LABOUR ACTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2168, 26 August 1920, Page 3

LABOUR ACTION.

DOMINION LOYALTY. THE VOICE OF PARLIAMENT. The Prime .Minister announced in Hie House of Representatives on Tuesday that he had considered the request made by Mr Veitch thafjbo House should be given the opportunity of expressing its opinion Avith regard to the situation concerning which telegrams had passed between Lit bom* members and Avbat Avas known as Hie British Council of Action. He had consulted the Leader of the Opposition on the matter, and they Avere agreed that the matter should be a non-party one. To that, end the Government Avould later submit a motion expressing the continued loyalty of this Dominion, sympathy Avith the Imperial Government in the difficulties Avith which it hajl to deal, and expressing the confident hope that the Empire Avould emerge from the troubles which, judging by past history, are'inseparable from a period of reconstruction, more solid and more powerful Hum ever before. The announcement was greeted Avith disorderly interjections from the Labour benches, and cries of “That is shirking the whole issue." “It lias absolutely nothing to do with it.”'

Mr P. Ernser (Wellington Central) asked: “Will the Prime Minister aller that resolution to one of condemnation of the telegram .sent?” When order had been obtained, the Prime -Minister said that when the form of the motion had been agreed upon between the Leader of the Government and the Leader of the Opposition he had no intention of making any alteration such a.s

.suggested. Mr Holland wished to put: a question to the Prime Minister, but the Spmikgr called ids attention to the fact that he had no right to discuss or question a Ministerial statement.

Mr Holland asked far the indulgence of the House to ask his question, but the Speaker had scarcely begun to .put the question that indulgenee he granted when there were objections from various parts of the Chamber.

The Speaker; ‘•Objection is raised, so the que.Mion cannot be pul.” , Mr AV. E, Parry interjected something Avhieh sounded like “Coward, absolute coward”; but the word might luiA-e been eoAved. »,

Air Holland; “Very avoII; there will be no more indulgence granted.” Mr T. AV. Rhodes raised a point of order. A member had attributed cowardice to another member because that member bad objected to the question being asked. The Speaker said that if that expression had been used it must be AvillulraAvn. Mr Parry: “I did not use the word

‘eoAvardiee.’ ’’ The discussion terminated amid disorder on the Labour benches.