MOVE TO CENSURE MR. SPEAKER IN AUSTRALIA FAILS

Wanganui Chronicle, 21 April 1950, Page 5

MOVE TO CENSURE MR. SPEAKER IN AUSTRALIA FAILS

Labour Opposition Defeated On A Vote On Party Lines

CANBERRA, April 20 (Ree. 6 pm).—in the House of Representatives today the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. Chiliey, moved a motion of censure on the Speaker, Mr. Cameron, for the statement he made about the Governor-General, Mr. MeKcll, on March 30.

After Mr. Chifley and Doctor Evatt had spoken to the motion and the Prime Minister, Mr. Menzies, had replied, the Government gagged the debate and the motion was lost on party lines. Mr. Chifley said Mr. Cameron had boastfully revealed in the lobbies of Parliament House that he had refused the hospitality of the Gover-nor-General. Mr. Chifley added: “I claim, quite clearly and frankly, i that, the temperamental defects you j have shown very clearly on this occasion render you, in the opinion of i the Labour Party, unacceptable any | longer as the Speaker of this Parliament. I don't know any more de- ■ plorable incident this House has ever ; known than that of the Speaker ; bringing into the Chair his personal i hates and jealousies, whatever they may be, against any member of the ■ community and, above all, in rela- [ tion to the representative in this. country of His Majesty.” Dr. Evatt said the whole trouble; had been caused by Mr. Cameron al- . lowing his own personality to in- , trude. Mr. Camcron believed the ■ Governor-General should-make some j explanation, or apology or retrac-I tion for something he said 10 years i ago, when not Governor-General. 1 about Mr. Cameron, who was not I then the Speaker. I

The incident at Government House, when Mr. Cameron refused Mr. McKell’s hospitality, was calculated to i bring discredit on the office both of I the Governor-General and of the I Speaker, said Dr. Evatt. i “This is not a mere incident; it is a continuing situation so long as Mr. Cameron continues to act without distinguishing his personal from his official position,” Dr. Evatt said. Mr. Menzies, in reply, said many members accompanied the Speaker to the Governor-General's residence. He had not seen the ceremony go off better. "Everyone knows Mr. Cameron is a teetotaller and derives no pleasure from standing around when people are taking drink,” said the Prime Minister. “I was not surprised when the Speaker stepped forward, bowed and asked Mr. McKell if he would give him permission to leave. Mr. Cameron fell into a trap deliberately baited for him by a provocative and sneering question by a Labour member, Mr. Fraser. Labour got from that question the answer it wanted, and is now raising its hands in pious horror. It would be very strange, indeed, if the Government did not feel obliged to support the Speaker. The motion reflects no credit on the Opposition. The move is arrant nonsense, a pure political move.”