PARLIAMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 2984, 29 August 1891, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Kill DAY. Tub Council met at, 2.30 p.m. The Factories Bill was considered in committee. Clause 3 was amended s<) as to fix tho minimum age at which a child may be employed in a workshop ut 14 yours instead of 10, and in tho same clause an umeudment was earned pin that a tactoiy shall mean where "six''persons aro employed instead of " three," as printed. At o p.m. the Council adjourned till 7.H0 p. in. The Council resumed at 7.30 p.m. In Committee on the Factories Bill several amendments were made. Progress was reported, and leave given to sit again on Tuesday. The Council rose at 10 p.m. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. THURSDAY. The motion for the committal of tho Land Bill was debated for some time after the teiegrauh office closed this mnrniutr. Mr McKenzio rose to reply at about 2.30 a,r>l,, and towards the close of his remarks referred to tho case of two runs, 234 and L'3l.\ in the, Otago district, in regard to which he said that if the secrets of that nutter were stated in the House it would not be to Mr Richardson's credit. Mr Richardson replied to this that there were no secrets at all, and if the lion, gentleman had any information he should disclose it or withdraw his remark. Mr MeKenstia said he .vouhi not have referred to the matter at all lint for an invitation which Mr Richardson hud thrown out in an eurlier speech. The chief witness would have been tho lato Hon. Robert Campbell. That gentleman had said that he came up to Wellington and squared it with the Minister. Mr Richardson : That language is capable, of an interpretation which points to me as having nct'jd in a corrupt lnutuier in my position as Minister for Jj-inds. The Speaker : The hon. gentleman must not make a charge of that kind without bjinj* prepared to prove it. If the hon, member for Mataura denies it, ho should, withdraw it. Mr Richardson : I do not deny it, for iu ought net to have been used. It is a disgraceful statement. Mr McKenzie : The hon. gentleman challenged me or I would not have used it. Mr Richardson : It is the most disgraceful statement ever made from the Government bfnehes in this House. The Speaker again urged the Minister to make a withdrawal. Mr McKenzie : The only thing I have to withdraw is that Mr Campbell in making the statement was not correct. In reply to a question from the Opposition benches, Mr McKenzie said tho statement was made by Mr Campbell on board a steamer .vhiie ho (Mr Campbell) was on a trip to Dunedin, but he (Mr McKenzie) could not divulge the name of the person to whom the remark was made. Mr Richardson again protested against the statement, which was absolutely and wholly false, and he said he would take , another opportunity of referring to the matter. Mr Kolloston said the Minister had done a great wrong to a man who could no longer answer for himself in this world. He Was sure that on reflection tho Minister would feel very much ashamed of what had taken place, and that in saying so he. expressed the feeling of the House. After further discussion, the motion fur the committal of the Bill was carried, out immediately on getting into committee progress was reported. The House r:>se at half-past three a.m. The House met at half-past two p.m. Mr Richardson rose to a question of privilege in connection with what had taken place at an early hour that morning. During thn debute "ii the motion to commit the Land i'ill a serious charge had been made against him by the Minister of Lands in connection with two runs in Otago, he having been confronted with a statement that the late lion. Robert Campbell said hehad squared the then Minister of Lands (Mr Richardson) in connection with those runs. That was such a serious accusntiou that ho could not pass it over without notice. If it were proved that he (Mr Richardson) had acted in the manner alleged by the Minister for Lands, he had uo right to be in the House, but if Mi

McKenzifi had made fal.sn charr/os against him in connection with tin- i:i:itt"r, lh» Alini.-.ti:r for Lands had no right to sit in the House. He, therefore, moved for a committee to enquire into the whole orth" <vimmiU"e to consist nf five members, and I iqniri! int.-Un-wholu matter and to report wilhin smun da.V-s. In reply to Mr MeKcnzie, The Sp'r -ilo-r "iled that this wns a case of privilege, and s-iid the motion was in order, as it staled that refactions had been in.ule mi his cniifluct as a Mini-t'M- of the Crown Mr McKenzie nekml whether his withdiawal of the words had not removed the matter from a question of privilege. Mr liollestoii said he w.ia present last iiiL'hl when Mr McKenzM said ho should withdraw thn words, but he added that they had li'emitter.'d Mi the same. Mt S■ fldon said if Mr Kichaidsou felt sore at Mr McKenzie's v/irdx surely ho should feel Kiitislii'd after his clleaHMf hid withdrawn tli'in. He should there fore, that no further proceedings bo taken n the matter. Mr P.rycn *!iid MrSHdon did not see the gravity of the atl'air. It was not a question of withdrawing words, but of making a disgraceful charge. Mr U-illaiico said it was quite trim that Mr Richardson considered n disgraceful charßu had been made against him. but he was tint entitled to move that it was a breach of privilege, although he was perfectly justified in privinf,' notice of a committee for another day. There-vas nothing to imply that a disgraceful chnrgo had been mado except the interpretation put upon tho words by thn gentleman who had used them, and who was not now here. His colleague had no desire to shirk an inquiry, but hn contended the matter was settled last night through Mr McKenzie havine withdrawn the words. He did not see there was any urgency in thn matter. Mr Rolleston's opinion was that no man ■hoiild bo under a chnrge of that kind for a. single hour, and ho Imped the House would ntfreo to a enramitten beine appointed. Mr W. P. Keeves said this charge had been nvuie two years ago, and it was then stated that Mr Robert Campbell had said he had come to Wellington in connection with those runs, find had got all ho wanted from the Government. Mr Biickland said the two things were entirely different, as that was only a vapid statement, but the present was a distinct charge. Tho Speaker eventually ruled that Mr Richardson was entitled to move for a committee to enquire into that portion of Mr McKonzie's remarks to the effect that if matters in connection with those runs woreenqmted into it would not be to Mr Richardson's credit, tut as the other words used by Mr McKenzie had been withdrawn they really had no existence. Mr Richardson denied that the words were withdrawn absolutely as Mr McKenzia had uttered other words after their withdrawal. Mr Bryce said there was tin doubt the cbnrfjes were, still persisted iu notwithstanding what was said from tho Ministerial Benches. Mr Ballance contended that the Speaker had already ruled that those chargss having been withdrawn, they did not now exist. Mr Bryce said tho Premier should be ashamed of himself for that statement. Mr Ballanca demanded that those words should be withdrawn. Mr Bryce refuse to withdraw them, saying he was prepared to take the conssquences. Mr Bullanco moved that Mr Bryce's words be taken down. The Speaker at this stage (half-past three p.m.) ordered the galleries to be cleared, and the whole of the galleries were cleared by the Sergeant-at-Arms. The galleries were still closed at half-past five. The, galleries were re-opened nt ten minutes to eight p.m. The Speaker then put Mr Rees' motion, which was under discussion when the galleries wore ro-oponed—namely, " That the House regrets that the words taken down were used by Mr Bryce, thonih qualified as they were by subsequent words used by the h.in. mninher." Mr Goorgo Hutchison moved an amendmen?, " That Mr Bryce be informed that the words hn used were objectionable, and that he bo afforded an opportunity of explaining or retracting them." The Speaker said that this could not be put nt present, as they were an entire subMtitution of the original m.ition. Mr Recs' motion was then carried by 33 to 21. Mr P.rycß (who had left the Chamber while the discussion was proceeding) was then sent for by the Speaker. On tho member for Waikato assuming his. seat, thn Speaker informed him of the resolution just passer! by the House. Mr Bryce then mso and said that he did not know hn hr.rl any right to addre-s the House on the present occasion, but perhaps the House would allow him under the circumstances to suy a fow words. Ho should now inform the House that the words he intended using were " that the Premier should he ashamed of himself for relying on a technicality to prevent an inquiry into a disgraceful charge against another inembeJ." He bad only got as far na a. "technicality," when iie was interrupter" by several members, and could not finish his sentence. He wished to say that he perhaps, personally, regarded tho word "ashamod " in a, different light to other members. Mr Ballance was po-sib'.y not far wrong when he said the word ashamed was in some sort n phrase perhaps peculiar tH himself (Mr Bryce.). If he (Mr Bryce) did any injury to any man wrongfully ho always felt ashainnd of himself, and this was the first result of the shame he folt in trying to make an atonement for having done the Premier injury. He had use! the word eliaine as in no way expressing disgrace, but tho opposite of it. During the 'session the Government would admit he had given them srme assistance in tho conduct of business, but ho supposed that the Government in whipping up their supporters for the motion jjst carried were adopting their usual mode of expressing gratitude for his j;ast conduct this session. He went on to Rtato that the Speaker's predecessor had stated that he (Mr Bryce) had never been called to order whilst ho (Sir M. O'Rorke) presided over the House. He was proud of that commendation from Sir M. o'R.orke, and he felt proportionately miserable in having now received the censure of the House, although that censure was brought about under tho scourge of Government whips. In conclusion, he said he should leavo the House, and whether he would enter it again or not would bo a matter for bis own consideration. Mr Bryce then bowed to the Speaker and left the chamber. The Speaker, said the House would now proceed to thtfqneatinn of privilege. Mr Ballanco thought Mr Richardson iihniild give notice of his resolution. Mr Scobie Mackenzie said that as the Minister of Lands had last night withdrawn the words he had used against Mr Richardson he saw co reason why ha should not do so now in tho presence of a full House. Tho Hon. Mr McKenzie said if any one in the House had reason to complain of the conduct of the Opposition it wan himself. He saw no good to be gained by again withdrawing the words, and he did not intend to go on his knees to humblo himself beforo members of the Opposition and the press of the colony. Mr Pinkerton moved tho previous question, which was put and carried by 31! to •12, and Mr Richardson's motion therefore lapsed. FRIDAY. Tho House met at 2.30 p.m. At tho request nf Mr Bryce, who was absent, Mr liolleston road tho following message he (Mr Bryce) had received from Mr E. W. Humphreys, late member for Christchurch North :—" I ask you to read from your place in the House, if you will, the following telegram. It is due alike to tho living and the dead that the present House should be told that my late brother-in-law (Hon. R. Campbell) repeatedly and inditcnantly repelled in the lobbies of the Houao the allegation that there was nnything corrupt in the leasing of the Otekakika ruu. He also frequently to his own family firmly repudiated the idea that there was any collusion between him and the Minister for Lands." The Land Bill was further considered in committee. A long discussion took place on Clause 82, which disqualified married women from selecting land, but no amendment was made, the clause being added to the Bill by 33 to 12. 'ihe House roae at -1.30 p.m. The House resumed at 7.30 p.m. In Committee on the Land Bill, Clause US; One-third of the price or rent of the land to be paid to local authorities for road inakiri£, provoked lone discussion. Air Macarthur moved that thirds should rot be devoted to the imintenance of roads, but he was defeated by 27 to 22. I Left sitting.]