SUBJECT CLOSED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 207, 2 September 1938, Page 11

SUBJECT CLOSED.

PRIVILEGE BREACHES. APOLOGIES ACCEPTED. ', MR. POL.SON AND NEWSPAPERS (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. An expression of regret by Mr. W. J. Poison (National, Stratford) in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon closed a question of breach of privilege in which he had been involved. The incident arose as a result of the publication by Mr. Poison of a letter in the "Auckland Star" and the "Taranaki Herald" in reply to a discussion which had taken place in the House. The committee which considered the case reported that it had unanimously agreed that a breach of privilege had occurred, and recommended that Mr. Poison should be afforded an opportunity of expressing his regrets to the House. In tendering his regrets, Mr. Poison said that he had written to the newspapers in the belief that no other course was open to him. If he had to suffer any penalty for infringing the cherished privileges of the House, he hoped that Mr. Speaker and members of the House would feel that the time had arrived for an amendment to the Standing Orders to prevent the radio being used unfairly in circumstances similar to those in which he had been involved. Accepting Mr. Poison's expression of regret, Mr. Speaker suggested that the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, should move that no further action be taken. The suggestion was acted upon, and the motion carried without discussion. In a second report the committee stated that a breach of privilege had also occurred' as a result of the action of the "Auckland Star" and the "Taranaki Herald" in publishing the material complained of in Mr. Poison's letter. The editors of these newspapers, however, had explained that there had been no intention of infringing the privileges of the House and had expressed regret for their action. On the recommendation of the committee, these apologies were accepted and no further action was taken.