MEMBERS PRIVILEGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18171, 17 August 1922, Page 8

MEMBERS PRIVILEGE.

AN ALLEGED BREACH. PRINTED MEMORANDUM. CRITIOIgIM IN THE HOUSE. [BX TBLBCOIAPH.~-SPECIAI, BKPORTEE.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. A question of privilege was raised in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. F. F. Hockly (Rotorua) asked if the attention of the Minister in charge of the Legislative Department bad been drawn to an explanatory memorandum attached to the Proportional Representation and Country Quota Bill introduced by.the member for Lyttelton, Mr. J. McCombs. This memorandum had been printed at the Government Printing Offioe and it contained an absolutely nn'xrarranted and incorrect statement directed against the Representation Commiiisioners. The objectionable words were as follows: "Under proportional representation there will be no necessity to alter the boundaries of tho Kaiapoi electorate in order to protect Reform interests because the Reform Party /will secure the representation it is to in the combined district of Chnstchuvch." ~ , . The Hon. W. Ncsworthy replied that his attention had been drawn to the memorandum. He understood that the member for Lyttelton had taken the usual, course of getting the permission of the House to have the Bill printed and also had approached the Speaker of tho House with the object of having an explanatory memorandum atUcheo to the BUI. „ . . Mr. McCombr: That is all it is. Mr. Nosworthy added that en the strength of that assurance the member for Lyttelton got i>ennission to havo the memorandum circulated. "Jfot a Nice Thing to do." "The hen. member has done what is not a nice thing to do," said the Minister. 'It is my impression that the member is largely responsible to the •ommisiiioners for the position he had ! created by doing what he has done, Ihat is a matter between himself and tho commissioners. • • _, Mr. V. H. Potter (Roskill): Who pays for it? Mr. JTosworthy: The Government pays for 235 copies. The honourable member has ordered another 250 copies. Members: Oh! Mr. Potter: Political propaganda, and the Government pays for it. Statement by Mr. HcOotvbs. Mr. McCombs asked for permission to make an explanation, and although some members dissented he was given an opportunity. Ho said the copies of the memorandum circulated among members were to be paid for by himself. He had received an account from the Government Printer, and it had been by an arrangement to pay that he had been allowed to circulate the document. The Government was not paying for it. He believed that the Standing Ordsrs permitted him to \ attach an explanatory memorandum to ihe Bill. The best illustration of his point had l>een in connection with the Kaiapoi electorate. He believed that he was justified in using the illustration that fitted the case admirably, and therefore he used the words that had been quoted. His point had beea in one electorate, and one electorate only, the formula provided by his Bill for applying the country quota would not toperarte. He had wished to explain why in this; case the formula would fail, Air. McCombs added that he honestly had fait entitled to make the explanation in l , the. memorandum. The B'on. G. .If. Anderson contradicted the member for Lytteltoia with, reference to the tout cif printing. He said the copies ciivaluted among v memberg haS been printed at the public expense as Parliamentary papers. Mr. McGtmbs had ordered 2£o extra copie*, and .Had been charged for them. Document Wanted in Hurry. The Speaker then told the House that Mr. McCombs had asked him for permission to circulate an explanatory memorandum with the Bill. The permission was given on. the understanding that the memorandum was merely an explanation of the proposals contained in the Bill. The Speaker added that he had received that morning a letter from the bills clerk explaining how the memorandum came to be printed. The member for Lyttelton wanted the document printed in a hurry. The clerk did not read it, and said that the member had assured him that the ''paper was all right and that it had the Speaker's approval, or words to that affect. The member, according to the clerk, said that the memorandum merely explained the BillThe Prime Minister said that the words 3 noted from, the memorandum clearly and istinctly implied that the boundaries of the electorate had been altered to protect the interest of the Reform Party. Mr. McCombs: I say so emphatically. The Prime Minister said that the state ment had been placed in a public document. If it had been made outside the House the member, he thought, would have been liable to an action for libel. The incident was too serious to bo passed over lightly« Ho believed that a serious breach of the privileges of the House had been committed, and ho would like an opinion from the Speaker on the point. Speaker to Give Decision. The Speaker said he would take time to examine the point. Mr. McCombs and Mr. H. £. Holland (Bulier) both tried to speak ah this stage. The Speaker said that the question was not open for debate. He had been asked for an opinion. If he thought that a breach of privilego had occurred, he would report to the House. Mr- McCombs expressed a wish to have the question settled at once. The Prime Minister said he could not act until the Speaker had considered the point. He might have occasion later to move on the subject-