INTERRUPTING A DEBATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18964, 11 March 1925, Page 9

INTERRUPTING A DEBATE.

HOUSE OF COMMONS SCENE. SUSPENSION- OF SOCIALIST. MATTER NOW ADJUSTED. By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright. (Received 8.5 p.m.) Renter. LONDON. Mar. 9. The suspension last week in the House of Commons of Mr. D. Kirkwood, Labour member for Dumbarton, for interrupting Mr. Austen Chamberlain during a debate on foreign affairs, was under consideration in the House to-day. The Prime Minister, Mr. Stanley Baldwin, read a letter from the chairman of committees explaining his reasons for reporting Mr. Kirkwood to the Speaker. He emphasised tho importance of the debate and the necessity there was for not interrupting Mr. Chamberlain. The chairman said he recognised that Mr. Kirkwood acted without premeditation, but that did not absolve him (the chairman) from the responsibility of enforcing tho rules of the House on a grave occasion. Mr. ltamsay Mac Donald, Leader of the Labour Party, amid some cries of dissent. from Labour members on the back benches, said the letter smoothed the way for the withdrawal of his motion of censure. He asked to see the letter so that he might give it bis quiet consideration however. Mr. Baldwin said that if Mr. MacDonald withdrew his motion of censure he would recommend the House to rescind Mr. Kirkwood's suspension.. The Labour members accepted the letter of the Chairman of Committees, and agreed to withdraw their motion of censure. Air. Kirkwood's suspension will end to-morrow, when the Government will move for a rccission of his exclusion from the House.