PAYNE AGAIN NAMED.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14048, 19 July 1916, Page 9

PAYNE AGAIN NAMED.

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A RENUNCIATION AND A CLIMAX. SUSPENDED FOR THE SITTING. CFrom Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The member for Grey Lynu, who, since he entered Parliament, ■■■ has established something of a record ior creating scenes, startled the House last night with another of his high explosive bombshells, which led to his being "named" and suspended for the remainder of the sitting, although, as tho House adjourned within half an hour of tho scene, tho penalty was not a very heavy one. The incident arose m tlie.. course of a discussion upon some amendments, mostly of a. technical nature, which had been introduced to the Land and Income Tax Bill. Mr Payne, m speaking, had worked himself into a state of explosive indignation over a proposal m the Bill to exempt four and a-half per cent, war debentures from income tax, and capped his denunciation of such a policy by exclaiming that the scheme was m the interests of the big financial institutions, whom he designated as ungodly vultures, .adding, m excited accents, "And the Minister who would bring down such a proposal is, m my opinion, one of the biggest traitors to the British Empire." A loud murmur of disapproval ran all round the benches at this outburst, obviously directed at the Finance Minister, who rose to protest at the same time as Mr Speaker called upon the member to withdraw the offensive words. Mv Payne : Very well, Mr 'Speaker, I withdraw, but unfortunately 1 He was intexrupted m loud cries of indignation, while Mr Speaker again called upon him to withdraw unconditionally. Sir Joseph Ward thereupon drew Mr Speaker's attention to the fact that he had been dubbed as a traitor by jfche member for Grey Lynn, and Mr Payne was then peremptorily called upon to apologise for haying made such a statement. Mr. Payne (excitedly) : I refuse. 1 absolutely refuse, and brand him as a traitor to this country. . (Shouts of indignation greeted this defianca of Mr Speaker's ruling, but Mr Payne, undaunted by. expressions of disapproval by his fellow members, plunged yet deeper into troublo by crying, m loud tones, "I never saw anything so damnable m all my life." AL* Speaker : It will then bo my •painful duty to /'name" the hon. member for disobeying the ruling of the House. If the honorable member refuses to withdraw and express* regret he must withdraw from the chamber." Mr Payne (In a white heat of excitement) : I certainly refuse. I would rather go out. of Parliament, Mi' Speaker. Mr .Speaker th,en announced that be would "nliiae" the member, and ordered him out of the House. Aft^r .the .member, had withdrawn, Sir Joseph f Ward, announced that, m the absence of the Prime Minister, it was liis- very unpleasant :duty to move, ascording to the. standing orders, that the member.be suspended. The Minister explained that The had no personal feeling m the matter at all, but the traditions and pi'oprieties of the House had to be maintained. 'Before moving, however, he suggested that the member should be given another opportunity of withdrawing the offensive words. Mi* Speaker complained that he had already given the member two: chances, while several members raised their voices against another chance being accorded Mi* Payne, but upon Sir Joseph Ward urging liis appeal the member was sent for, and informed • that the House had decided to give him another opportunity to withdraw, Sir Joseph Ward remarking : 'T think the honorable member realises now that he used the words m a time of -heat and not deliberately." Mr Payne, still unrepentant, replied : "The thing is absolutely so dastardly that I absolutely, refuse to withdraw under any circumstances. That is the only statement I havo to make." Ho was accordingly retired again from the chamber, and Sir Joseph Ward proceeded to move his suspension for the remainder of the sitting, adding that it would serve no ; good purpose to make the suspension for a longer period, as the motion would serve as an expression of ' disapproval by the HouseJ and as en indication that the rulings of the House must be observed. As no discussion, of such motion is, under, the ruling of Parliamentary procedure, permissible, Mr Speaker put it, and it was carried m the usual formal manner. ..- ■ . ■ ■