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Legislative Assembly Hansard 1897 Queensland Parliamentary Debates [Hansard] Legislative Assembly WEDNESDAY, 24 NOVEMBER 1897 Electronic reproduction of original hardcopy 1652 Pearl-Shell Oronmission. [ASSEMBLY.] Queensland National Bank. WEDNESDAY, 24 NoVEMBER, 18!17. The SPEAKER took the chair at 3 o'clock. QUEENSLAND NATIONAL BANK. MOTION 01<' WANT OF CONFIDENCE. Mr. GLASSEY, in moving- In view of the disclosures contained in the report o.l the committee appointed to investigate the affair$ of the Q.ueensland National Bank, no Government of which Sir Thomas Mell wraith, Sir Hugh muir Nelson, or the Hon. A. H. Barlow are members can have the confidence of this House- Baid : Before en! ering upon the diHcussion of this motion, I wish to clear away some mis­ givings which exist in the minds of some persons with regard to the terms of the motion. Some exception has been taken to the motion including the namES of the present Premier, th" Right Hon. Sir Hugh Muir Nelcon, and the Hon. A. H. Barlow, a member of the other House. Some persons would have no objection to sup­ port a motion of this kind, perhaps both morally auct politically, provided the names of those two gentlemen were not included. I may say at once tbat I shculd consider it manifestly unfair t> >ubmit a motion of this character to the House without including those two gentlemen. While I admit that Sir ThomaH Mcllwraith is the most largely cui pflble in connection with the transactions which have been reported upon by the committee appointed to investigate the affairs of the Queens­ land National Bank, I do not think the two Queensland [24 N OVEMBE1l.] National Bank. 1653 gentlemen I have named can be held absolutely Government. He did this without the knowledge free from a knowledge of the guilt of that gentle­ of either Parliament or the country. I regret to man. It therefore appears to the party sitting have to bring in the name of the Chief Justice, on this side of the House that it would be neither but duty compels me, and that duty I will not manly nor courageous to discuss the affairs of a shirk. I shall have to refer in detaii to the very man who is undoubtedly guilty and culpable to a interesting letter which was presented to this very great extent, but who is not here to defend Chamber a few days ago by the Premier, and himself in the same manner as the right hon. which now finds a place on the records of the gentleman now facing me has the opportunity of House. Sir Samuel takes very strong exception doing, and leave out the names of the other two to some remarks made by one of the late direc­ gentlemen mentioned in the motion. Viewing tors during his evidence before the committee the matter horn thJ;>t standpoint, and considering of investigation, and regards those remarks as the whole circumstances of the case, we have come an imputation on the honour of public men. I to the conclusion that it is fair to raise 1;> dis­ fear I shall have to refer in rather strong terms tinct issue as to whether the Premier and his to the supposed honour of public men. During colleague who acted with him in 1893 in in ves­ the whole course of my public life, extending tigating the affairs of the Queensland National over a period of thirty years both in the old Bank should not find a place in this resolution country and here, and during the course of my of condemnation and censure, which 1 hope will reading of public events-and more particularly be carried by the House. It is almost impossible so far as matters of a corrupt character are con­ in the light of the information which is now in cerned-considering our small population and the hands of hon. members, and which has gone slender finances compared with those of older forth to the country in t4e report of the com­ countries, I consider that in no country in the mittee of investigation, that those gentlemen world can we find a parallel to the corruption can be held absolutely guiltless. It is clear which has been disclosed to us in the report of beyond doubt, beyond controversy, that if those the committee which recently investigated the gentlemen had made known in 1893 the true affairs of the Queensland National Bank. I state of affairs as far as the Queensland believe we cannot find a parallel even in National Bank was concerned, the relief legisla­ the most corrupt of the republics of South tion which was then passed-and passed, I America-nor even in Canada or Newfound­ am glad to say, with the aid and assistance land. I shall have to refer to Sir Samuel of members sitting on this side of the House, Griffith's letter, and I shall make a few of course after making an effort to have comments in passing. First and foremost I a further investigation made into the manage­ shall refer to the £600,000 which was borrowed ment of the bank by an independent body­ by the Government, not for the benefit of the would not have passed so easily as it did. If the country, but to assist the Queensland National full knowledge which those gentlemen must Bank when in 1892 it was already tottering to have possessed at that time had been made its fall. I, at least, have never been an enemy known to Parliament and the country, that relief to that institution ; my action last year in con­ legislation would not have been passed iu the nection with the Guarantee Bill clearly demon­ easy and smooth manner it was passed. There­ strated that. I then took the course which my fore, to ask that we should include in this motion conscience demanded I should take, and I can merely the name of Sir Thomas Mcllwraith­ show by documentary evidence that I have who I regret to say is steeped up to the very lips never varied during the last few years in the in corruption-would have been unfair, as the course of conduct I have observed in connection present Premier and his colleague must have had with that institution. I am pleased to see that a full know ledge of that gentleman's position at the bank is now on a firm footing, and that it that time in connection with the Queensland can pursue the even tenor of its way without National Bank. That being so, there was no detriment to any industry in the country, but room for omitting the names of those two hon. for the benefit of t,hose industries which are so gentleman from the motion now before the closely identified with it. Sir S. W. Griffith's House. letter is dated 18th November, 1897, and with Mr. CRoss: Is not one of them a banker of reference to the £600,000 he says- great experience ? The committee say (par. 12)-" The Government came Mr. GLASSEY: Especially, as my hon. friend to their (the hank's) relief by borrowing a sum of the member for Clermont reminds me, as one of £600,000 from the Bank of England. This was on the 20th December, 1892, and it was repaid by the Govern­ them is a banker of great experience. ment to the Bank of England from proceeds of loan in Mr. CRos.s : There are plenty more bankers February and March, 1893. Mr. A. B. Webster ad­ like him in the colonies. mitted in the course of his evidence that the money Mr. GLASSEY: During the course of my was not borrowed by the Government to meet the remarks I shall also be obliged to bring in the interest on the public debt, but that the loan was really name of a gentleman occupying a very exalted negotiated in the interests of the bank." position in this colony. I refer to the present Of course there is no question that it was Chief Justice, who-if I may be pardoned for negotiated in the interests of the bank. It has saying so at this early stage of the debate-can been said by the Chief Justice, and it may be be by no means held guiltless in connection emphasised by the Home Secretary, that the with this matter; and, however painful and money was not paid into the Queenshtnd di$agreeab!e it may be, I feel bound to National Bank, but I shall prove that there refer to him. I had some years of association was sufficient money in the Queensland National with him, and there were terms of friendship Bank to meet all the liabilities of the Govern­ between us. I am glad to have this opportunity ment, and, if that money was spent in other of saying that it was not merely friendship on ways than those in which it should have been my part-I may say it "as almost affection. But leg]timately spent, then the Government was what do we find? That the present Chief seriously in fault in not informing Parliament of Justice, who was the head of the Government in the transaction, and asking the advice of the 1892, knew full well the position in which the Honse as to the course it should pursue. Sir S. Queensland National Bank was placed, and he W. GJiffith goes on- permitted his colleague, the Treasurer, to assist That is to say Mr. A. B. Webster n admits"-surely a singular term to use tor the purpose of making a grave the bank to cany on at that time, knowing that imputation on the honour of public men-that the Go­ it was in an insolvent condition, and that its vernment borrowed £600,000, not for the purpos~ of existence could not be prolonged as a going con­ meeting the intere>t on the debt, but !or the con­ cern without very great financial aid from the venience of the b>;~nk.
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