PRIVILEGE.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19162, 19 November 1927, Page 14

PRIVILEGE.

HARD I M.P.»s, ™ I NO ACTION TAKfi,. E (P " M '•»■«». nun., WELLINGTON a. , Committee set up to S te H> remarks ma d e bv tk« « "^ trict Synod, andlyffl««S "Evening Post/-waftSftt & House of Represensi»* <*s■ The report stated I was heard from various licat-ion of the report ff% hM and the editor of the accepted responsibilitv £1 iSftwß of the report. The StX plied Ae'A-feSl B. Lawrence, who vras UiTA'« porter appointed by & &jJ«*B report was published vKl>l good fa th and was r£* ~ boabreachofpSje^Nli Mr Patchett, the I claimed before the report published was suchvLS^H the meaning of his remark Ttftß that his remarks were made W**H ten notes, and these were the Committee. ThereKSfl these statements did miSM differ Irom the report as the "Post.-- I dence Mr Patchett hadwSM Committee making a request iffiß statements made regarding W; M House should be witWwnCTi should be permitted to mat* £>■ fence before the Bar of the ffifi M Oho Leader of the OppositTfi he thought a great deal Kfiß time liad been wasted over H.g» The utterances of the Rev M.TMI ett might come within the detuH of breach of privilege, but twH thing was being said every d»7iiM week with respect to members Juß Lament. Notwithstanding thtjfeH ity of the statements maoVl»>H Patchett, he did not,think theßjH ought to worry itself very BwlftH what he said. Similar sUtemedtS made by members on the UM benches with respect to Laboc/fcH bers, and vice versa, but the oolrfiH ference was that possibly tW«H more truth in the statement! tX from the Labour side of the ]£H (Laughter.) He thought this mftH a lesson to the Rev. Mr Patchett M understood that Mr Patcheft'wM very estimable-gentleman, bnfchiaßvJ posed that he had his extreme jJ|M responsible moments. As %Qfl had been reported by another rmjH gentleman, the reporter conliiouH well be blamed. , rßi Mr Atmore (Nelson) said'liilfli brought the matter before theßaH because he considered that p&iJbBJ ments should not be allowed teitiH challenged. Undoubtedly .tteiifl been an unwarranted attack* on e&M members of the House. Mr Wilfotd (Hntt) said the rtm| gentleman had lost his heaiiklM become a silly man. "Let urlAk »■ it as the action of a silly qki,mH was not. accountable," said Mr IiBJ The report of the Privilege O«*H tee was laid on the table, andwttmH for consideration next sitting dij HJ MR PATCHETT ANBWffltfia [THH PBHSB BpMt»l'lerrtM.] WELLINGTON, Nov&SPS In the course of a statemtnlimn his treatment by the ComtanjMi the House, Mr-Patchett tel]sjf#riquest for the right to ma]ttj!frs fence before the House, f "All the response that- tWtty has drawn from the House i»;tl»U or two members used the House to make new and unfitfw ments, to which no reply could 1»|"e To the manner in which Pailiuwtb dealt with, this question strong exception is taken in tie w ests of free speech and reasonable «n» ism of public men and pnblit qittrtu Their action has far-reachiMt&J» tioiis, affecting not only 1 pWnjjfJ* era, but also', the public Prwt'2" day ever • comes • when an eflertiwfl can be applied either, by **!!jfiHjjf any other institution, speak, however Btro n gly,>.W(«ffi conviction, and earnest cause of righteousneei; a sorry day for NewtZesJ||< surely membere of the" HoMeraft' lise that there is more! honour and dignity rfStti»SM stifling criticism, rein." ■ _■.,.