PREMIER AND SPEAKER.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11748, 24 November 1903, Page 5

PREMIER AND SPEAKER.

'**■ A DISPUTED RULING. THE MUTILATE-) "ROUND ROBIN." (SPKCIAt TO "THI PS-SB.") WELLINGTON, November 20. There waa some further discussion in the House of Representatives this afternoon with regard to the "round robin" to the Premier, asking him to postpone consideration of the Preferential Trade Bill, and which the Premier promised yesterday to produce to tlie House to-day, the Speaker having ordered that it must be produced when the House met this afternoon. . Sir Wm. Russell asked if the document hod been laid on the table.

The Premier said he had not produced the original document, and as it was a matter of importance, he wished time to coneider it. It might be a serious matter if a Minister were compelled to Jay a State dotnmertt on the table. He read Standing jOrder 25, to the effect that Ministers could be called upon to lay on the table document* they , were quoting from, but they could not be called upon to produce documents which they had not with them. He held that he laid on the table the document he quoted from. Sir Wm. Russell said that the Premier, with .the intention of deceiving read" a mutilated document. It would be a serious matter if the leader of the House did not obey the Speaker's ruling. Mr McGowan said that the Premier had. not quoted from the original document. Mr Massey said the original document was not the mutilated document the Premier had produced in the House. It was .the full document that had been. sent him. -6 was an unworthy thing for any member of the Hoitee, let alone the right hon. gentleman, who ought to be a leader, to do. such a thing. The Speaker said as the Premier seemed to consider the matter of considerable importance, and a* the rulings regarding the matter extended from 1875 down to the present time, he would look further into the matter, and give his decision at 7.30 p.m. After the supper adjournment the Speaker 'said lie had gone into the question raised by the _Pre__er as to'whether, the original document from which he had quoted by extracts must be laid on the table. He found there were two distinct rulings "on the question, and whatever opinion he might privately have with regard to the correctness or otherwise of the rulings, he was hoand to follow them; He then quoted rulings by Sir W. J. Steward and 6_r Q. M. O'Rorke, to the effect that; a Minister was only called upon to lay on the table the actual document he was quoting from. The Speaker" adhered to that 'ruling, but laid down a new ruling to ths effect that in future it would be his duty to prevent quotations being made unless they were being made from the original-document. The' Premier then said that he had been contending for a principle, but in order to keep lis promise to the House, he laid the document on the table, stating at the same time that several members withdrew their names after.they had sigped. - Mr Taylor said it was perfectly true that certain members cam! to him and intimated verbally that they wished to withdraw. They had a perfect right to do so. He supposed pressure had been brought to bear on them.

Mr Kidd then made a personal explanation to the effect that, he signed the document ana subsequently withdrew his name, but no pressure was brought to bear on him. He saw neither the Premier nor anyone else on the subject. He withdrew his name because he thought he had expressed an opinion favourable to ths Bill owning down. Mr Millar said he signed because he thought it advisable that the tariff proEosafa should be deferred till next session, ut when the Bill came dawn he found that it exactfy gave effect to what he had advocated on the platform, and therefore he voted for it.

The following are the Government supporters who signed the "round robin" s— Measra Hanan, Ell, Millar, Arnold, Parata, Willis, Jenkins, Hogg, Kidd, Sidey, Sysoes, Bennett, A. L. D. Fraser, £. G. Allen, Barber, and Darey.