BREACH OF PRIVILEGE ALLEGED

Evening Star, Issue 21784, 28 July 1934, Page 24

BREACH OF PRIVILEGE ALLEGED

A CRITIC OF PARLIAMENT [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, July 27. 'When the Housy of Representatives met for the afternoon session to-day a question .of privilege was raised, by Mr A. J. Murdoch (Marsdeu), at whose instance the Clerk of the House read the following extract from the Hawke's Bay ’ Herald ’ of July 25 ; •* Politics was approaching the stage where scientific control was needed, to replace control by the people who were characterised by’ administrative ignorance. The Government's history Was a history of incompetence, of graft and corruption, and of .commissions.appointed to do the work which Parliament had not the brains to do. Honour was sacrificed for political advantage. The country was bankrupt financially and pretty well bankrupt morally.” The Speaker said it was his duty to say whether a prima facie case «had been made out. He had no hesitation in saying, that such a ease had . been made cut. It was the duty of, the House to protect members, whether they belonged to the Government or were private members, from charges of that kind. He suggested' that the matter should be referred to a committee of privilege. The Prime Minister (Mr Forbes) moved iu that direction, and the motion was carried. [A Press Association telegram from Hastings stales that the question of privilege raised in the House this afternoon by Mr Murdoch related to the report of a meeting addressed; b.V Miss G. Hamilton Fraser, who .has been associated with a petition being circulated here , for the dissolution of Parliament.]