ATTACK ON GOVERNMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19890, 9 September 1926, Page 10

ATTACK ON GOVERNMENT.

MR HARRIS’S POSITION. EXPLANATION IN THE HOUSE. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, September 8. In the House of Representatives this afternoon Mr Harris reopened the matter of the difference between himself and the Government respecting the Motor Omnibus Bill. He said: “I want, at this stage, to make a statement. I want to reply to a question put to me last night by the Acting Leader of the Government. He asked me to consider my position in view of a statement I made during my speech which reflected on the Government. _ I desire to say I have considerd my position and that I endorse every word I said last night. I am convinced that the Government has allowed itself to be influenced against its better judgment by outside financial interests in a manner highly discreditable. I don’t suggest the Government has been guilty of improper practice.’ The Chairman of Committees (Mr F. F. Hockly) said that he thought that Mr Harris’s remarks were outside what was allowed by parliamentary practice, and must be withdrawn.

Mr Harris said that he respected the Chairman’s ruling, though he did not agree with it. “I don’t say,” continued Mr Harris, “that the Government is wilfully guilty oi improper practice, but that, in spite of repeated warnings, it has failed lamentably to appreciate the importance of spurning anything that savours in any way of the improper. My position, then, is that I have called public attention to what I believe to be tactics which, if not rigorously checked, will aim a fatal blow at the purity of our public life, and I consider I would be failing in my duty were I to refrain from doing so. In saying what I have, I wish to assure the Government I am actuated solely by a sincere regard for its welfare and a jealous respect for the maintenance of its good name.” PRIME MINISTER’S ATTITUDE. ACTING LEADER SUPPORTED. (Per- United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, September 8. The Prime Minister accords his full support to the Acting Leader of the House (the Hon. W. Downie Stewart) in his castigation in Parliament of Mr A. Harris, tho member for Waitemata, for the latter’s attack on the honesty of purpose of the Government with respect to the application of tho Motor Omnibus Traffic Bill to Takapuna. “I endorse every word Mr Downie Stewart said.” Mr Coates stated in an interview. “In fact, 1 think Mr Stewart let him, down too lightly. 1 would have used much stronger language. If a member cannot support us on the grounds of honesty of purpose, we have no use for him. We don’t want him.” When tho Prime Minister’s attention was drawn to the announcement that Mr Harris intends to reserve freedom of action regarding his attendance at Reform Party caucuses in future, he repeated his remark that he had no use for a member who could not support the Government on tho grountls of honesty of purpose. “That’s all right,” Mr Coates added. “He can do what he likes. We don’t want him. He can go home as tar as we are concerned.”