DISGRACEFUL SCENE

Southland Times, Issue 21273, 19 December 1930, Page 5

DISGRACEFUL SCENE

FEDERAL PARLIAMENT INCIDENT. PROMINENT MEMBERS AT GRIPS. (United Press Assn.—By Telegraph-Copyright.) Sydney, December 18. The Sydney Morning Herald describes the scene in the Federal Parliament last night as the most disgraceful ever witnessed. Mr Fenton’s opening words were received with an uproar from an Opposition member who shouted: “This is the worst job that ever has been put over here.”

Mr Green: It is barefaced robbery. Mr Parkhill: It is an absolute swindle. Mr Gullett: And a public scandal.

The chairman of committee vainly called for order, but the disorder became overwhelming and Mr Fenton resumed his seat. Upon his continuing a later remark about the Mungana leases caused a violent storm. The Speaker abruptly left the chair and the scene culminated when Mr Theodore and Mr Latham, Leader of the Opposition, came to grips and struggled, while many of their colleagues formed an excited ring round them. All sense of decency was lost in uncontrolled rage.

A message published yesterday stated: There was an angry scene in the House of Representatives when the acting Prime Minister, Mr J. E. Fenton, introduced a schedule imposing an export duty of a half-penny per pound on sheepskins in the wool, obviously with the idea of helping the local fellmongery industry. Opposition members shouted “Scandalous,” “How much did the Labour Party get out of this?” while somebody interjected something about Mungana leases which brought Mr Theodore to his feet. He walked towards the Opposition benches amid a terrific din. A fight seemed imminent, but the intervention of members on both sides of the House prevented a display of fisticuffs which a minute before seemed inevitable.