" HE OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF"

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 89, 11 October 1913, Page 5

" HE OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF HIMSELF"

IS THE EXPRESSION UNPARLIAMENTARY! The Legislative mill (which grinds exceedingly blow and exceedingly small these\days) was stopped temporarily last night to enable the political millers to discover whether it is * breach of Parliar mentary dignity to say that a member of Parliament ought to be ashamed of himself. The point arose out of the jocularity of Mr. L. M. Isitt (Christch\irch North), who, believing that he and his friends on the Opposition Benches had been described by Mr. T. W. Rhodes as "lilywhite gentlemen," referred to the member for Thames as this "Colossus of Rhodes." The expression was mildly challenged by Mr. Rhodes, who resolutely refused to accept Mr. Isitt's assurance that the phrase was a very high compliment. The member for Mataura (Mr. G. J. Anderson) proceeded to defend the representative for Thames, and said that if it were in order to sa.y so he would state that the member for Christchurch North ought to be ashamed of himself, but as it was not in order he would not say so. The opinion of the Acting-Chairman of the Committee (Mr. Lee) was sought on the instant. He ruled that the member for Mataura had not transgressed. Then the Hon. Mr. Ngata, with the subtlety of a scholar who can think in two languages, raised an abstract point "just for future guidance." It was this : Would he be in order if he said to the Chairman: If the rules permit it I would call you a fool, Mr. Lee, but as they do not, I won't." Members smiled happily, but the Act-ing-Chairman promptly ruled that the hon. gentleman was out of order in citing an abstract case that did not exist. Mr. Russell moved that the Speaker's ruling be obtained. The motion was not resisted by the Pr,ime Minister, who voiced objection to the waste of time. Mr. Speaker came, heard accurate explanations, and ruled : He quoted previous rulings on similar points of order, and referred particularly to the celebrated ruling given by the late Sir William Steward, who ruled that "a member ought to be ashamed of himself" Was out of order. Since then, however (said Mr. Speaker), it frequently had been ruled that the expression was not unparliamentary. He ruled to the same effect and pointed out that if the expression had been out of order the qualifying words would not have applied. The mill resumed grinding slowly.