POLITICAL NOTES.

North Otago Times, 21 October 1905, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

. By Telegraph. (Prom Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Oct. 20, All Night Sitting!.—Strenuous Defamatory Speeches,-Colonial Rank l(e----vivals. The Criminal Code Ainendmeiit Hill No. 2 proposes to make defamatory libel "in spoken words " liable to. punishment in the same way as a printed libel, The second reading was moved yesterday afternoon, and the \Uousc has been sitting, with tin adjournment today for an hour and a half, continuously ever since, and during that time sonic defamnlory utterances hnvo been delivered by legislators. This amending Hill involves a great ijueslion, and is far reaching in ils effects, for instance, Mr Mitchell, the candidate out against Mr Duncan for Oaniaru, would have laid himself open to prosecution had this proposed Hill been in operation when be delivered Ids atlack against the Minister for I.mills. The intention of the Hill is to curb criticirtn of public men nnd others. The Leader of the Opposition said the Mill would not get through Committee in ts present form. It opened up a big point, especially on the eve of a general election.II r Taylor wauled to know why the Minister did not give the liill ils proper title, and call it the Jleikle and Brnund Suppression Hill V (A voice: "AndTayior.") "Yes," said llh- Taylor, "and Taylor and Massey and any other man in tile colony who dares ta say a word about the administration.. He looked upon the Hill as being somewhat similar to the proposal to burn the books of the Colonial Bniikv, The Premier said there was no attempt to limit freedom of speech, but did Mr Taylor believe that a man should lie allowed to say on a public platform tlmt which' would assail the reputation and character of a man or woman. After the Premier and Mr Taylor had dealt with olio another— Sir Joseph Ward rose, and in a vehement speech snapped his fingers at Mr Taylor and Mr Victor liraund. Jlr liraund is the person who delivered a defamatory address on Colonial Bank affairs in the Town Hall, Wellington, recently, and it was so bad, that the newspapers would not publish it. Sir Joseph Ward said that if he were publicly defamed he thought he should have the right to institute a criminal prosecution against any scoundrel or blackguard who Mr Massey rose to a point of order, and asked whether such langnago was pari ainentnry,

The Speaker was understood to rule that tho reference was in order. Sir Joseph Ward: "If Mr Massey will not nllow myself to protect myself (tgainst any scoundrel or blackguard, I am very much surprised at him." Ho went on to refer to Mr Taylor's action in taking the chair at a meeting at which, according to Sir Joseph Ward, no oilier man in Wellington would preside, and also no man who attempted to I'lackniai! him (the Speaker) ; tat foul and dirty iiupulat ons he held in contempt, lie held in his possession, he suid, a letter bearing the signature of a

creature who had been employed for nine years to damage him, a blackguardly, cowardly scoundrel, who had been trying to stab Mm In the back during tho time he was Colonial Treasurer. The Colonial Hunk u'ver borrowed a shilling from the colony, As to tho burning of the books of tho Colonial Dank, ho Sad he hurl ne'er atteuwited to keep anything from boiiig published on the license tops, lie went on to urge that tho law ought to be altered so as to enable redress to he obtained against a person who made damaging reflections on the character of another person. If he could get at the person under the criminal law he would do so as sure as his name was Joseph Ward, tie went on to say that lie had never lifted a finger to slop anything in connection with the affairs of the Colonial Hank being mnde public, lie believed that he had been treated in a cowardly m a nncr over that affair, and if he got an opportunity he would make some people understand what it meant to act unfairly towards a person just hecaiuse he held a high position in public life. After this the Bill itself was discussed, nnd the measure was stonewalled vigorously by Messrs Moss, Hosrles, Bedford. Rslier n'ml others, who have declared that the 1111 sh n ll not pass in its profit form. At daylight this morning tlic I'remler entered the Chamber, and offered to compromise. His proposal was to Ihis effect: That a defanmtoiy libel in spoken words should not exist unless ,uch words are spoken at a meeting to vhich poisons arc invite 1 by letter, noice or advertisement, or In a public oad or street, park, hall or room, or I'ithin the hearing of a given number of icrsons. This was objected to liy Mi' Herries on lie ground that it did not protect J'ariamentary candidates .in the forthcom»g campaign who might adversely critiise the Government administration. , All night nnd all 'day this precious neasiira has been debated, and sewrnl lotions to report progress have been insistently defeated. It has a ccMjj |

side, inasmuch as the Hill is calculated to circumscribe freo speech, and In Unit sense is a very important proposal,