The Manawatu Daily Times Breach of Privilege

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7007, 17 November 1932, Page 6

The Manawatu Daily Times Breach of Privilege

A breach of privilege when brought before the House of Representatives rarely occasions more than an apology and an expression of regret from the offender and an admonition from the Speaker not to offend again. Mr. A. Macintosh, a mem,mi of the National Expenditure Commission, however, did not fare quite so well as this when lie added to the report of the Commission a paragraph to the effect “that many members of Parliament by way of placating constituencies, and, possioly, securing continuity of membership, have, year after year, made inroads upon the Treasury for various objects in numerous instances with no prospect of an adequate or any return on the expenditure involved.” This statement quickened the susceptibilities of the members of the Labour party particularly those of Mr. H. E. Holland and Mr. Peter Fraser, who sought to strengthen their case by casting reproaches upon Mr. Macintosh whose candour evidently displeased them.

Just why members of the Labour party should have heaped reproofs upon Mr. Macintosh it is difficult to conceive, since the victim.of their venom had carefully avoided personal suggestions in his contribution to the Commission s report and in his cross-examination by the Parliamentary Committee. Yet Mr. Peter Fraser poured forth a perfect tirade of innuendo against his victim, most of it unsuited for repetition. “What was apparently a serious matter,” he said, “had ended in a farce. Mr. Macintosh had been lionised by the Press, yet the scene in the front of the committee was most pathetic. . . . He Avas asked gently, craveningly in fact, if he could produce the evidence or do something to justify his statements and his only plea was ‘Don't ask me.’ ” Lookers-on declare that no more distorted conception of the facts could be invented. Mr. Macintosh simply had declined to A\dthdraw the information he had personally verified and communicated to his colleagues.

Apropos of this incident, which has been discussed throughout the Dominion for a week or more, it is a little surprising to find a metropolitan newspaper dragging the memories of John Ballance, Richard Seddon and Joseph Ward into a public controversy of the present day Avith Avhich these political leaders of the past certainly had no more to do than had their contemporaries, Atkinson, Stout and Massey. “Ballance and Seddon,” the public are told, “triumphed over a crisis very like the present one by the application of principles practically indistinguishable from those of the Labour party of to-day. . . . Even then the capitalist Press Avas engaged in rendering to the cause of democracy the Avicked disservice of telling the truth.” Just Avhat all this is intended to mean it Avould be difficult for the mere layman to say. A tAvo-column leading article does not disclose the jest.

Mr. Seddon, who was not lacking in humour nor in its enjoyment, like other artists of the kind Avas not ahvays successful in his efforts to amuse. Lord Bryce in his “Modern Democracies” embalmed one of the jovial Minister’s quips of thirty odd years ago and apparently it is abroad again. “lam not one of those who say that other things being equal I should not favour the district that was represented by one Avho helped to maintain the Government in poAver,” Mr. Seddon is made to say. “It is unreasonable and unnatural to expect the Government to look Avith the same kindly eye on districts returning members opposed to the Government as on those that returned Government supporters.” Obviously cither Mr. Seddon Avas joking Avith difficulty when he uttered these Avords or Lord Bryce, unaccustomed to such frivolous jests, Avas unable to appreciate their application.

"Before a man marries he should have a little money in the bank." "I hhve as little as any one that ever took the plunge." "When I bought this dog you said he was excellent for rats, and he won't touch one." "Well, 1 isn't that excellent for the ratz?"-

She: "AVhat is your favourite sport, doctor?" He: "Sleighing." She: "No, I mean apart from business." "Her father married her mother for the bread she made.” "Her suitor wants to marry her for the dough she’s got."