ALLEGED BREACH OF PRIVILEGE

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26856, 8 October 1952, Page 10

ALLEGED BREACH OF PRIVILEGE

SELECT COMMITTEE TO REPORT

ARTICLE BY WELLINGTON JOURNALIST (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 7. The Committee on Privileges of the House of Representatives is to consider and report on an allegation by Mr H. G. R. Mason (Opposition, Waitakere) that the political correspondent of a Wellington newspaper had committed a breach of privilege, in that portion of his “Political Gossip of the Week” column reflected seriously on the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash), and on other members of the House. Mr Mason last week gave notice of a motion of breach of privilege. Today the motion was amended, the mover accepting the proposal of the Prime Minister (Mr Holland) that the matter be referred to the Committee on Privileges for investigation and report. Mr Speaker, who outlined the procedure for dealing with alleged breaches of privileges, said that rulings of Mr Speaker O’Rorke and Mr Speaker Statham put the matter very clearly. The House, not the Speaker, decided whether a breach of privilege had been committed. The Speaker decided only prima facie if there was a breach of privilege. Mr Speaker said it was his duty only to set out whether there was prmra facie a breach of privilege. He believed that there was a considerable element of doubt, but holding the views he did. and holding them strongly, that the House was entirely master of its own rights and privileges, it would be wrong to prevent the House giving its decision. Mr Holland said that the motion of which Mr Mason had given notice invited the House to express its judgment. Mr Holland said he considered It b ®Jf er to . refer the whole matter to the Committee on Privileges, for investigation and report as to whether a breach of privilege had been committed. Mr Holland moved an amendment on these lines, and this was adopted. Attorney-General Mr T. C. Webb), who left New Zealand yesterday on an overseas mission, was discharged from the Privileges Committee, and that of the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr W. A. Bodkin) substituted. The other members of the committee are the Prime Minister, the Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Aigte). the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nash), and Mr Mason. The words Mr Mason complained of were:— From what is heard in the lobbies, it would seem that the refusal to submit to rulings from the Chai* is Part a definite campaign. ... If there is another suspension it will Probably be followed by the whole of ;P e Opposition party walking out of the Chamber. This, it is said, was to have happened after Mr Osborne’s suspension, but things did not go accordwas the talk of the lobbies that Mr Nash himself was inviting suspension, and that, had this happened his party would then have followed him out of the Chamber.” '