MR. WILLIS ADAMANT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 7, 2 September 1912, Page 6

MR. WILLIS ADAMANT.

(By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.)

Press Association.) Sydney, September 1Mr. McGowen refuses to discuss the Willis incident. He will confer with Mr Willis to-morrow. Mr. Wills, interviewed, repeated the statements contained in his memorandum. The “Telegraph” had been guilty of contempt and wilfully misrepresenting what took place in the House, and had incited members to disorder by commending a suspended member for his bad conduct. Asked whether the complaint referred to actual reports or to leading articles, Mr. Willis did not reply definitely. In a second interview he remarked that he could only recognise the “Telegraph” as one publication, controlled by one editor. Ho declared that an assurance that the writers on the “Telegraph” will respect the authority of Parliament should be forthcoming, failing which their exclusion must continue.

FURTHER PRESS PROTESTS. (Received 2, 9.45. a.in.) Sydney, September 2. The “Telegraph,”' in a loader referring to the statement by Mr. Willis that the “Telegraph” had been adindged guilty of contempt in wilfully misrepresenting what took place in the House, asks: “By whom was Oie paper adjudged guilty? We had no notice to appear before any tribunal having jurisdiction in that mattoi and as such tribunals could not adjudge people guilty of malicious conduct without hearing the defence, »e are at a loss to know how the juctgment is arrived at. it quotes th pronouncement of Mr. Holman, Acting Premier, at the close of last session, that the daily papers were eminently fair-in reporting events and Ictu nothing to complain of m the degree of fulness and prominence given. Refeirin'g to the charge of commending on a suspended mofnher for had conduct, the ‘Telegraph” says; “Even if we did dare to suggest that the member whom Mr. W ilis thougnt worthy pi suspension had done nothing to justify such treatment, wo consider wo were quite within the rights of a free citizen.” The “Herald” says: “Already Mi. Willis has claimed the exercise ci powers absolutely in excess of his jurisdiction, but his attempts were confined to members of the House. Mr. Willis now aspires to dictate to the people of New South Wales and ecl.t all political news, and comment. In fact, unless the views of the pres* happew to coincide with those of the Speaker, the electors are to he kept in ignorance of what is going on in Parliament.” (Received 2, 9.45 a.m ) Melbourne, September 2. The “Age” says: “Mr. Willis, in excluding a section of the press, has attempted to convert his Parliamentary office into a sort of dictatorship which'shall be immune alike from criticism, supervision or reproach. Ihe exclusion of a section of the press is necessarily the exclusion of a section cl the body politic; the general exclusion of the press means the general exclusion of the people. Mr. Willis fancied he was adroitly punishing a proprietary which offended him, hut wluu ho reallv did was to trample on the rights of that moiety of the population which obtains its political intelligence in the ‘TelegraphV’