TWO CENSURE MOTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14924, 23 February 1912, Page 7

TWO CENSURE MOTIONS.

NEW SOUTH WALES POLITICS.

By Telegraph.— Press Association.—Copyright.

(Received February 22, 9 p.m.)

Sydney, February 22. ! In the Legislative Assembly, at. the suggestion of Mr. Speaker Willis, Mr. Levien (who had given notice to move that the Speaker has not the confidence of the House) agreed to confer with Mr. Fitzpatrick (who also has a motion on the Order Paper reflecting on the actions of the Speaker), with a view to combining the two motions into one of a more specific character than Mr. Levien's. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Wade, then moved his motion, declaring that the Government has not the confidence of the House. Ho strongly attacked the Government for dismissing Mr. Robinson, chief of the Hansard staff. The conduct of Ministers towards Mr. Robinson, an old and valued public servant, was described by Mr. Wade as arbitrary and drastic. Commenting on the report of the Royal Commissioner (Judge Backhouse, who found that Mr. Robinson had been insubordinate), Mr. Wade said that the Commissioner had not had the benefit of legal assistance. Probably, if authorities had been placed before him on the question of joint control of the Hansard staff by the President of the Legislative Council and by the Speaker, the Commissioner's findings would have been modified. Replying, the Premier, Mr. McGowcn, said that the Speaker had power to issue instructions to the chief of Hansard. It followed, therefore, that he had powor to see that they were carried out. He contended that Mr. Robinson had been absolutely defiant, and had followed a course which, if it had been followed by any member of his own staff, would have resulted in that member's dismissal.