr Duthie and himself, when Sir R. Stout objected. Tho Acting-Speaker (Mr Guinness) askod if it was intended to lay the correspondence on the table, and Mr Ward replying in the affirmative, after a storm of interruptions, objections and points of order, in which half tho members of the Opposition took part, the Colonial Treasurer was allowed to proceed. In his loiters to Mr Duthie, Mr Ward ropeatcd his denial of having met Mr Murray on the wharf, or on board tho steamer, and demanded either a withdrawal of the statement or tho production of the ovidonce on which it was founded, intimating that he was prepared to furnish proof of its falseness before any tribunal that Mr Duthie might chooso. The correspondence included communications from Mr McKenzie (manager of the Colonial Bank), Mr Watson (President of the Bank of New Zealand), and Mr Murray, who were said to have been in company with Mr Ward, all confirming tho statement of the latter that he did not meet Mr Murray—either by accident or appointment.

Mr Ward, who spoke with some heat, said that his statement had boon challenged again and again, that the persons—whoever they were-that impugned his veracity were infernal liars, and that the writers in thePosi had published a lie, He intended to give the Post and its witness an opportunity of repeating the falsehood on oath if they dared, Considerable discussion followed, in the course of which Mr Goorge Hutchison remarked that Mr Watson had sent for Mr .Murray whon the amalgamation of the Banks was being considered, and the Premier admitted the fact, but said he considered the action of the President unwise, Mr Buchanan rose to a point of

order and was sharply reminded by the Premier that he was not an authority on points of order in procedure, Mr Buchanan retorted that ho was within his rights and deprecated tho language used by Mr Ward. Captain Russell objected to tho publication of angry correspondence between two gentleuion as Parliamentary papers, Mr Hogg contended that tho correspondence was of the highest importance and should bo published, in-as-much as it was betwcon one of the Representatives of the Capital City of the Colony and a first Minister of tho Crown, whose honor and veracity had been challenged; who had been persistently attacked in a similar way by certain members and their inouth-picces in the press, ever since his return to the Colouy; and who had to vindicate his character before the House and tho Colony or stand arrainged of being unworthy of credence and unfit to hold any position in public life. The motion that the papers lie on the tablo was carried by 33 to 14.