POLITICAL NEWS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7139, 1 November 1901, Page 4

POLITICAL NEWS.

: (Post),: V:_. CBIMI2TAL LIBEL.

I The Statutes Revision Committee has eSeeted almost an entire transformation i ill the Criminal Code Amendment Bill, which defined defamatory, libel. The I definition the committee proposes is :— ." Matter published, without legal justification or excuse, either designed to insult any person or likely to injure him in his profession or-trade, whether such | matter be expressed in words, written or printed, or legibly marked on any substance, or by any object signifying suab matter otherwise than by words, and whether expressed directly or by insinuation or irony." New clauses are proposed providing that matter published in I refutation to a reasonable extent is not a I j defamatory libel, and that a prosecution I for criminal libel may only be taken on a Judge's order. Another new clause provides that justification may be ur^ed by the defendant. Thepeualty clause is amended, providing one year's imprisonment with hard labour for publishing a defamatory libel, or to two years' Imprisonment with hard labour if it is known to be false. The originalßill did not provide hard labour, but merely imprisonment. THE PBEMIEB « RILED." The Premier lo3t bis temper on Wednesday night, and came to wordy blows with Mr Meredith. Members had been worrying him a good deal about the Arbitration Act, ;md urging that it should be applied to workers in Uio proposed State coal mine; and he, in reply, spoke with considerable warmth about the action of those -"members wbo had altered his Conciliation and Arbitration Amendment Bill when it, was before the House. Mr Merednh complainrd of the hasty and intemperate language used by the Premier, who retorted, "We are not in Suuday School, now." Shortly afterwards Mr Meredith admitted that he was a Sanday School teacher, and then proceeded to retort upon the Premier after the fashion of the member for Biccarton a few evenings ago. Then arose the.Premier, aud,- apparently in a furious rage, made reflections 'on Mr Meredith which, put of regard for the law of libel, v,e do not republish. Of course, ho was. called to.order, and ho went on to s-iy that he would maintain his., position,; and that if members thought the Premier .was not going to"'1 defend himself, they wore making a mistake. He was quite prepared fend himself now and to take them one and all. Matters quieted down aficr that, but there are signs that the flames are still smouldering, and may break out at any moment.

CONCILIATION BOABDS.

The Premier is evidently much incensed at the amendment made by tlie House in the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitratbn Amendment Bill allowing either party to a dispute to go direct to the Arbitration Court, and. he ■% .let himself go" on the subject on Wednesday night. Speaking with warmth ho daclared that Mr Willis, at whose instance the amendment was made, should have given due notice of it, so that it might have been considered by a full House, and not have stolen into the law that which would sap conciliation and the general structure of the Arbitration Act. He was, he declared, going to stand by the Conciliation Boards and the conciliation law, and to give the country an opportunity of considering the matter before so important a departure was made. Which probably means that the Bill is to be "hung-up" in the Legislative Council. Subsequently Mr Willis declared that he told the Premier that he intended to bring up the amendment about two hours before he moved it, and Mr Seddon said there was not tho slightest chance of it being carried. The Premier retorted that Mr Willis had.a powerful imagination, and a very defective memory. It was another amendment that Mr Willis showed him. Mr G. J. Smith said the Premier's remarks appeared to mean that he was going to withhold the Bill after it had been passed by both Houses. Mr G. W. Eussell referred to the same subject^remarking that the Premier had been charged with being a dictator, but he had never heard him to take up the position that he wa3 able to defy the expressed will of both branches of the Legislature. ;

THE OPPOSITION SCORES.

The Opposition scored pretty heavily against the Premier on Wednesday afternoon^ .Mr Seddon wished to lay on the table'a paper relating to the compilation of .the Patea electoral roll, and Mr J. Allen raised a point of order as to the way in which the question should be'pit. He was overruled by the Deputy-Speaker on" that point. In the meantime Mr Pirani had got hold of the paper, and lie raised a further point that the paper, contained a criticism of a debate by a: person outside the House, and that therefore -it was against the Standing Orders.. The Premier said the statement'had'been made "by Mr Haselden that 300 names' had been added to the Patea electrol rollthis day before the writ was issued, and thi3 paper was a letter from the Eegistvar of Electors, saying tiat statement was not founded on fact." The DeputySpeaker said that this was a gross revefleetion.on a member speaking in the House, and he had no hesitation in ruling that it could not be laid on the table. The writter used the term " outrageous , mis-statatement," and no document containing bucli a reflection could be laid before the House. Mr J. Allen — Secretly, silcntlyj and surreptitious. The Premier could I not conceal Ms chagrin, and members laughed loudly at his discomfiture. Their I merriment increased when the DeputySpeaker refused to allow the Minister for , Public Works to lay on the table a telegram which he liad received! from an official commenting and denying a statement made.by Mr Pirani about useless iron beingburied near the Makohino Viadu^t. The Premier, Speaking with evident heat, gave notice that he would the next day question the Deputy-Speaker's ruling.