"NO PRIVILEGE."

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1242, 26 September 1911, Page 6

"NO PRIVILEGE."

SPEAKER'S BLUE PENCIL TROUBLE IN N.S.W. ASSEMBLY. There was renewed complaint in tho Legislative Assembly oil Thursday, September 14, concerning the action of the Speaker in refusing to allow notices of motion of which he disapproved to appear on the business sheet. Mr. Levy, rising to a question of privilege, said ho wished to bring a grievance before the Houm, and to conclude with a motion. Tho Speaker: Let mo see it. Mr. Levy: My assurance that I intend to conclude with a motion should be sufficient. If, however, you insist upon it, my motion is: "That tho expunging from the business paper to-day of a notice of motion of. dissent from Mr. Speaker's ruling, of which notico was duly given on September 12 by the hou. member for Darlinghurst, is an infringement of tho rights of lion, members, as provided for by the Standing Orders and tho ordinary rules of Parliament, and constitutes a gross breach of privilege." The Speaker: Order. The question has been declared out of order on several occasions. Mr. Levy: This is in connection with a motion last night—a new one. The Speaker: The hon. member will resume his seat. Mr. Levy: Do you rule me out of order? The Speaker: He will resume his seat. Mr. LovV: Am I out of order? I am entitled to know. The .Speaker:' The hon. member must resume his seat. Any hou. member called upon to resume'his seat must be out of order. Mr. .Levy (a few minutes later): Mr. Speaker, when you asked mo to resume my seat a little while ago you say I was out of order. Why should I bo asked to resume my seat? I am entitled to an answer. The Speaker , : I have twico said that any lion, member ordered to resume his seat is out of order. Mr. Lery: Under what standing order? Mr. Lonsdaic: It is time this House asserted its privileges somehow. Tho Speaker: Order. Tho hon. mem. her for Armidalo was offensivo to tho House. After some further remarks the Speaker said that the member for Darlinghurst and tho member for Bega had given notices of motion which he, as tho competent authority, .had decided could not appear on tho business paper. Mr. Levys motion practically had reference to n question on which ho (the Speaker) had already ruled. The lion, member'knew that this was very disorderly, and against precedent. Ho would point out to tho lion.- member for Darlinghurst that the Assembly conformed to the practice of the House of Commons, which clearly and distinctly laid it down that if a member puts a question in precisely the same terms as had already been objected to, then such a question was irregular. In tho circumstances, therefore, the hou. member for Darlinghurst had been very disorderly in proceeding as ho had done. With regard to tho motions given notice of by the lion, member for Bega, in which the latter sought to take exception to rulings given by the Speaker on September 7, and concerning which he (the Speaker) intimated .that he would carefully look into the matters referred to, and see whether the motions were in accordance with facts, he (the Speaker) uow declared that they entirely misrepresented the Speaker. Mr. Wood: I rise-to make a personal explanation. ■ .-:'. The Sneaker: The lion, member will resumo his seat.. No hon. member can speak when the Speaker is on his feet. Mr. Henley: But he never sits down. (Laughter.) Tho Speaker: That remark is highly disorderly. : ; Later on the .Speaker, announced that Mr. Wade had' intimated his desire to move the adjournment of the House to discuss the agreement entered into between tho Government and member for Uppe/ Hunter. "This motion," tho Speaker proceeded, -"is strictly in opposition to repeated rulings given in this House, and therefore I declare it out of order. Mr. Fitzpatrick: What rulings? Mr. Thrower: Sit down. Mr.. Fitzpatrick: Will I sit down! 1 won't sit' down for you, anyhow. (Disorder.) The Speaker (addressing Mr. ' Fitzpatrick): I refer the hon. member to the Votes and Proceedings. Mr. Levy: Do I understand wo cannot discuss it? Mr. Fitzpatrick: Oh, wo will bo ablo to discuss it all right. Mr Thrower: Will you? Then it will be outside. "MY VINDICATION." ME. WILLIS FACES THE MUSIC. At last Mr. Willis has faced the music, and the.tune was far more to his liking than ho anticinated (says tho "Sydney Morning Herald" of September 1G). At last ho has boarded in their den tho angry Liberals whose cause ho had forsaken. "

All extraordinary amount of interest was manifested in tho whole of the Upper Hunter Valley in tho address. It is quite safe to say that no speech other than n Ministerial or Opposition pronouncement has ever been awaited with such keen anticipation. So far as Aberdeen itself is concerned there was never such a.crowd of free and enlightened electors as that which packed the School of Arts for tho occasion. Quite a number stood at the back of the hall, while many wero unable to gain admission. There was no demonstration of welcome, however. When tiie Speaker arrived the railway station was almost descried. Rut when Mr. Willis appeared nu the platform .several applauded, though there was no enthusiasm in the greeting. 'Mr. Willie evidently thought that his erstwhile enemies, tho Labour electors, would treat him with more consideration at the prosnnt jtincture than his old friends the Liberals. For this reason he decided to give his vindication oration in Hie centre which at the last election gave his opponent the largest majority. . Mr. Willis started cautiously—perhaps a trifle nervously—and it soon became evident that the Speaker was in for a lively time. For the whole of his address he was subjected to a running fire of in. terjections, some of them so pertinent that they provoked a roar of appreciative laughter from the crowd. When the disorder became too noisy some wits called out "Order, order" in plaintive tones that wero very lifco those of the Speaker himself, but as tho speech proceeded tho opposition became less noisy? The Speaker made somo pood points, and with some satirical repartee succeeded in quietening a few of tho noisiest. Towards tho close he certainlv had the majority of the audience with him. Then seizins tho psychological moment bo shouted out, "Will I resign?" and the. noes had it. At the right 1 moment he challenged Mr. Wade to meet him as a candidate or be branded as r>. coward. Onco again tho audienco cheered, but the effect was slightly spoiled by r.n interjector asking: ■'iVi'J you meet him at Gordon?" "I am a free man," iterated and reiterated Mr. Willis; but he was met with loud cries to produce the agreement. "\Vill you res'.qfn?" was called. "Xo," he replied. "What will you stand as?" "I will never stand as the sqnaMrrs , nominee" (Disorder.) A voice: "Answer the question." "I. will stand as a Liberal." (Cheers and disorder.) ' Voices: "You won't got the Liberal votes." "f dared Mi. Wade to meet me here," said Mr. WMlis. "if ho is a man worthy of his salt, and if he is not (lie rinsrlead'er of a band oi' ruffians. I will stamp him as a coward if ho refuses." (Cheers and disorder) "Will you produce the compact.'" "I have already told you there is no compart, but an honourable understanding. If there wore only six men in this electorate" I would honour this compact, though I never saw public life a day longer." (Cheers and disorder.) A voico: You won't get back. Mr. Willis: Will I rcsisii? • Chorus: "Y.e.s" "No," with tho "Xces" predominating. Mr. Willis: That is a generous reply. I didn't expect that. (Laughter.) Amid interruption which, however, grew less general, Mr. Willis read a lot of correspondence between himself and the Liberal leaders.