SCENE IN THE HOUSE.
A NEW MINISTER IN TROUBLE. (E"rox£ Oto Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, June 13. After Mr Hogg's speech yesterday afternoon, the Government benches seemed to be shrouded in gloom and depression, but; subsequently a remark _by another of the new Ministers made the political atmosphere "onGe more electrical. - The trouble arose while Mr ' Malcoln* was referring to ths sxibject of retrenchment. The member for Clutha > was pointing out that it was the errors of Jhe present Administration that had! rendered the ' present retrenchment policy necessary. Sir Harry Atkinson, on tt« other hand, had to carry" out a retrench-•-menit scheme, the necessity for which was ' not of his own making. I At this stage the Hon. T. Mackenz.*« interjected " Partly," to which Mr Massey replied, " You are stating what is incorrect." After a sharp interchange of contradict tions between the two members, . Mr T. Mackenzie blurted out : ■'* Your-- are stating that which you know to be absolutely; false." — (Crie&.of '"dOi-der .'"'"Order P',V Mr Massey (heatedly) : I more, that tKp.e words be taken down. I am not going to take that statement from" him or from • ajiy other member of this House. .. "- -- Mr Speaker : What were the words ? - Mr Massey explain-ed that the hon. member had charged him with making a-state-ment that was absolutely false. '" The Speaker : The^Minisfcer mitst "with-" draw that word. He. kndwufc -\a unparliamentary. - "^ '. '' ' Mr Mackenzie : The ' hon. • gentleman jumps at conclusions: — (Cries "of'"Withdraw ! '' " Withdraw ! ") . "":*". The Speaker: You must obey the ruling of the chair. Mr Mackenzie : I'll do so, but I underetind that a member has the' right to- explain. < The Speaker: You must, comply with the ruling of the chair and explain afterwards. "' Mr Mackenzie : I did not . say he considered it was false. What I meant was that tlvs statement that Sir Harry Atkinson had nothing to do "with deficits- orevioue to his retrenchment scheme was incorrect. The Atkinson Administration; had previously been responsible for deficits. I know that the hon. gentleman would not knowingly have made a statement that was false. I meant that the statement about the previous deficits of the^ Atkinson i Government w?.6 incorrect. , I Mr Speaker: That expression is quit* 1 parliamentary ; the other was not.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW19090623.2.146
Bibliographic details
Otago Witness, Issue 2883, 23 June 1909, Page 34
Word Count
367SCENE IN THE HOUSE. Otago Witness, Issue 2883, 23 June 1909, Page 34
Using This Item
Allied Press Ltd is the copyright owner for the Otago Witness. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons New Zealand BY-NC-SA licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Allied Press Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.