SCENE IN PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1919, Page 6

SCENE IN PARLIAMENT.

"CANTING HUMBUGS AND HYPOCRITES." TWO MEMBERS SUSPENDED, Melbourne, July 4. Soon after the debate on the no-con-fidence motion was resumed in the House of lieprescntativei this morning the proceedings became electrical. Mr. Considine spoke in support of the motion, and in referring to the distress existing thrcjjghout the country stated that the country was run by a gang of murdering thieves, Mr. Mahoney interjected that thousands of women and children in the country were starving, and was called upon by the Speaker to withdraw his remark. Mr. Mahony: I don't care if I am out of order. I'll not withdraw.' Mr. Blakeley: Hear! hear! The Government is a set. of canting humbugs and hyopcrites. The Speaker: Order! Mr. Fenton (addressing the Government benches): You are only provoking the spirit of revolution. Mr. Watt, the Acting-Premier, who had been sent for, entered the Chamber at this stage, and in appealing to Mr. Mahony to obey the n*ng of the chair, said he felt sure Mr. Mahony would see the wisdom, of withdrawing as ordered. Mr. Mahcujjr: I feel I cannot with-' draw from the attitude I have taken up. There are thousands of women and children starving, and the Government does nothing. The Speaker pointed out that tie subject of Mr. Mahony's grievances was a different matter to the question of obeying the Chair. He asked Mr. Mahony to observe the rules of debate, and withdraw. Mr. Mahony (who at this stage was spoken to by Mr. Tudor, leader of the Opposition; Mr. Higgs, deputv leader; and Mr. Page) said, loudly, that he was not going to withdraw. "The women and children in my electorate are more to me than this matter. I won't withdraw!" Mr. Blakely: The only way to enter a protest is this way. Mr. Watt said if Mr. Mahony would reflect he would see there were'two different questions involved. Mr. Mahony was within his rights in making the protest, and his protests would be duly considered and prompt! v attended to by the Government; but'there was a proper way of dojng everything. He again appealed to Mr. Mahony to obey the Chair. J Mr. Mahony: I'll not withdraw! Mr. Watt: Then it is my unpleasant duty to move that the member for Dalley be suspended for the remainder of the sitting. The Speaker: I would like to give the member another chance. Mr. Mahony: You come to my electorate, and see starving women and children. Mr. Blakely: There are thousands ! starving, but the Government does not ,care so long as they are not their friends. Mr. Kelly: Your trouble is that you I are not in Mr. Mahonv's position. Mr. Page: The best thing the Government am do is to chuck us all nntOn a division on the motion for Mr. Mahony's suspension, the motion was carried by 25 tp 15, and Mr. Mahony left the Chamber.

On the resumption of business interjections flew around tho Chamber with remarkable rapidity. The Speaker then called upon Mr. Considine to withdraw his remark that the Government was a gang of murdering thieves. He said that remark was grossly insulting. The members at once became disorderly, and the Speaker adjournel the House for 15 minutes.

When the sittings were resumed the Speaker explained that he had taken the somewhat unusual course of adjourning the sittings to allow the members time for calm reflection. He again asked Mr. Considine to withdraw. "I am very sorry that I cannot comply with the request," rejoined Mr, Considine, "because I, consider that the situation outside is such that it warrants any breach of Parliamentary courtesy in order to draw attention to it."

The Speaker again appealed to Mi: Considine to withdraw, and his remarks were supplemented by Mr. Watt, who explained that tha. desire of the Commonwealth Government was to cooperate with-the States in relieving distress.

"This would not have happened if you had protcctecTTne public against profiteering," declared Mr. Higgs. "You are handing out doles, and we don't want doles," said Mr. Wallace; "we want to live."

Mr. Considine, replying, said that he believed the country was being ruled by trusts and combines, and that the National members were their agents. The Speaker said that in *he circum.stances he had no option but to call on the Acting-Prime Minister to take action under the Standing Orders. A motion that Mr. Considine be suspended was submitted by Mr. Watt, and a division was again called for by the Opposition.

While it was in progress, Mr. Finlayson recalled that it was "the great'a lid glorious Fourth, the great day of liberty and freedom."

"It was because of this sort of thing that Great Britain lost her American colonies," interjected Mr. Matthews. The motion for the suspension of Mr. Considine was agreed to by 34 to 17 and Mr. Considine left the Chamber to cries of "Good-bye Mick," and clieera from the Labor benches.