MEMBER ABSENT

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 168, 18 July 1941, Page 5

MEMBER ABSENT

QUESTION IN HOUSE I 1 dr. MCMILLAN'S POSITION 1 I ttj Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) ' WELLINGTON, this day. The propriety of granting Dr. D. G. McMillan, member for Dunedin West, fourteen days' leave of absence when he was fit for other duties was raised by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Holland, on a point of order in the House of Representatives! yesterday afternoon. Mr. O'Brien, senior Government Whip, had asked % leave of absence for Dr. McMillan on the ground of urgent Public business. Mr. Holland said that Dr. McMillan ad contested the Dunedin Mayoralty and had publicly stated that he had o intention of coming to Parliament. t seemed to him to be close a breach of privilege or something that type. Mr. Holland claimed at members who were elected tc arliarnent and took the emoluments office should discharge theii esponsibilities by coming to Parlia e nt. it would have been better i cave had been asked on the grounc urgent private business. The acting-Prime Minister, Mr rJI Sa ' d that he did not know thi i- ®°n for Dr. McMillan asking fo ve, but he did not think he woul< Z. P*" l if he did not attend. He hai ° ubt ' knowing Dr. McMillan a nnhv v hat 116 had not had urgen uc business he would have bee: a?pf e f lt - 111 the House. He woul ascertain Dr. McMillan's reasons.

Word Challenged ' The Minister of Internal AffairsJ u-nrf? ny: first time a member's °rcl has been chaJAenged. I

I Dealing with the point of order, Mr. Speaker said that a member had the right to seek leave of absence, otherwise the question of the forfeiture of his seat might arise. Even if leave of absence were granted, there was still the rule providing for a penalty if a member was absent for more than 14 days. If the member in question did not apply for leave of absence it would place his seat in jeopardy. He would suggest that under the circumstances leave be granted, and the acting-Prime Minister perhaps could look into the matter.

Mr. O'Brien said that it was the first time in his memory that leave of absence had been challenged (hear hears from Labour members). He referred to the provision of a fine of £2 a day if a member was absent more than fourteen days during a sfession.

First Application ii "It is the first time there has been 1 .! an application like this," retorted; Mr. Holland. i Mr. Atmore (Independent, Nelson); Very pretty. Mr. O'Brien said that he had known of members being away nearly the whole of a session and not for one session, but for session after session, and no challenge had been made by the Government. Leave of absence was granted. Leave of absence for the remainder (of the session was granted imme--1 diately afterwards to Mr. Moncur ; (Government, Rotorua), on account . of his enlistment with the military forces.