OUTBURST IN PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 17 February 1933, Page 9

OUTBURST IN PARLIAMENT

ATTACK ON MR. A. STUART. MR. R. A. WRIGHT OUTSPOKEN. (By Wire—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. The member for Wellington Suburbs, Mr. R.' A. Wright, has always been known as an able debater, and he has drawn particular attention to himself owing to his recent deflection from the Government. The galleries always follow his utterances with interest. When he entered the debate on the Sales Tax Bill this evening by administering a severe verbal trouncing to the member for Rangitikei, Mr. A. Stuart, members listened to a heated outburst in stony silence, but the crowded galleries obviously enjoyed the diversion. Mr. Wright opened by denouncing the attitude he said Mr. Stuart always adopted in criticising other members of the House. He said he resented the highhanded manner which Mr. Stuart always adopted toward those with whom he did not happen to agree. However, Mr. Stuart was a very youthful member of Parliament, having been elected only about 15 months ago. Nevertheless he tried to lecture men who had been in Parliament for many years. Mr. Stuart should not forget he had been returned by a majority of 15, which had dwindled to about seven on the re-count. Mr. Stuart: I got here all the same. Warming to the attack Mr. Wright said it was Mr. Stuart’s practice in criticising other members to scorn them on the ground that they “spoke nonsense” or that they “did not know what they were talking about.” Mr. Stuart had been pleased to criticise him along these lines, and he had also adopted the same attitude towards the member for Hutt, Mr. Walter Nash. i

“However,” Mr. Wright added with some feeling, “I would like to tell the member for Rangitikei that he is not fit to brush the boots of the member for Hutt.” Mr. Sullivan: He is fit! On Mr. Speaker’s request, Mr. Wright withdrew his remark, adding that the member for Hutt had forgotten more than the member for Rangitikei ever knew about the sales tax and many other things. Mr. Wright said that in defending the Prime Minister the previous afternoon for changing his mind concerning the taxation proposals Mr. Stuart had said that only fools did not change their minds and that when a man changed his mind it showed he had a mind to change. “When a statement is made by the Prime Minister it admits of no qualification and it cannot easily be watered down and changed,” Mr. Wright said. “The people of New Zealand regard a statement by the Prime Minister, and rightly so, as one of outstanding importance. If he makes a statement to-day it is taken for granted that he understands the position thoroughly and is giving a considered opinion.” Turning once more to Mr. Stuart Mr. Wright said he should not regard himself as a modem Solomon or a superior person; members of the House liked neither one nor the other.