ATTACK ON COURT DECISION DRAWS STRONG REJOINDER

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 November 1947, Page 5

ATTACK ON COURT DECISION DRAWS STRONG REJOINDER

(Recd. 12.10 p.m.) ' CANBERRA, This Day. To the accompaniment of angry Opposition interjections the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Mr Rosevear) made a bitter attack on the High Court during the committee stages of the Banking Bill debate. Speaking as member for Dailey he accused the High Court of having made a political decision in ruling that part of the 1945 Banking Act was invalid. . Mr Rosevear sad he had no fundamental objection to the High Court playing its part as provided for under the constitution, but he had a fundamental objection to senile people being in a position where they could defy the will of the people.

■ When asked if the judges to be appointed to the Court of Claims under. the new Bill would be transferred to the High Court, Mr Rosevear said: “1 would not object to that because if ever there was a political decision given by the High Court it was the recent decision on the 1945 3Ct. '.“Every anti-Labour leader in Australia today is pinning his faith on this fact and publicly stating that as soon as this Bill is proclaimed it will be fought in the High Court. This clearly indicates that the antiLabour forces believe the High Court’s last bank decision was a political one and that, no matter how far it-stretches its legal imagination, the High Court is there for the convenience of the anti-Labour parties to destroy this Government’s legislatipn.”

Replying with great emotion the deputy-Leader of the Country Party, Mr McEwen, said Mr Rosevear had besmirched the highest judicial body in Australia and had accused all members of the Opposition of being paid agents of the banks. Because of that he (Mr McEwen) would have no confidence in sitting under Mr Rosevear’s chairmanship. “That speech is the worst I have heard in 14 years in Parliament,” said Mr McEwen. “It is menacing to the people of this country and to the principles of democracy. “The Australian people have been told tonight not to trust the High Court.’ I say I do not trust Mr Rosevear. I say he is a dangerous man.”