INCIDENT IN THE HOUSE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22519, 13 March 1935, Page 10

INCIDENT IN THE HOUSE

A SERIOUS ACCUSATION MEMBER FORCED TO WITHDRAW (From Our Parliamentary Retoeter> WELLINGTON, March 12. A sensational incident occurred in the House of Representatives to-night when Mr F. Langstone (Waimarino) accused the Minister (Mr J. G. Coates) of telling a deliberate lie during the discussion in committee of a clause in the Mortgage Corporation Bill. Although called on by the Chairman of Committees to withdraw the remark, Mr Langstone steadfastly refused to do so, with the result that Mr Speaker was sent for. Fventually Mr Laugstone acceded to the Speaker's suggestion to withdraw the words and express regret. Mr Langstone was then directed to leave • the Chamber while the House considered the position. The view that Mr Langstone had misunderstood what had been said was expressed by Mr Coates, and the House decided to take no further action. The incident occurred when Mr Coates, in response to a question by Mr Langstone, was explaining why the clause in the Bill had been amended to provide that the dividend on shares should be fixed at 4J per cent. In the course of his explanation Mr Coates denied that any financial interests had asked him to make that amendment as had been suggested. He said that some members'of the House had seen him, and as a result of a discussion on the point he had deferred to their opinion, and had amended the clause to make the rate 4J per cent. Mr Langstone asked who the members were.

Mr Coates said that similar representations had been made in the House, " Some members on this (the Labour) side of the House had asked for it." he said, " but they have gone back on it."

" That's a deliberate lie," said Mr Langstone. '

The Chairman of Committees asked Mr Langstone to withdraw the term, but Mr Langstone said: "I will not withdraw. It was absolutely a deliberate lie." Mr Nash then named Mr Langstone, and Mr Coated moved that the Speaker be sent for. In the meantime Mr D. G. Sullivan suggested to Mr Langstone that he should substitute the term " deliberate mis-statement," but Mr Langstone did not accept the suggestion. When the Speaker took the chair, the circumstances of the incident were outlined to him by Mr Nash. •

Giving his account of the happening, Mr Langstone said that Mr Coates had said members inside the House and nq one outside the House had asked him to raise the rate from 4 to 4J per cent. Mr Coates had then said that members on the Labour benches had gone to him. Mr Coates: I did not.

Mr Langstone: By word and implication the Minister said that the members of this party had asked for that, and I said that was a deliberate lie. I felt that way at the,time. I felt he was doing a grievous injustice to this side of the House by casting that reflection. The Speaker intervened to say that he thought Mr Langstone had gone far enough in his explanation, because_ if he had used the words " deliberate lie" to another member and had refused to withdraw them he had committed a very grave offence. The Speaker asked Mr Langstone whether he proposed to withdraw the words, and pointed out that whether he did so or not he would, be asked to leave the chamber while the House deliberated on the position. Mr Langstone: In deference to your ruling and out of respect to you The Speaker: You must not put it that way. There must be an unqualified withdrawal, and I think you should also express regret Mr Langstone: All right, sir. At the Speaker's direction, Mr Langstone then withdrew.

Asked whether he proposed to take any action, Mr Coates said that Mr Langstone was under a complete misapprehension if the explanation of the circumstances he had given was what he : thought had occurred. Mr Sullivan: He was under the impression you said that members on this side of the House had gone to you. " There is only one way. to deal with a question of this kind," said Mr Coates, '* but in the circumstances I feel that Mr Langstone was so far wide of understanding what I said." Mr Sullivan: You did. say members ot the Opposition had asked you to do this and had then run away.

Mr Coatcs: If you persist T think there is only one resolution to move, and I don't want to move it. The point is that all through it has been said these proposals are in th,e interests of the financiers, and I said, that was not so. I believe frankly that Mr Langstone misunderstood the position, and I am quite prepared to accept his withdrawal and expression of regret. At the Speaker's suggestion, Mr Coates then moved that no further action be taken, and the motion was agreed to, thus closing the incident.