SHARP EXCHANGE

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21412, 2 March 1935, Page 14

SHARP EXCHANGE

MINISTER AND MEMBER IN VERBAL DUEL SECTION OF MORTGAGE BILL CHALLENGED I From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, March 1. A sharp exchange occurred in the House of Representatives today between the Minister for Education (the Hon. S. G. Smith) and Mr A. M. Samuel (Ind., Thames). The House was discussing the section of the Mortgage Corporation Bill which empowers the Minister for Finance to guarantee the corporation against loss on any loan advanced on land in excess of two-thirds the value of the security. Several members, including Mr R. A. Wright (Ind., Wellington Suburbs) and Mr W. E. Parry (Lab., Auckland Central), expressed the view that any Minister for Finance might be tempted to discriminate in favour of men of his own political leanings, al.hough each made it clear that no charge was being made against the present Minister. The Minister for Defence (the Hon. J G. Cobbe) took strong objection to this opinion. He said that although he had not been in politics as long as Mr Wright, he was sure that politics in this country were clean. He had never seen anything done by a Minister which could be regarded as unfair to any political group. He thought n was not right that members should be allowed to say such things m the House. Mr Samuel considered that the Minister had read too much into die words of Messrs Wright and Parry, and that he had misconstrued them. The Minister was making too much of a song about the matter. There had been no necessity to bring it up at all, as Mr Wright had made no charges. There was a rumour, however, even about the Minister for Education, which was net without foundation.

Mr Smith: Come on. Mr W. J. Broadfoot (C Waitomo), who was in the chair in the temporary absence of the Chairman of Committees (Mr J. A. Nash): Order. Mr Samuel: The Minister can get up afterwards. Mr Smith: I don't want to. Adjustment Commissions Mr Samuel said that Mr Wright had referred to preferential treatment meted out by members of Moitgagors' Adjustment Commissions. He added that he made no charges, but that men of decided political leanings had been aopointed to the commissions. There was an argument in favour of that, as no Government was going to appoint its enemies to do its work. At this stage Mr Smith rose and expressed his objections to what Mr Samuel had said. "I have not spoken in the debate to-day," he said, "so it appears that the member for Thames must have seme special reason for attacking me. He should tell the House if he knows anything against a Minister." Mr Samuel: I shall be glad to explain myself. Mr Smith: The honourable- gentleman is becoming a master of innuendo in this House. The Chairman of Committees: I am not going to allow this discussion to Ho on. lam only serry that it began in mv absence. Mr Smith: The honourable member s antipathy to myself is known very well; but I know that any rumour that comes from him carries no weight. Chairman Intervenes Mr Samuel (rising: Mr Chairman—. The Chairman: I cannot allow this to go on. Mr Samuel: Then I submit, sir, that your attitude is quite unfair. The Chairman: I will not allow argument of this kind. Mr Samuel: I am entitled to reply, not to innuendoes, but to direct charges. The Chairman: The Minister made no charges, but merely a statement. Mr Samuel: You can do what you like with me, Mr Chairman; but I must say that the place of the chair is to safeguard every member of this House.

The Chairman: You must not reflect on the chair. Mr Samuel: Well. 1 am prepared to do whatever you like. Later in the debate, Mr \V. A. Veitch find., Wangangui) referred to the "political patronage" involved in t'ms section of the bill; but the chairman refused to allow him to go on while; using "such language." Mr Veitch retorted that it was the privilege of members to address the House without interruption. even irom the chair, until they had violated the Standing Orders. The Chairman said it was the duty of the chair to see that members discussed the clause under consideration, and that they kept from extraneous subjects. This ruling he asked Mr Veitch to accept, and the incident was closed.