THE SCENE IN THE NEW SOUTH WALES ASSEMBLY

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8424, 27 November 1890, Page 6

THE SCENE IN THE NEW SOUTH WALES ASSEMBLY

A MEMBER EXPELLED FROM THE HOUSE. The Sydney Morning Herald gives the following summarised account of the disgraceful scene in the Legislative Assembly 011 the 12th instant (briefly reported at the time in our cable messages) culminating in the expulsion of Mr. Crick, the member for West Macquarie :— The formal motion before the House was that there be granted a sum of £2194 to defray the cost of the establishment of His Excellency the Governor. The debate was continued by Mr. Copeland, but matters had not proceeded far before a scene of unparalleled disorder ensued. The member lor New England was referring to the item for the Centennial Park, when Mr. McMillan rose, and was in turn interrupted by Mr. Crick. The member for West Macquarie was called to order, and was asked to " withdraw and apologise," This, although appealed to by the Premier, by Mr. Dibbs, and by the members sitting near him, he declined to do. Being finally requested he remarked, "I absolutely and point blank refuse." At this there was some sensation as the Chairman of the Committee gave the order, "The sergeant will remove the member from the House." That official advanced from his seat and approached Mr. Crick, . who called out, "Don't put your hands 011 me. 1 will not be bullied by Mr. Melville or anyone else." Mr. Willis attempted to address the House, but was informed that the Chair could enter into no debate. Meanwhile the Sergeant-at-Arms was talking to All*. Crick, who remained upon his seat. Other officers came to the Sergeant's assistance, and a painful scene ensued. Mr. Crick remaining firm, slight force was used, and ultimately the member for West Macquarie was removed, kicking, struggling, and fighting from the Chamber. Immediately he had been ejected the gangway doors were shut, and had to be held together to ■ prevent Mr. Crick from forcing his way back into the House. As soon as something like order had been restored, Mr. McMillan rose, and was about to continue his remarks, when the Premier interrupted him, and moved that the Chairman leave the chair, report what hud occurred to the Speaker, an 1 ask leave to sit again. Points of order were spoken to by Mr. Copeland and by Mr. Walker, after which Sir Henry Parkes gave reasons for moving his motion. He laid great stress upon the fact that the chairman must be obeyed. "If resistance to an officer of the House is to be tolerated," he observed, "wo should no longer be a Parliament, but a mob." Ministerial cheers followed. "Never," he continued, " have I seen such a wanton outrage, with no cause whatever for it; and if this sort of thing goes on it will not be worth while for anyone to remain a member of this House. Sir Henry Parkes held that the scene which had occurred was a scandal to larliament. and was one which the House must be informed of. At this stage of tho proceedings Mr. Crick, who was sitting at the door of "the Speaker's room, made several interjections, and Mr. Melville instructed the Sergeant to " take what forco was necessary, and to remove the member." After further discussion, the motion by the Premier was carried 011 the voices. J.he Speaker having taken his seat, tho committee reported progress, and obtained leave to sit again. Mr. Melville presented the resolution to tho Speaker, and also stated his version of the circumstances that led up to the disordor. In his opinion the opposition by Mr. Crick was " deliberate and cool," and he pointed out that it was necessary to the good government of the House that the Chair should be obeyed. Mr. Copeland desired to raise a point of order in which objection was taken to the matter coming before the House after the Chairman of theCommitteo had already dealt with tho case, and awarded punishment; but the Speaker would not allow this. He explained, however, that Mr. Crick should bo allowed to give his version of tho affair. Upon tho member for West Macquarie coming again into the House, he made a statement in which ho asserted that he was satisfied with the strength of his position, and averred that ho had been put out by " brutal and illegal force." Being stopped by the Speaker, ho desired to dissent from the ruling of the Chair, but such a course was not allowed, and after further asseveration, the Speaker, intimating that he would not be insulted, directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove tho member. As he was passing from the Chamber, Mr. Crick called out, " You, Mr. Speaker, got £2000 for putting the Broken Hill Water Supply Bill through, and the Chairman £1000 ; and you are a pair of thieves and robbers to the country." The Premier, at once, amid sensation, moved that tho words be taken down, and this having been done, the House proceeded to deal with the matter. Sir Henry Parkes moved a resolution stating that the words uttered by the member for West Macquarie were highly disorderly, and a gross breach of the privileges of the House. The motion was agreed to on the voices. The Premier then moved a resolution which dealt with the disorder of Mr. Crick in committee, which characterised it " as a great scandal," and which, by way of sentence, provided that he be expelled from the House, The motion was received by cheers, both from Ministerial and Opposition members. Sir Henry Parkes intimated that he proposed it with a great deal of pain. Ho referred to Mr. Crick undoubted ability, which might have enabled him to carve out a career of usefulness to the country, and of honour to himself. But he had continually , against all fair advice and generous counsel, coinmittted conduct in the House which could not be passed over, and which could only jbe met by a sentence of the utI most severity. Yr. Dibbs admitted that | the Premier was prompted by a sense of duty, and agreed with the resolution, which, he recognised, would send Mr. Crick back to his constituents "for approval or disapproval of his conduct." During the subsequent debate the Speaker read a letter from Mr. Crick, in which he charged Parliament with being "rotten and corrupt," and in which he said "freedom of speech was stifled and suppressed in order to cover up crime." He, accordingly, "forwarded his resignation "which, however, was not submitted to the House. On division the amendment was negatived by 57 votes to 19, and the motion for the expulsion of Mr. Crick was carried by 63 votes against 10. Sir Henry Parkes then moved, '•That tho seat of William Patrick Crick had become vacant by reason of his expulsion from the House," which was agreed to on the voices.