3

A.—3b

thought that there was more likely to be trouble on the passing of the Act than ever there had been before. It had been brought forward on a moment of alarm. The Hon. E. Gemmell Smith was in favour of the Bill, but thought unofficial members should know what was the urgency. His Excellency, in reply to Mr. Smith, said that the Government were going on positive and accurate information, but that, for very obvious reasons, he could not disclose the sources of it. The Governor, in winding up the debate on the second reading, said, Of the three unofficial members who have spoken to the second reading, two have supported the Bill and one of them has expressed the fear that it does not go far enough, and that means will be found to evade it, while the third has opposed it. The honourable member who has opposed the Bill, though without giving any valid reason for his opposition, has done so with a light heart. And, as far as personal consequences go, he can afford to do so; for he is neither a Fijian, nor a white man living on his property in an isolated situation surrounded by Fijians. Consequently, if the Fijians were goaded into violence by the process which the Bill is intended to prevent, he would not personally suffer in any way. He would neither have to undergo the retribution that would eventually have to be meted out to the Fijians, nor would he run the risk that isolated whites would have to incur at the commencement of disturbances. He is therefore in a perfectly secure position so far as the safety of himself and property are concerned, and can smile at the dangers which it is hoped to obviate by this Ordinance. And, indeed, all of us at this Council Board are practically in a like position of security. But, gentlemen, there is such a thing as duty quite distinct from personal interests, and such a thing as moral responsibility quite independent of personal apprehensions. And if we who have the power to prevent the risks which I have indicated were to sit by and allow them to occur, we should be wanting in our duty, we should incur a terrible responsibility towards both Fijians and whites, and we should become morally liable for the consequences that we had failed to avert. Speaking for myself and the members of my Government alone—for, of course, I have no control over the unofficial members—l am quite willing to take the full responsibility of passing the Ordinance; but I am not willing to take the responsibility of not passing it with the least possible delay. Mr. Burton : Sir His Excellency : You cannot speak again. Mr. Burton : I beg your pardon, Sir ; I can speak to a personal reflection. Mr. Burton then replied to certain remarks of His Excellency, which he considered were a personal reflection on himself. He wished to state that he had spoken with as full a feeling of the sense of his duty and responsibility as the other honourable members had, and it was wrong to impute that he was influenced by mere personal interest. The motion was then put and carried, and the Ordinance read a second time. On the motion of the Hon. Acting Attorney-General, seconded by the Hon. the BeceiverGeneral, the Council went into Committee to consider the Bill. The first clause was agreed to. "With regard to the second clause, Mr. Murray wished that before the word " disaffected," in the second line, "politically" be inserted, and, after "disaffected," "or insubordinate." He considered the penalty of six months altogether too short for a Fijian, as compared with a European. His Excellency pointed out that the Ordinance gave power to deal promptly with any case that might arise. He thought the Ordinance would never be used. Mr. Murray did not like the phrase " or alteration of the present form of government," but had nothing to suggest in lieu of it. Mr. W. Burton considered that a similar clause to clause 1 should be inserted with respect to the word " disaffected," in clause 2. He thought that the definition of the word " disaffected," referred to by the Acting Attorney-General, should be inserted in the Act. His Excellency considered it would be mere surplusage. Mr. Burton then referred to the section by which summary judgment will be given. He considered that it should be by conviction before the Supreme Court. His Excellency, in replying, said he could not take the responsibility of altering the Ordinance in that respect. He would be very wrong if he did. The clause was carried. Council resumed, and the Acting Attorney-General reported that the Bill had passed through Committee without alteration. On the motion of the Acting Attorney-General, seconded by the Eeceiver-General, the Ordinance was read a third time and passed. At the end of the meeting, His Excellency thanked the Council for their attendance, and said that he was gratified, but not surprised, at the almost unanimous support that the Ordinance had received from the unofficial members. And he added that, now the Ordinance had been passed, he expected, and certainly hoped, that its mere existence would obviate any necessity for proceedings being taken under it. The meeting then adjourned.