LIBELLING THE KING.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12538, 27 June 1901, Page 6

LIBELLING THE KING.

THE CHARGE AGAINST A MELBOURNE NEWSPAPER. DISCUSSION IN THE VICTORIAN PARLIAMENT. A MEMBER EXPELLED. United Pr«ss Association—By Eleotrio Telegraph-^Copyright. MELBOURNE, June 26. In the State Assembly discussion was continued on tie republication from " Irish People" of'the libel on the King by the newspaper "Tocsin," published by Mr Findley, the Labour member for Melbourne.

Tie Premier, in moving that Mr Findley was guilty of disloyalty, and that heslould be expelled from, the House, said that the" Government accepted all the responsibility of its action in the matter, and its action had been endorsed by Mr Chamberlain. Aiter tie Premier's motion the Speaker asked Mr Findley to withdraw, and Mr Findley again asserted that ie had no sympathy with the article, neither lad the editor of "Tocsin.".

Mr Ward moved as an amendment that Mr Findley should! be suspended for the remainder of the session.

'Mr Maloney moved'a further amendment in favour of suspending him for a week. Several members laving expressed a. desire to (hear Ithe article read, the House was cleared of strangers, including the "Hansard" reporters arid Press staffs amd the article was iread.

On resuming, Mr Findley once more declared, lis allegiance to the King, and announced lis intention of severing lis connection witl the " Tocsin" as a proof of his sincerity in repudiating the article.

Several Labour and other members deprecated tie extreme measure of expelling Mr but the Premier refused to give way, and eventually the motion to expel Mr Findley was carried by sixty-four votes against seventeen. , The discussion throughout 1 was marked by great excitement. ■'-*' '^'