THE "GAG" CLAUSE IN THE BALLOT BILL.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 12581, 30 September 1908, Page 6

THE "GAG" CLAUSE IN THE BALLOT BILL.

(From Our Parliamentary Special. — By relegraph). WELLINGTON, September 29.

A feature of the debate in the House on the Second Ballot Bill yesterday was the attack that Messrs Fisher and Poole made upon the newspapers. This was the outcome of a discussion on the gag clause. The unfortunate part of their vitupeTations, however, was that their extreme caution led them to speak of the Press generally, avoiding thereby the necessity of mentioning the name ot the particular paper or papers against which they held grudges, for it was only natural to conclude from the nature of the attacks that grievances were being 'aired. However, there were other members on both sides of the House only too willing to uphold the good name of the New Zealand papers. One of these was Mr Hogg, and another was Mr Massey. The debate in the House on the amendments made in the Council to the Bill lasted from early in the. afternoon to well on. into the evening. The speeches were much on the lines of the second reading debate. The Premier's assurance was that the alleged gag would not be nearly as stringent as had been stated in the course of much hysterical comment. A motion was ultimately carried appointing Sir William Steward, Mr Lethbridge, and Sir Joseph. Ward a committee to draw up reasons for disagreement with the amendments. Should these reasons not be acceptable to the Council the course will be to hold a conference of mancourse will be to hold a conference of managers from each side. It is suggested in some quarters that this is also likely to prove abortive, and that in the end the Government might drop the whole of the gag clause to save the Bill.