A BREACH OF PRIVILEGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13385, 11 September 1905, Page 4 (Supplement)

A BREACH OF PRIVILEGE.

REV. DR GIBB FOUND GUILTY. WELLINGTON, September 1. The House wasted a_ good deal of time to-day over a breach of privilege question.. The breach of privilege consmted of letters ■written to Messrs Rutherford and Witty by the Rev. Dr Gibb in connection with their attitude on the Bible-in-sohools question. These letters were to the effect that when tho agent of the Bible-in-Schools Referendum League visited the constituencies of tho gentlemen in. question he would do his best to make public their breach of faith in promising the Canterbury branch to vote for referring the question of Biblereading in schools to the people, and then voting against the bill providing for a plebiscite. The Premier said he deeply regretted the necessity for moving that a breach of privilege had been committed,'' but it was his duty to do so.-Sir William •Russell, Mr Duthic, and others doubted yrbether there was any breach of privilege in the letters, and characterised the matter as trivial in the extreme.—Mr Rutherford, speaking with some heat, said the Standing Orders would not permit of his using language sufficiently/strong to express his feelings in tho matter. He- characterised Dr Gibb's action as "the arrogance of an intolerant, religious bounder."—(Sensation, and cries of "Oh! Oh!") Dr Gihb, he added, could send his agent into Ilia (Mr Rutherford's) district, and do the worst ho could. If his electors did not want him • then they could choose someone eke. "This man," he said, again referring to Dr Gibb, " ought to have lived 200 or 300 years ago. In that case lie would have been found tying them .up to the stake, as his Presbyterian ancestors had done. An Act of Parliament should be passed to prevent such people from writing to (A Voice: "Timid men."—Laughter.)—Mr Rutherr ford: To members of Parliament.—l More laughter.) Persons such as these should bo brought under the first clause of the Noxious Weeds Act. The country had a great deal too many of these political parsons. They were, the curse of this country and of every other country,-Mr \Yitty said if they allowed these men to rule it would mean that they would be going back to tho dark I ages. "Lord hejp those," he said, "who aro under such'men as this so-called fir Gibb." He for one would sooner leave public life and beg for his bread and his children's bread rather than bo dominated over by a man like Dr Gibb. "Sir," he said, " wo ar* simply going to be ruled by fanatics—(Cries of "No!")—if we are to allow such men as he to have their way. He is supposed to teach religion and goodwill, but instead of that he is stirring up Strife."—Mr Rutherford: He is a regular clerical bounder.—(" Oh! Oil!")—Mr Witty: "Yes, as my friend says, a regular c)e'ric?l bounder."—Mr Massey rose to protest. He portested. strongly at their wasting the time of the House over such a. trivial matter.— Mr Seddon said there had been a menace.— (Laughter.) Mr Massey: I don't think there has, and I don't believe that such was intended by Dr Gibb.—ln order to stop the discussion, Mr Massjy moved the previous question. Tho carrying of such a motion would have ended the matter, but on a division it was lost by 29 ayes (mostly Opposition) to 36. The Speaker (without further debate) had then to put Mr Seddon's motion that a breach of privilege had been tommitted, and this the Government managed to carry by, 37 to 27. Mr Seddon: then intimated that he did not intend to proceed further in the matter. Mr Massey rose to speak,* and to put himself in order -moved that the'breach of privilege committed was f.o slight that it was not worthy of notice. He said Mr Seddon would liavq been conEiilting his own dignity and the dignity of Parliament if he bad ignored so trivial a matter.—f Hear, hear.") He contended that there was neither menace nor threat in the letters.. _ Evcngraqted that a breach had been committed, it was the most trivial he had known in his 12 sessions of Parliament.' Mr Seddon still contended that tho breach of privilege oommitted was a very serious, one. —(Laughter.) Mr Hardy: Then, why don't you proceed further if it is a serious matter. The discussion was continued until the dinner adjournment, and resumed on tho reassembling of members at 7.3o.'—Mr Bedford; chaffed Messrs Rutherford ' and Witty. If they had been New Liberals during Hy past few weeks they might have some cause for complaint.—Mr Rutherford: What about the thousand pounds and poor old Twoomey.—(Laughter.) You go for the . dollars every time.—(Laughter.) The debate tos ended ai 8 p.m. by Mr Wilford moving the previous question. This was carried by '.37-io-Sk The general impression is that the Government made a tactical blunder in tringini*ihe atrter, up at all. :.-

.. . BBV. DR .OHM'S REPLY. . - (FBOM . •' ra OTW CoksespOKDEKT.) . - .'WELLINGTON, September ♦. • lit St. 7 John's Church last evening tho •Hoy. Dr Gibb retired to the recent action of,tbe -House of Representatives in adjudgjig- birn guilty : of a.-breach of privilege. "I suppose," he said, "many of'you exgect mo to say something oonccrning the remarkable 'breadi of privilege: debate m the -TTouse tie ofefr evenißg. it jrsg w

many rspects a very rdmarkablo debate. If a membor of Parliament proves falsa to bis promises you may, it seems, go into his electorate and plainly tell his constituents, as that' involves no breach of privilege; but, marvellous to relate, if you venture to intimate your intention to the person chiefly concerned, you are guilty of an offence against the laws of the House. Well, for my part, I utterly fail to see the point whioh a majority of the House apparently saw clearly, and in like circumstances I will again do exactly what I did. The fact is that it is time, and more than time, for the promoters of the great erusado for tho restoration of the Bible to the public _ schools to fpak straight out, and to insist that promises made to them shall bo kept. It has come to a preeious pass in this supposedly free community if a man may not speak out his convictions about Parliament and its members without let or hindrance. And yet Ido not think that anything better for tho cause oouk! happen than that an effort should bo made to resrict freedom of speech. But that will not happen. There will be no martvr made. Neither bonds nor imprisonment await the - boldest. champion of "'our cause. A? a matter of fact, the laughter which greeted the statement that tho dignity of the House had been vindicated shorn clearly cnoueh Jiow the matter was regarded by Parliament itself. The whole thing is absurd. The discussion, however, revealed _ a remarkable vocabulary of vituperation, and a dictionary of slan* might be enriched bv culling some of the choice expressions that were used bv one or two members concerning the bold bsd man who had dared to invade th? sacrosanct privileges of Parliament. I have however.. it was ?aid. been sufficiently punished. Well, well! I ),avo had a „- oo ;i (leal of quiet. wnjisemfint out of thai shtp. mcnt, as doubtless so have v o u. Th» 00l lection will be taken up, and tho choir will L ;rd.>» thCm ' BlfSSed 153 fcho «5