"NO FURTHER ACTION."

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 262, 4 November 1932, Page 5

"NO FURTHER ACTION."

BREACHES OF PRIVILEGE. MR. MACINTOSH REFUSED TO EXPLAIN. COMMITTEE'S REPORT. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The recommendation that no action be taken regarding recent breaches of privilege was made to the Houje by the Privilege Committee this morning. Dealing with Mr. A. Macintosh's addendum to the report of the National Expenditure Commission, the committee reported that it had requested Mr. Macintosh by letter for an explanation, and having considered his r.;ply it called Mr. Macintosh before it. Mr. Macintosh had declined to explain his references to members of Parliament, but the committee, whilst regretting that Mi. Macintosh should have taken up such an attitude, recommended that in view of his advanced age no further action should be taken.

The reports will be considered by the House at a future date.

In his letter to the committee Mr. Macintosh said it was a matter of surprise to him that a committee of the House should seek to interrogate him as to the reasons or grounds on which he had based certain opinions 011 a matter that had come under review by a commission constituted, as it had- been, by the highest authority. "I may perhaps be permitted to point to the singular nature of the course now being taken," said Mr. [Macintosh. "After a wearisome, tedious, and painstaking investigation by the commission, extending over a period of five months, I, as a member of that body, am now requested, to account to another authority for inferences or deductions I have drawn from evidence placed before me, and possibly be subjected to considerable expense for conscientiously endeavouring to discharge the duty imposed upon me. Further, my comments were founded on evidence of the most reliable and convincing nature. Moreover, that evidence was tendered, not voluntarily, but by order of the commission, under the seal of confidence, and I need hardly say that I cannot, under any circumstances whatever, break that 6eal or violate the arrangement made with witnesses.

"Not in any defiant spirit do I say this, for I am sure yon will realise that it would be unthinkable to expect me to take any other course."