The Jarvis Drama.

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 16, 4 October 1929, Page 4

The Jarvis Drama.

'Hi© opening performance of the Mew South Wales Legislative As* sembly on September 1,/tfi drew a bumper house. Feminine enthusiasts flocked to tiie galleries, and there were more spring hats and spring frocks than have been seen in Parliament for many a session. The drama which held the audience spell-bound all tiie afternoon and into the night was that much-advertised piece, “The Case of Major Jarvie, ALL.A.,” in which all the leading actors of the Assembly took part. The very aid, vibrated with the name of Jarvie, Opposition members roared and thundered it. The Premier moved several resolutions to bring 1 it,more prominently before everybody’s attention. Andj finally Mr Jarvie spoke on himself for two and a half long hoturs. To him it was a matter of great moment, but to witness the full strength of the State’s chosen representatives of both parties occupying a whole sitting discussing it, one would have thought it was more important, than all the other concerns of the country. Government and Opposition have told us that matters of immediate a.nd -Past (importamc<i are trembling with impatience to be dealt with, and yet—a whole day spent on discussing Mr Jarvie!

The Premier opened the drama by moving that the Mouse consider the report” of the Royal Commission, which condemned -Mr Jarvie in connection with tiie alleged; oiler of £20!) to the late Chief Secretary on the occasion. of an application to run a ’bus from Camp.sic to the Central Station. The Opposition rose in arms, affirming that this was a method of allowing Mr Jarvie to explain and resign, and thus save the Premier 1 fiom the necessity of expelling him. “You am making him 'jump over the political Gap,”” shouted Mr Lang; “you arc asking Parliament to do the Governmentis dirty work.” Mr Lvsaght in the full panoply of his bearded dignity, boomed at the Premier such phrases’ as “rotten-hearted fnoml,’’ “serpentine and reptilian. enndtuci; and Mr Lmwarim described the motion as making the Assembly “move ororiferons and swePful than any, other Parliament.” Messrs Davidson and Connolly nroved that they were in all their old form by forcing the Speaker to call them to order. * * * In his. two and a half hours’ defence, M r Jarvie said, “before God he was innocent”. He was the victim ol deliberately-concocted evidence which, had misled the Royal Commission, lie added. He had been acquitted and exonerated; by a jury of his peers, Mr Buteusliaw had assured him of the Government’s confidence, and votes of confidence had) been passed in him by his Ashfield constituents. .These were the reasons he had not resigned. Air Jarvie rea/f the whole of the Judge’s summing-up in the case in which he was acquitted Tim nerves of the gallery became frayed. “I have suffered months of mental torture, and it has cost mo a considerable sum to defend! my reputation,” declared Air Jarvie’. He 1 added that his only indiseretition had been to convey a case qf pipes from to the late Chief Secretary. “But,” he said, “Air Baldwin, Prime Alinsiter of England, received 8000 pipes from usurers miring his term of office.”

Mr Jarvio tfien tendered Ids resignation as member tor Ash field, ox ~ p VOSS ni.r eonfidenee that fie would fie rot nr ned again by an overwhelming majority. Tfiere was wild \vfi,'U tfio Premier moved tfiai the , spa t lie dedi’.red: vacant. “Wfiv. vou’vd tlie resolution all. ready tvpod out.” taunted the Opposition. Tlie resolution was agreed to.