M.P. SUSPENDED AT CANBERRA

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27683, 13 June 1955, Page 6

M.P. SUSPENDED AT CANBERRA

Clash Over Ruling Of Speaker (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) CANBERRA, June 9. After a bitter clash with the Speaker (Mr A. Cameron), Mr E. J. Ward (La-1 bour) today was suspended from the House of Representatives until the sixth day of the next sitting. The House will rise for the winter recess tomorrow. The suspension followed a noisy scene in which the Opposition moved dissent against the Speaker's rulings., The incident arose wen, after ques- ( tion-time, the Speaker told the House; he had received letters from two members, Mr W. M. Bourke (Anti-Commu-nist Labour Party) and Mr G. W. A. Duthie (Labour), proposing that the House discuss two different matters of urgent public importance. The Speaker said he had decided, under Standing Orders, in favour of Mr Bourke's motion being discussed. This was: “The alliance between the Communist Party and the Evatt-Stout-Cain Labour Party in running a joint unity ticket for the elections of the Victorian branch of the Australian Railways Union tn re-establish control of the railways industry by the Communist Party tinner the leadership of Mr J. J. Brown.’’ Dr. Evatt moved dissent from the 1 Speaker’s ruling, but the motion was defeated. Mr Ward then asked the Speaker whether he regarded as urgent that the time of Parliament should be taken up discussing a “matter which you and other members of the House know to be false.’’ The Speaker then named Mr Ward for questioning the motives of the Speaker.