MR SPEAKER WILLIS

Grey River Argus, 22 November 1912, Page 6

MR SPEAKER WILLIS

«•> j STILL RIDES -THE HIGH ViORSE ißy Electric TelegTaph— /Copyright. ) (Per Press Association.; SYDNEY, Nov 2i. In the Assembly ,>_'esterday afternooi Mr. Moxham was/ called to the Bar o: the House and/ invited to apologist and expressed/ willingness to do so. The Speaker was not satisfied, anc insisted tb; a t he must put it in writ ing. ;■/. Loud/ cries" of dissent followed. The Speaker ordered Mr. Moxham'! ren/oval. /Mr. Wood was also ejected simul .jfaneously, Speaker Willis alleging tha M.r. Wood had interfered with the Serg eant-at-Arms in the performance of hi; duty. Mr. McGowen immediately movee that Mr. Moxham : s apology be regaxc ed sufficient. Speaker Willis enquired, whethci there was any objection to taking tht motion at once. ■ Amid cries of "Take it now!" h( adjourned the debate by leaving- th< chair. On resuming in the evening, Speak or Willis practically took the business out of the hands of the Government He refused to receive rhe Premier's Tn'c tion or even to alow him to move Ihe suspension of the standing orders or the score of urgency. Finally, aftei a sitting which afternoon and evening combined, lasted 45 minutes, the Premier gave notice of a motion of dissent with the Speaker's ruling, anc immediately moved the adjournment j of the House. Mr. McGowen repeatedly attemptec to check M-r. Wilis under various stand ing orders. Each time the Speaker f rustrat-cc' him, finally stating that the only waj out was to rescind the previous night's motion wherefore seven days' notice was required. lie told Mr. McGower that he might suspend all standing orders and the Speaker may then ad journ the Mouse till after 'Xmas. Hon. W. A. Holman next tried tc move a motion, but Mr. Willis "snuf fed him out," informing him that i was too late. Having whipped the House- in, Mr Willis calmly ordered members to pro ceed with the' business on the. paper The order was ignored and thi Speaker consented to allow the dissen motion to take precedence to-day. The remarkable scene thus e«de< amid general excitement and prolong ed cheering. Mr. Holman subsequently stated tha he expected the dissent motion woul< be carried. In that case, the Gov ernment would be able to proceed wit! , the business. ; Mr. Wood announced that the Orj position will support the Governmen in any reasonable action to end' th intolerable situation regardless c party consideration. B.oth papers discuss the questio: whether or not, Mr. Wiriis should re sign. • The Herald gays: No. one can te. what may happen. The House ma again adjourn without , a settlemcn of the serious crisis, but so far as vh i mind and temper of members is cor cerned, Mr. Willis will no longer b • Speaker." It has been definitely dec : ded that he must be deposed. [ The Telegraph siays : The Govcn r ment apparently expects Mr. Wiljis t ■ bow to the will of the Mouse and a< 1 c-ept'th-e position with a- "few pompon • platitudes. Should he resign, tli • Government is prepared to nominate 1 successor. • f THE SPEAKER'S RULING OVEI I .' ' ' RULED. (Reed 9.40 p.m.) : SYDNEY, Nov 21, - , The Assembly this afternoon wz - crowded and the proceedings opene amid a buzz of excitement. ' ; The Hon J.. S. T McGowen move V that the House dissent with the Speal - er's ruling on the motion by. the Pn 5 mier that M.r. Moxham's apology I accepted. 2 ■ ' . The Hon W .A. Holman secondecl. v; ' Neither made a speech. V.\ - The Premier contented hFrhself wit t regretting that he had to move the m - tion. >" ... Mr. Levin; the oldest member, sai that whatever impulse prompted 'tr

Speaker in deciding that Mr. Moxham's apology was insuflicient, nothing could justify him in. thinking that members should crawl to him on their stomachs in a manner which would humilitatc artel disgrace them vi the eyes of the people. It was the duty of every member to vote the Speaker clean out of office. Mr. Willis said: If this is a motion of want of Confidence' in. the Speaker then notice has not. been given, and must be. given. If this- motion is carried and if the House has no confidence in me, and if the-House,wish-es' me to resign I shall do so, but I call on the Premier as an horiorable man to table a motion, to be heard to- : morrow. I hold to the traditions of my position, and demand'the one day's notice. ■ Mr. McGowcn said that the motion was not want oF confidence in the Speaker/ but he considered that the Speaker made a mistake. The Government did not intend to carry on unless it ruled the House. The motion was carried on the voices with one dissentient. The Premier, moved that Mr. Moxham's apology be accepted as satisyfactory. . ■ J* This was carried unanimously*' nnd then the ordinary business \yas proceded'with. ' f •'•■■-.•