ABUSE OF PRIVILEGE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3146, 26 July 1917, Page 4

ABUSE OF PRIVILEGE

« NAMES IN PARLIAMENT. A protest against the abuse of one os the' privileges of Parliament was niada in the House of Representatives yesterday by the Minister of Finance (biri Joseph Ward). A question had beeo, asked regarding the military service oh the two sons of a well-known Dumedni. citizen, and tho Minister of Defence had. produced an official document to snowthat both the men had volunteered toe active service, and that one of them had. been performing important military won* without pay since the outbreak ot war. , " Sir Joseph Ward said he hoped tho Speaker would take action to prevent the. names of private citizens being motioned in the House in connection with allegations of "shirking," unless the «*ea. had first been submitted to a Minister, for inquiry and bis reply received, is tho reply was unsatisfactory, the member could raise the matter ,n.the House, but the names of private citizens ougM not to be' bandied about a the■ i**Pj tion of peoplo who made allegation* tor, their own reasons. Nobody's vmtjnS safe if that sort of thing was allowed. The Speaker said the Standing Orders did not give him power to preventiner tions of the kind indicated, but mfcl ttfl support of the House he would trvto prevent names being mentioned wiftont idPDuate inquiry. Ho thought it very. Sable that Ue practice rationed .by the Minister of Finance sliould bo Minister said fher House would support the Speaker "• nomntainTng the dignity of without the authority of the Ordm. He desired to prevent a. repetition of what nad taken jta.W** Massey added that it would be better f members retrained from adding.notes containing expressions of opinion to theoiiestions put to Ministers. Wprito said that too many quo - tions wero put without notice. Quest tone of "" nrgent nature could bo P«t without notice: but tho prlnlego was abused. __________ '