BREEZE IN THE HOUSE

Southland Times, Issue 17789, 19 July 1916, Page 5

BREEZE IN THE HOUSE

MR PAYNE SUSPENDED.

M’rom Oour Own Correspondent)

WELLINGTON, duly IS

An incident which resulted In Mr .1. Payne (East Lynn) being suspended for tiie remainder of the sitting occurred about three-quarters of an hour before the House adjourned this evening. Mr Payne, in a speech on the Land and Income Tax Bill, protested against the issue of war debentures being free of income tax. The scheme, he said, was in the interests of big financial institutions, whom he described as “ungodly vultures. - ’ Any Minister who would support such a proposition, he continued; was one of the biggest traitors to the British Empire.

The Speaker cabled upon Mr Payne to Withdraw this expression.

Mr Payne; I absolutely refuse. I brand the Minister as a traitor to this country.

The Speaker: Will the honourable gentleman resume his seat. Mr Payne: I never saw anything so damnable in all my life.

The Speaker: The honourable member must not use such language. I must name him if he disregards the ruling of the chair.

Mr Payne: I w'ill take my stand before the country.

The Speaker: Does the honourable member refuse to withdraw and express regret ? Mr Payne: I would rather go out of Parliament. The Speaker: 'Then the honourable member will withdraw from the chamber. ' Mr Payne then walked out. Sir Joseph Ward said; I want to say that I have no feeling in this matter. It is no concern of mine what a member’s opinion of me may be, but we must enforce respect for our rules. 1 have no objection to giving the honourable member another chance.

Mr Payne (who was re-asked to enter the Chamber) was informed by the Speaker that the House had decided to give him another chance to withdraw the words complained of. Mr Payne: The thing is so dastardly that I refuse to withdraw under any circumstances.

The Speaker: The honourable member cannot make nny statement. If he refuses to withdraw, he will again leave the Chamber, while the House considers the question.

Mr Payne: Very well. , When Mr Payne had left the Chamber, Sir Joseph Ward said that in the absence of the Prime Minister he regretted to have to move that the member for Grey Lynn be suspended for the remainder of the sitting. A Member: Is that all? Sir Joseph Ward; I think that is sufficient. My feeling is that we do not want to make a martyr of the member for Grey Lynn. The motion for suspension was earned by a quiet House and the incident ended.