INTERJECTIONS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10571, 28 September 1910, Page 2

INTERJECTIONS.

MR SPEAKER USES THE GUILLOTINE. A VICTIM OF PARAGRAPHS. By Telegraph. (Special to the Oamaru Mail.) ' Wellington, September 27. In a newspaper paragraph last week, reporting a reprimand of Mr H. G. Ell by Mr Speaker on account of interjections during a debate, the member for Christch.ureh South was represented as a frequent offender. He resented this, and this afternoon he raised the matter in the House, alleging that he had been grossly misrepresented. He had been examining the English and Commonwealth Hansards and found that interjections were reported. He would like to know "if they were, to he allowed in the New Zealand House.

The Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, remarked that he had seen the criticism and believed it was an attempt to exaggerate and twist a thing to convey a political color. ''l suffer from that myself," added Sir Joseph. 'Mr Masscy: We all do. Sir Joseph said that he had never known a more courteous member on his feet than Mr Ell. He was very earnest and said nothing even in the heat of debate that could be. looked upon as offensive.

Mr Massev agreed that it was onlv fair to Mr Kll to sax/ that his interjections were neither objectionable nor offensive. Like himself, Mr EH was rather fond of interjections. The Hon. A. R. Guinness (Speaker) said that no doubt interjections were allowed in the English and Commonwealth Parliaments, but it is a breach of the rules of debate to interject. During the present session interjections had become very frequent from both sides of the House, and he had tried to.stop them. He had personally come under severe criticism for permitting it. He had tried to tise his power as gently as he could at the start, and he intended to continue to prevent interjections. It would be unfair to suggest that Mr EIL on Friday had been guilty of interjection afternoon and evening. The three interjections for which he had been called to order occurred within a few minutes. Mr Greenslade: Do you intend to adhere to the rule that there must be no interjections? Mr Speaker: I cannot say that because sometimes a member may ask a very simple question and ask for information. Anything in the way of contradictory interjections are very objectionable.