AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10508, 19 November 1912, Page 5

AUSTRALIAN POLITICS.

EXTRAORDINARY SCENES. MEMBERS EJECTED. ; CHARGES AGAINST SPEAKER WILLIS. United Press Association. —By Electric Telegraph. —Copyright. Received November 19, 9 a.m. There were protracted sittings preparatory to closing the session, and there was a disorganised Assembly. An extraordinary scene of disorder lasting nearly two hours', resulted in the ejection of Messrs Bruntnell, Cohen, Levy, Pallick, White and Wood, deputy Leader of the Opposition. Mr Gardiner and Mr Moxham also came into collision with the Sneaker and those named. *The trouble arose through the sergeant reporting that Mr; Perry after his removal which was ordered during a recent sitting had returned to the House, and participated in the business in defiance of authority. Mr McGowen moved that Mr Perry bei?adjudged guilty of contempt and be suspended for a week. A series of angry scenes followed wherein the Speaker was accused of petulance, insulting members, and stifling the truth. His rulings were strongly resented and amongst others three Ministerialists entered protests, ■ Mr Holman trying to throw oil upon the troubled waters, ■ the Speaker saying that if he understood that t!ie Attorney-General was encouraging the Opposition he would certainly deal with him. The Speaker’s neply to the charges was that the chair is paramount and if a member has been ordered to withdraw that is sufficient. The excitement continued to increase, and businessSwas Mr Edden suddenly moved the adjournment of the debate, and amid uproar Speaker Willis declared this carried and adjournment was made till to-day amid loud cheering from mixied groups of the Opposition. | The fact that the Speaker’s actions were strongly resented by a number of Ministerialists as well as by the Opposition has placed Government in a quandary, and as soon as the House rose a meeting of Cabinet was summoned to discuss the situation. ' Mr Holman, in an interview, said that while supporting Mr Wiilis over the Perry incident he stated that Mr McGowen decided to secure an adjournment of the debate -to prevent further disorder. Interesting developments are expected.