CRIMES BILL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 62, 10 September 1910, Page 9

CRIMES BILL.

* A QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE." In, tho House of Representatives yesterday Mr. Speaker ruled that a clause in the Crimes Amendment Bill passed by the Legislative Council, and sent to the House, was an appropriation clause, and, thereforo, a breach of the privileges of the House, which alone has the right to pass a Bill providing for the payment of public money. The House, he added, could lay the Bill aside or amend the defect by Governor's Message. Sir Joseph Ward moved that the privilege of the House be waived, but that sucli waiver shall not be taken as establisrfing a precedent. The Bill, he urged, did not touch any constitutional question. The Bill was a humanitarian measure, and the appropriation clause was merely the necessary provision for the payment of wages to officers, who must necessarily be appointed. The House, he contended, had the right to waive its privilege in such a case as this, and on this occasion that could be done without any loss of prestige. The Bill could then be reintroduced by Governor's Message. Mr. Massey said he was very strongly of opinion tnat the course proposed by the Prime Minister was a "wrong" one. It was Sir Joseph Ward's duty, as head of the Government, to defend and stand up for the privileges of the House of Representatives. The Prime Minister had placed himself and every other' member of the House in.a most humiliating position. It was a pitiable speech. It was quite obvious that Sir Joseph Ward had been briefed, but he had not been briefed properly. Mr. Massey contended that the precedents quoted by Sir Joseph Ward were not on a par with the present case. Mr. Massey had not been able to find a precedent which could be applied to the present case, and he challenged anybody else to find one. He resented the attempt of Ministers to take away the rights and privileges which it was the duty of the people's representatives to protect. The point at issue was discussed at considerable length, from the point of view of the privileges of the House, and not from the point of view of party. ' Eventually it was, agreed by 43 to 25, on the motion of the Prime Minister, that privileges of the House be waived on this occasion, but that such waiver shall not be regarded as constituting a precedent. A Governor's Message recommending that a clause be inserted in the. Bill to get over the difficulty in a constitutional manner was received, and was referred to the "committee on the Bill. Mr. Massey then raised the poist that clause 10 (appointment of officers) was also an infringement, on similar lines, of the privileges of the House in regard to appropriations. Mr. Speaker said the contention was perfectly sound, but the House had already dealt, in this constitutional question with the Bill as a whole, and the point could not be again raised.