CLASH IN HOUSE: MR HARKER AND MR McCOMBS

Greymouth Evening Star, 25 August 1949, Page 7

CLASH IN HOUSE: MR HARKER AND MR McCOMBS

WELLINGTON, August 24 (P.A.). There was a breeze in the House of Representatives this evening and Mr C. G. Harker (Opposition, Hawke’s Bay) and the Minister of Education (Mr T. H. McCombs) both withdrew remarks they had made. Mr Speaker (Mr R. McKeen), in dealing with points of order, said there had been many complaints from radio listeners. It was not correct for the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland) to say that production was declining, said Mr McCombs. Replying to interjections from Opposition members who asked where the goods were, Mr McCombs suggested that if the- member for Hawke’s Bay looked in his own home he would find more goods today than he had previously. Mr Harker: I'll bet you a fiver you won't. Take that up if you’re game. Mr McCombs: No. f won’t take it bet with —

Mr Harker: No. You dirty littic squib. Mr A. C. Baxter (Government, Raglan) raised a point of order. He sought a ruling from Mr Speaker, who said that he had not heard what the member for Hawke’s Bay had said. He asked the member to repeat the words he used. Mr Speaker’s Ruling Mr Harker did so and Mr Speaker said it was unusual for a member to pass such a remark. He asked that the member for Hawke’s Bay withdraw unreservedly and apologise to the House.

Mr Harker said he would withdraw and apologise, but he wished to raise a separate point of order and ask if the Minister was in order .

Mr Speaker did not permit the member for Hawke’s Bay to continue and said that letters were still coming in' to him from listeners, saying that members were making un-Par-liamentary remarks about each other and naming the members. Mr Speaker’said he would have to ask members to restrain themselves. No doubt the member for Hawke’s Bay had suddenly flared up, as all members had done at some time, but he hoped members . would refrain from making un-Parliamentary references to other members. One day he would be compelled to read extracts from the letters he had received.

Mr M. H. Oram (Opposition, Manawatu) said that the remark of the Minister of Education clearly imputed that .the integrity *of the member for Hawke’s Bay was not to be trusted and that he was dishonest. That had led up to a remark made by the member for Hawke’s Bay. Thp imputation was clear to everyone who heard it. Mr McCombs: If I have hurt the feelings of the member for Hawke’s Bay I withdraw my remark. I am not prepared to take a wager with anybody. Mr Combs And Mr Doidge Earlier in the evening an allegation by Mr H. E. Combs (Government, Onslow) that the member for Tauranga (Mr F. W. Doidge) had said by interjection' that he “would sack all public servants” was met with a hot denial by Mr Doidge. “That’s a lie,” said Mr Doidge. He was asked to withdraw by Mr Speaker. “I withdraw,” said Mr Doidge, “even though I know from the bottom of my heart it is an outrageous lie.”

Mr Speaker then requested the member for Tauranga to withdraw unreservedly and Mr Doidge complied with that request.