Speaker does not have to be witness

Press, 17 November 1977, Page 1

Speaker does not have to be witness

PA Wellington Parliament yesterday exercised its prerogative to prevent the Acting Speaker (Mr J. R. Harrison) from having to appear as a defence witness in a case in the Magistrate’s Court at Wellington. Mr Harrison had earlier received a summons to appear as a witness in a case of alleged assault on the police, which will be heard in the court today. The Acting Prime Minister (Mr Taiboys) said in Parliament yesterday that under the Legislature Act, 1908, the Speaker could be required to submit the matter to the House for consideration of a resolution exempting him from having to attend the court hearing. Mr Taiboys said he believed this was the course that should be taken, as Mr Harrison’s evidence was only to produce a number of documents. Mr Harrison was not a witness to the actual incident that

had resulted in the court action. Mr Taiboys said he also believed that the Speaker should be summoned only when it was absolutely essential. In this case, the documents in question were already held by a commissioned officer who had been called as a prosecution witness. Mr Taiboys said that in 1866 the then Speaker, Sir David Munro, was called to the Picton court where a person had claimed against him for 10 shillings and sixpence and the House had then formed a special committee to investigate the matter. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Rowling) said it might have been different if the Acting Speaker’s evidence would have thrown new light on the case. The House adopted the proposal by Mr Taiboys that Mr Harrison be exempted from having to attend the court.