The debate over, the House went into Committee on the Estimates, and went off on another general debate at, the first item. The m'ember_for Bruce led the House full cry into what Mr .'Laureuson at an earlier stage termed" "a pit of person alities." He charged the -Premier with reckless disregard of life in the matter of the Contingents, and there was a good deal" of heat and uproar. Mr Bruce's ownership of a coal mine ad versely reported on bytheCCoal Com mission, on which -the Premier had commented in -his- speech, was much bandied about, 'points of order were fre quent/ and somebody was nearly re ported to the - Speaker. Eventually members wandered away, each to his special financial grievance, and the dis cussionon tho first item proceeded on the usual lines, but it returned to the Contingent before long. *

WKLLINGTON, September 14. When the House .went into Commit tee of Supply, and on the first item of the Estimates, Mr James Allen, said, he had a statement to make which he would have made in. his speech on the Financial Debate, but.- the Premier was. absent, and he wished to make a_ state ment to the Premier's. He said the Premier had ordered tho Tagus to go from Albany to Dunedin, and tife men to Invercargill, against the advice 'of the medical officer that the men should not be brought to New Zealand by tha cold route. The condition of the men made the journey -by the cold route dangerous, but the Premier, because for political reasons, "he would not of fend the people of Invencargill, gave instructions that the Contingents must go there and he must- take the responsi bility. Since the arrival of the Contin gents, several of the men had died, and he asked who, was responsible for that? -The-Hon. R.. Seddpn&explained -that, the Admiralty had decided that the Ta fjus should nofrgo to Bluff Harbour, on account of Alleged dangers. Ertayman who- had gone to Invercargillshad" done "co with the' sanction of v the doctor and the officer commanding. Had the medi cal men said' one word about it being 'unwise" to" go 1 to Invercargill, he (the Tremier) would -have been." the last man. •to say they should- go. Sir Joseph Ward characterised Mr Allen's statement as one of the most outrageous" he hadvaver heard in-:the House. 