POINTS FROM PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 138, 7 December 1918, Page 7

POINTS FROM PARLIAMENT

THE POSITION OF "THE DEVIL" "The devil" drifted, verbally, into the House of Representatives last night, and caused a stir for a quarter of an hour. Dr. Thacker had remarked, oa the Repatriation Bill, that people had to "fight like the devil to got through the red tape of the Defence Department." The Chairman of Committees (Mr, Malcolm) 1 objected to the phrasing, and ordered a withdrawal. After some argument Dr. Thicker asked for Mr. Speaker's ruling, and, after rouch buzzing and some beflripging, Mr. Speaker came in as arbiter. Sir Frederick Lang was a little nonplussed. He was not quite sure whether ha was to censure "the devil" or Dr. Thacker. He indicated that he did not uiidarstand definitely whether the offence I of Dr. Thacker vv'as in regard to "the.! devil" or Mr. Malcolm (by disobeying an order of tho Chair). The Prime Mm» ister was drawn into the whirlpool, and altogether it seemed hopeless to get light in the Stygian darkness. Dr. Thacker tried to make a way out by asking for a ruling as to whether the rules of Parliament permitted this phrase. "It all depiends how the words are used and in what connection," replied Sir Frederick. He settled the deadlock eventually by declaring the House in Committee and requesting the members to use temperate language,,land.to obey the.Chair. "I am sorry for the interlude," remarked Dr. Thacker. "I will say thai members of Parliament have to fight like Jack Johnson to get through the red taps of the Defence Department."