PARLIAMENTARY .LANGUAGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15892, 11 October 1913, Page 10

PARLIAMENTARY .LANGUAGE

SOME INTERESTING RULIi\GS.

(Fbou Odb Own Correspondent.}

WELLINGTON, October 10. The debate in committee on the Land Bill this evening was interrupted by a motion to obtain the Speaker's decision regarding a ruling' by the Acting-chairrnan of Committees (Mr Leo) in respect to the use of certain "words by a member towards another member. Mr T. W. Rhodes in the course of his remarks made use of some harmless expression which was apparently misunderstood and taken by some members of the Opposition as a reflection upon them. .Mr Isitt, who followed, sarcastically referred to the member for Thames as " the Colossus of Rhodes." Mr Rhodes did not appear to relish this appellation, but the incident, so far as this trifling interchange was concerned, passed off without trouble. When Mr Anderson spoke, shortly afterwards, he referred to what Mt Ifiitt had said, and went to say, "If it were in order I would say that the hon. gentleman ought to be ashamed of himself, but as it is not in order I will, not say it." Mr Russell raised the question of! whether Mr Anderson was in order, and the Chairman ruled that he had not transgressed the rules of debate. The Hon. A. T. Ngata: Would it be in order,-then, Mr Lee, if I were to say tojou, "If it was in order I would say ' You are a fool,' but as it is not in order I will not say it?"

Mr Lee: I am not called upon to rule in a supposititious case like that.

Mr Russell said that if the chairman's ruling in regard to Mr Anderson was maintained it would mean that the widest possible latitude would be given to members in the use of language. He moved thai tho Speaker's ruling be obtained, and this was agreed to. Mr Speaker ruled that the words "ought to be ashamed of himself," when used in. the course of a speech, were not unparliamentary, and that, therefore, the objection to Mr Anderson's remark could not be upheld. He ruled, however, that if the words quoted had been unparliamentary the succeeding words, " but as it is not in order I will not say it," would not have qualified tho expression to tho extent of making it parliamentary. Later in tho evening Mr Witty replied to an interjection from a Government member by telling him to "kennel up." The Prime Minister called attention to this, and Mr Witty withdrew the remark, at the sa.me time, however, saying that ho would advise tho lion, gentleman not to interrupt and bark. The'latter expression had also to be withdrawn.