Date to be set for Muldoon hearing

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33878, 25 June 1975, Page 2

Date to be set for Muldoon hearing

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 24. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Muldoon) will not appear to answer charges of breaching Parliamentary privilege before the House Privileges Committee tomorrow.

Parliamentary sources say that the meeting of the committee, set for 10.15 a.m. tomorrow, is purely procedural, and will not hear evidence or be open to the press.

The meeting has been widely publicised as being the start of Mr Muldoon’s "trial” by the committee on allegations that criticism he made of the Speaker (Mr Whitehead) in a column for the weekly newspaper. "Truth,” was in breach of privilege. Mr Muldoon told the Press Association that he had not been given details of the agenda for tomorrow’s meeting. "All I know is that it is not the meeting at which I appear,” he said) The committee tomorrow is expected only to set a date for Mr Muldoon to appear to answer the charges, and to decide what evidence it will accept as being relevant to the case.

Senior body The committee is Parliament’s most senior body, and usually consists of the Attorney-General (Dr Finlay), as chairman, the Prime Minister (Mr Rowling), the Deputy Prime Minister (Mr Tizarrf). Mr Muldoon, and the Deputv Leader of the Opposition (Mr Talbovs).

Mr Muldoon has stepped down from the committee in the case in which he himself is involved, and has been replaced by an Opposition front-bencher. Mr T. F. Gill (East Coast Bays). The allegations against Mr Muldoon were raised again when the House sat this afternoon, when Mr Gill was attacked bv the Senior Government Whip, Mr R. M. Barclay (New Plymouth). Mr Gill appeared on the “Seven Days” programme on TVI on Sunday evening, in which he discussed behaviour in the House under Mr Whitehead’s speakership, and taxed him with breaking precedent in attending meetings of his party's caucus. But in a notice of motion today, Mr Barclay denied this assertion, and called Mr Gill "irresponsible.” ‘The facts’ Mr Barclay said the fatts showed that Mr Whitehead had attended caucus “only on the infrequent occasions when ceremonies such as the opening of Parliament and Mr Kirk’s funeral, or other matters such as the Queen’s visit, were discussed.”

Mr Barclay invited Mr Gill and the Senior Opposition Whip. Mr J. R. Harrison (Hawke’s Bay) to inspect the Government caucus roll to verify the irregular attendance of the Speaker, and called on Mr Gill to "apolo-

gise for his irresponsible and unjustified allegation.” A further notice of motion on the subject came from Mr L. F. Sloane (Nat., Hobson), who criticised journalists appearing on the “Seven Days” programme, calling them “Labour supporters.” The journalists—David Inglis, of Radio New Zealand, and Fred Cockram, of Television One, are both members of the Parliamentary press gallery, and were interviewed on the programme with Mr Gill and the Deputy Speaker (Mr J. L. Hunt).