INTERCOLONIAL.

Press, Volume XLVIL, Issue 7719, 26 November 1890, Page 3

INTERCOLONIAL.

- OUTRAGEOUS CONDUCT OF A MEMBER. SYDNEY, November 12. In the House of Assembly t"» night. while in Committee of Ways and Means, one of the most disgraceful scenes ever witnessed in the Legislators of New South Wales was enacted. Mr McMillan, the Colonial Treasurer, rose to make an ' explanation on a remark by Mr Copeland, when Mr Crick, who was evidently excited, , interjected an objection " No, don't let him." Mr McMillan retorted, " You are, nobody." The Chairman—*' Order." Mr Crick — "You are only a makeshift." Mr Traill — "Not a shift a shirt." The Chairman called on Mr McMillan to withdraw his remark. Mr McMillan explained tbat he only meant that Mr Crick was nobody in this particular matter. Mr Crick withdrew his remarks, but persistently refused to apologise, and eventually the Chairman ordered his arrest. When the Sergeant-at-Arms approached, Mr Crick declined to move, although advice to obey the chair ,was showered from all sides. When the Sergeant endeavored to lay hands on him he showed fight, and several messengers went forward te assist in his expulsion. The members who 6tood between the party and the door precipitately left their seats to view the affair from the. floor,' while other members crowded in from the smoking-room and elsewhere, and the Chamber was one extraordinary scene of riot and disorder, the members crossfiring remarks at one another and advising Mr Crick,to cease-resistance, the Chairman all the time vainly endeavored to keep order. The Sergeant, with bis assistants, attempted to carry Mr Crick out bodily, but he struck out with both hands, hitting the attendants heavily. Eventually be was borne down by force of numbers on to his seat, and then literally carried from the Chamber, struggling and kicking and threatening vengeance. In the ante-room he was liberated, and made a vicious rush to get back into the Chamber, but was stopped, and another struggle ensued. Ultimately, he was calmed down, and gave his word that he would not attempt to enter the Chamber. He was then allowed to walk into the Opposition room. " : In the Chamber, the Chairman having obtained some degree of order, called on Mr McMillan to resume, and he was about to do so when Sir H. Parkes moved that the Chairman . report the scene to the House. Mr Copeland objected on a point of order that Mr McMillan having resumed his speech, the disorder' 9 became antecedent business and could not be referred to. 'After some discussion the point of order was; and ia heated personal and acrimonious debate followed on the motion. The motion I was carried and the Speaker having returned to the Chamber, the Chairman of Committees reported; the affair to him in detail. Mr Copeland endeavored to raise a point of order, but the Speaker would not allow him, and be recalled Mr Crick, after which followed the most remarkable scene of all. i Mr Crick asked if he appeared as a prisoner or by request, assuring the Speaker that he would ( refuse to appear as a prisoner. The Speaker assured him that each was not the case, and invited h\ax to! make an explanation of his conduct before the House proceeded to discuss ifc. Mr Crick told the House that he felt assured of his position, and would fight it in the law Co arts. He sought to j question the Speaker's power on several occasions, and after he had been threatened several times, and told that he was only, allowed to e_plain,£he was again ordered into custody. At first he was inclined to resent the approach of the Sergeaat-at-Arms, then suddenly he walked out of the Chamber, stopping as he /went/ and saying defiantly to the Speaker,""" Then, you refuse to tell mc what I am to reply to. Now! tellyou you got 182000 for putting the Broken Hill Water Supply Bill through, and the Chairman of Committeegot .£IOOO, and you are both thieves and robbers of the country. Pat .that to the House." Then he walked outside tho Chamber, and having failed to obtain admission to the Speaker's* gallery he walked away. As he quitted the Chamber Sir H. Parkes moved that the member's words be taken down. This was agreed to, and a second motion, declaring that the conduct of the hon. member was highly disorderly, and a gross breach of the privilege of the Houae,having been carried, Sir H. Parkes moved that he he expelled from the House. Mr Dibbs supported the nfotion, and said that Sir H. Parkes had taken the only action possible. During tbe debate which followed, the Speaker said that he had received the following letter from __r Crick:—-"Mr Speaker, I consider Parliament rotten*and corrupt. You put mc out to-night, fearing my tongue, and consequently exposures. I resign my seat, and intend to appeal to my constituents against a rotten and corrupt Parliament, in which freedom of speech is totally stifled and suppressed, in order to cover up up a crime. . Yours, W. H. Cbick." A point was raised that the resignation must be accepted, and that it rendered the motion useless, bat the Speaker ruled that there was nothing in it, aud the discussion proceeded, Several members, while excusing Mr Crick, pleaded for consideration, as he had acted when in a condition in which he had not known what h* was doing. An amendment that the debate be adjourned was negatived by 57 votes to. 19. and the -notion expelling Mr Crick from the House was'carried by 63 votes to 10. His neat was declared vacant.