A STORMY SCENE.

Hastings Standard, Volume XII, Issue 5845, 8 May 1908, Page 3

A STORMY SCENE.

CABLE NEWS.

| LYNES SLANDEROUS STATEMENT.

MEMBERS DENY HIS CHARGES.

United Press Association—Hy Electric Telegraph—Copyright Melbourne, May 7. » A stormy scene occurred in the

' Federal House of Representatives during the discussion on the kerosene duties. Sir William Lyne interjected: "I am told there is no use going on, because the Standard Oil Company have members in their bag." Mr Jieid, rising to a point of order, characterised the slanderous statement as a scandalous thing to say. It was giving currency to infamous slanders uttered outside that members could be bought in connection with the tariff. It was most abominable that the greatest slander ever cast on members should have come from a Minister of the Crown. Sir William Lyne interjected: " I say deliberately that a message has been brought to me," adding amidst a storm of dissent, "The company has been to every member and tried to get a promise. The company has j got a list of members who had promised them their support. So much has been said about this outside that I turned the representative of the company out of my office. It is a scandal that men should be sent from America to force a matter through. I cast no imputation on members, but we have had quite enough of this from America." Asked how members were influenced, Sir W. Lyne said by persuasion. He dia not know that any member was bribed.

The noisy scene continued for a considerable time, members hotly attacking Sir W. Lyne and denying being approached by the Standard Oil Company.

Eventually Sir W. Lyne withdrew his charge unreservedly. Pressed to giv<; the name of his informant, he stated that his information came from one of his colleagues.