MEMBER SUSPENDED

Otago Witness, Issue 3212, 6 October 1915, Page 13

MEMBER SUSPENDED

SCENE IN THE HOUSE,

WELLINGTON, September 23. A sharp interjection, and a refusal ua* conditionally to withdraw certain words used, led to Mr Wilford (member lor Hutt) being suspended by the House to-day until the termination oi this afternoon’s sitting. When concluding' a reply to a question asked by Mr Wrlford whether it would not bo better for the Government completely to equip the Marama instead of depending upon voluntary subscription for this purpose, the Minister said he would l>a loth, indeed, to take away from the country this opportunity of making patriotic* contributions.

Mr Wilford: Dirty answers again. The Speaker i I must ask tho hon, gentianman to withdraw that expression. It is unparliamentary, Mr Wilford: Then I do withdraw it. I shall say instead that they are typical methods of the Minister of Defence. 1 -*e Speaker: The hon. gentleman is still not in order. Ho must withdraw his remark unreservedly. He must withdraw Ida latter remark. Mr Wilford; I decline to do so. The Speaker: Then, 1 must name the hop. gentleman, and call upon the Prime Minister. Mr Massey said he regretted the incident, but tho ruling of the Speaker had to be obeyed bv every member of tho House. The member for Hutt was like many other members, rather impetuous occasionally, but he (Mr Massey) hoped that ho woula withdraw the objectionable expression. Mr Jennings: Not right or wrong? The Speaker said tho member for Hutt had made use of an expression that ho thought objectionable. He had withdrawn that expression, but had substituted something else for it. He (tho Speaker) oidereo that the objectionable expression should bo. withdrawn unreservedly, Mr Wilford: I thank you. Mr Snooker, for the consideration you have given. t made use of tho words '’dirty answers” on tho spur of the moment, and I withdraw them unreservedly. I substituted ’V. plead” for dirty, and 1 decline to withdraw ‘ cynical.”

Mr Hornsby ; Hoar ! Hear ! The Prime Minister said he was sorry to hear the member for Wairarapa supportmg the member for Hutt. All members of the House felt annoyed at times, but the right thing to do was to obey tho Speaker. Mr Jennings: Not right or wrong. Hon Members: Order.

Mr Jennings: I won’t be in order. Mr Massey moved that the member for Hutt should be suspended for the remainder' of that day’s sitting. Mr Wilford withdrew from the Chamber. Mr Witty sought to justify the stand taken up by Mr Wilford, and asked that the punishment proposed be modified. Mr Hornsby said that such scene-, and tho possibility of such scenes woaid bar obviated if the Minister in replying to questions were a little less harsh ar.d un-

compromising in his manner. Sir Joseph Ward said this was a time when private friendships in Parliament must be forgotten before the necessity of upholding tho Speaker and the rules ol the House. Such a position as had arisen was most regrettable, but the duty of tho House was clear, and the Speaker must be supported. Ho suggested, however, that tho Prime Minister modify his resoluion to provide that the House express regret as the attitude taken up by the member for Hutt, and) that the member for Hutt ho suspended only for that afternoon’s sitting. There was very important business to conn before the House that evening, end h« would not wish to see Mr Wilford pro vented from being present. The Prime Minister said he would modify his motion to read that the member foi Hutt be suspended until he withdraw tht words, and apologised, or until ti l-r-

mination of that afternoon’s sitting, sonaliy, added Mr Massey, he did no

certain members wore justified in ' ■ w that Ministers in replying to questions wore not courteous. He (Mr Massey) always tried to bo courteous even when replying to questions not courteously put. and 1 he did not think that the Minister of Defence had been discourteous. He could see nothing that could be so described in what Mr Allen had said. Mr Hornsby: It was the innuendo.

The Prime Minister said he did net think there was any innuendo. Mr Wilford was called in and given another opportunity to withdraw his remark. Mr Wilford said ho regretted that he had been placed in a position ho had never before, and ho thanked the Prime Minister for the consideration he had .diown in altering th# motion. “ But I never give in when I have made up my mind 1 hat I am right,” he said. ‘‘With all due . e.-t to this House, and with the grea.te.si ence to you, Sir, I decline to withdi words I used.” Mr Wilford then left the Cliambi the Prime Minister’s motion was ]• A division was called for, and the mot , was carried by 40 votes to 17. ’The division list was as follows: Ayes. —Allen, Bollard, Buick, Coates, Craigie, J. M. Dickson. J. S. Dickson, Escott, T. A. H. Field, W. 11. Field, Fraser, Guthrie, Herdman, Harris, Parian, Herries, Hudson, Lee, MacDonaVi, Dr M‘Nab, Malcolm, Massey, Myers, D. A. K. Newman, E. Newman, Nosworthy, Okey, Parr, Pearce, Dr Pomare, T. W. Rhodes, Russell, Scott, Statham, W. Stewart, Sykes, Thomson, Ward, Wright, Young. Noes. —Anstey, Colvin, Ell, Fletcher, Hindmarsh, Hornsby, Isitt, Jennings, M'Callum, McCombs, Poland, Pool',, Thacker, Veitch, Walker, Webb, WiUy.