M.P.'S OWN RESPONSIBILITY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 203, 27 August 1943, Page 4

M.P.'S OWN RESPONSIBILITY

LANGUAGE IN THE HOUSE

(0.C.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. The Women's Political Study Group (Wellington) recently wrote to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Barnard, deplorin 0 the apparent tendency of Government members to lower the standard of Parliament. " "The language employed when criticising members of the Opposition is in our opinion in the worst possible taste," states the letter. It should be the aim of honourable members to at all times uphold the dignity of Parliament. Trusting you will use the power vested in your office to check this tendency. In a reply which has now been received by the group, the Speaker states: "I entirely agree with your statement that 'it should be the aim of members to at all times uphold the dignity of Parliament, and 1 need scarcely add that this is the particular concern always of tne Speaker. At the same time I would make it clear that it is not part of the Speaker's duty to act as a censor of taste. It is my duty to check the use of unparliamentary words, or, generally, language that reflects upon the honour of a member of the House; but members themselves have to accept responsibility for the good or bad taste of the language they employ. I think that perhaps this distinction is net as well known to the public as it should be.