HOT WORDS IN HOUSE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18172, 18 August 1922, Page 8

HOT WORDS IN HOUSE.

UNIVERSITY DEBATING,

SENTIMENTS OF STUDENTS.

LABOUR. MEMBER ANGRY.

.—SPECIAL BEPOETEB.]

WELLINGTON. Thursday. There were some heated remarks in the House to-day, when Mr. V. H. Potter (Roskill) asked a question about the Victoria College Debating Club in a .way that aroused the resentment of the Labour benches. Mr. Potter drew the attention of th© Minister for Education to reports of the debates held by the society named. It appeared from theso reports, he said, that the students, by a large majority, condemned the use of the British flag and the oath of allegiance, and plainly suggested the abolition of all compulsory symbols of loyalty. On another occasion they had declared for the abolition of Parliamentary government in New Zealand. On vet another occasion Mr. P. Fraser, M.P., and "a well-known Communist and Bolshevik, one Mr. T. BYindlo—" , Mr. Fraser (interrupting): That s a lie! A deliberate He! The Speaker informed Mr. Fraser that he must not use such an expression in the House. Mr. Fraser: I wish there was a Standing Order compelling liars to tell the truth. The Speaker insisted that Mr. Fraser must wmply with the rules of the House, and ,"»£j\ Fraser withdrew the offending phrase. Mr. Potter (very emphatically): I will commence again. In another the Debating Club invited to the university to take ears in a discussion on Socialism, Mr. Peter Fraser, M.P., and a well-known Comn-unist and Bolshevik,_ one Mr. T. Brindle, convicted of seditious utterances in 1917, and on this occasion the society by a large majority declared for th® adoption of Socialism in this country. Is the Minister ablo to say whether the teaching at th* university is responsible for the extraordinary opinions of these students, which offend the bulk of the community ? Are teachers from the Training Colleges among these students who take part in these debates, and if so, does the Minister consider this Debating Society the best training ground for our "young teachers? (Aside to the Labour members: You can have that.) The Minister, Hon. C. J. Parr, said he was afraid he could not give much nformation about the Debating Society. He was unable to account for the students' opinions. Mr. Holland (Buller): You will not start a heresv hunt, will you ? Mr. Parr: I have no doubt the opinions of the Debating Club are a source of great gratification to the member for Buller. Whether they are to the rest of the community is another question. The control of the university, of course, is vested in the University College Council, and I believe that any 'supervision of the Debating Society is largely in the hands of the Professorial Board. I believe that the opinion of the council is that so long as the Debating Club keeps within the four corners of the law in its discussions there is no reason to interfere.

Labour members: Hear, hear. Mr. Parr: That is a safe standard, if it is not an extremely idealistic or high one. I am not able to inform the hon. member whether there are teachers in the Debating Society or not. The matter is really not within my jurisdiction. It is one entirely in the hands of the local authority which controls the college and of the Professorial Board.

Mr. Holland (appealing to the Speaker): I wish to ask you, sir, whether it is possible for members of this House to take advantage of the forms of the House to put questions that ha.ve absolutely no foundation of truth to the Ministers, and which questions have the effect of damaging the character of reputable citizens outside tho House?

The Speaker replied that a member could put any question that was not against the Standing Orders. He could not judge whether the suggestions contained in questions were correct, but members ought always to see that the questions they put in the House were correct in every detail. Mr. Fraser: Hear, hear. Quite satisfactory.