HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLI, Issue 228, 26 September 1907, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The House met at 2.30 p.m

A QUESTION .OF PRIVILEGE. Mr HORNSBY raised the question of privilege respecting the publication in the Lyttelton Tinies of a paragraph criticising Members., who ha 4 complained of defective reporting in Hansard and the Press, and stating, inter alia, that "Hansard reports were not flattering, probably because they were verbatim." This, he thought, was a reflection upon Memhers of the House,.and he for one intended to enter his protest. He praised the Hansard work, but complained that the Press of the Colony did not give fair play to Members of the House. Members did not want any favours from the newspapers of the Colony, but they did want fair play.' He would go the length of saying that there were Members of the House who were for various reasons under the ban of the Press, and he would have,, thought the Press would te above such littleness. He protested against youthful Members of the Press sitting in judgment. upon Members of the House who had forgotten more than the former ever learned- He moved that the article was a breach of the privileges of the House. ~ . ~.i The clerk read an article which produced considerable laughter. Mr BARCLAY thought that Mr Hbrnsby magnified the importance of the paragraph, and he failed to see why valuable time should be wasted in discussing the' subject when more important business was awaiting consideration. After considerable discussion, % "The PRIME MINISTER stated that, while he did not approve Us paragraph, he did not think it amounted to a breach of privilege. Possibly it was a young man who had written it, and he would not like to see anything done that would hamper his prospects. He thought that the matter might be allowed to drop, iiow that it had been ventilated. Mr MASSEY deprecated the waste of.time over the subject, and thought that Members should be able to submit to criticism, without being hurt. The motion was negatived. DOMINION DAY.

The PRIME MINISTER made a statement respecting Dominion Day. It was intended to bring down legislation similar to that which existed in New South Wales and South Australia regarding holidays, which were always held upon a Monday. Holidays would be so readjusted as to overcome objections which had beea raised.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

Replying to questions, Ministers said that the Admiral of the Australian Squadron had upon all occasions readily afforded the assistance of ilie Fleet in searching for overdue vcs- • ; sels, and would doubtless continue to do so- that Government employees are being;paid for Dominion Day, that the question of introducing legislation with a view to promoting the constructiono| tramways'in districts where settlers" are prepared to rate themselves to provide interest upon the capital required is an important one, and will be fully considered; that complaints of the "ragging 1 of new hands in the railway cleaning sheds have been made at various times, and dismissals or severe fine 3 have been imposed where offences have been proved; suitable action will continue to be taken, and severe punishment meted out wherever an offence is sheeted home; that the question of introducing and promoting the passing of a model By-laws Bill prepared by the Roads Department must necessarily depend upon , the progress of the business now before the House; that the HarbonBoards Bill deals only with the con stitution of Boards, and does not give taxing power; where the Board has not taxing power a special Ace would be required; that it is impos- • sible this session to bring in legis-

Sneddon, Family Dunedin, N.Z., Cough grandchild was we had tried of, a

lation relating to the issue of a urn- a form set of school books the M schools of the Dominion, as the sub- ■ ject involves too many large con- -■ siderations. m