HEAT AND REASON

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 96, 20 October 1924, Page 6

HEAT AND REASON

The scene caused by Mr. Lysnar in the House of Representatives on Saturday morning did not help to preserve the dignity of Parliament, which has suffered., somewhat severely at the hands of members this session. It appears to us that the Prime Minister made a reasonable offer to Mr. Lysnar when he proposed that his amendments should be sent to the Stock Committee, which would hear evidence. Certainly the House should not contemplate adopting the drastic proposals submitted by Mr. Lysnar without affording an opportunity for detailed investigation, which can best be undertaken by a Committee of the House. The opportunity thus offered was all that Mr. Lysnar would have had if he had introduced a Bill embodying his suggestions. Because he happened to be able to tack the suggestions on as amendments to a formal Government Bill he was riot/ entitled to claim^privileges beyond those hitherto accorded to the general body of private members. And when his claim for special treatment was denied he had no right whatever to state that this meant: " The producers were not worthy of consideration, but the big trusts were. The big trusts must be sheltered." Fortunately this is not a matter in which the Government is solely responsible. The producers themselves are organised, and "in the Meat Producers' Board have their representatives who can speak with authority. Yet Mr Lysnar refused an offer which would have permitted the producers to pronounce an opinion upon his proposals, and charged members who opposed him with . skulking into a hole" and "crawling into the lobby after the Government," caring for nothing but party. As the majority included many men, farmers themselves whose zeal for the producers has been long proved, the. allegations made can be disregarded, but it is a pity that the prestige of Parliament should suffer even by the charges being made.