Untitled

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 9468, 12 September 1889, Page 4

A notable incident took place during yesterday afternoon's sitting. The Premier proceeded to vindicate the " honour" and the " privileges" o£ members against those impudent creditor.* who would presume to ask for their money, lie moved for leave to bring in a Bill of a retrospective character, providing that honorarium should be unassailable in law or equity. By this it is acknowledged that at present a creditor has the right to claim the honorarium of a Member who will not pay, and who cannot be made to pay in any other way. What Sir Harry Atkinson proposed was that in New Zealand this should be abolished, and that all rights of creditors which may already have arisen should be quashed. We venture to say, that such a grossly wrong and indecent proposal was never made in any Legislative Assembly before. Hie privileges of Members of the House of Commons have grown up in. order that the liberties of the people might be protected. With us, members seem to think that their privileges are personal to themselves, and shall be to the disadvantage of the people, especially of those to whom they owe money. For the House to enact laws protecting members from paying their debts, and to make such legislation retrospective, would simply be monstrous. Whatever may be the opinion of the people of New Zealand respecting the proposal of the committee, and the further step attempted by the Premier, we are quite sure that in England they will be thought infamous. Fortunately for the good reputation of the colony the Premier's outrageous proposal was rejected by a large majority. This affair has brought out the fact that the honorarium can be attached, and we hope that all creditors of lion, members will take note of it, and assert their legal rights at once. It is perhaps litting that the session should come to a, close with such a petty and discreditable scene as this has been.