"ALREADY DECIDED"

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17029, 14 August 1929, Page 7

"ALREADY DECIDED"

WHEAT DUTY QUESTION MEMBER'S REFLECTIONS (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. In venturing on a criticism of the Government's intention in setting up a .Select Committee to report on wheat duties. Captain 11. M. Rushworth, Bay of Islands, used an expression which Mr. Speaker asked him to withdraw. He declared that it was freely rumored that the Government had done a deal with the wheat growers. This was freely rumored at the Farmers' Union conference, and when the member for Egmont had quite reasonably suggested that the Select Committee be increased by four North Island members the Minister of Lands did not dare take the lisk of accepting that suggestion. "I am satisfied," continued Captain Rushworth, "thai the decision of that committee, if not already written, is agreed upon, and the finding of that committee is already discredited." The Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lauds, raised a point of order as to whether a speaker was justified in saying the verdict had ~een settled. The committee, he pointed out. had not met. Mr. H. G. Dickie, Patea: The dice seems to be loaded. Mr. Speaker held that the reference to the committee being already discredited was ft reflection which must be withdrawn, and the member for the Bay of Islands complied. He made no further reference to the subject.