Dramatic Incident In House

Chronicle (Levin), 27 July 1946, Page 5

Dramatic Incident In House

-Press Association

CIVIL SERVANT SUSPENDED

By Telegraph-

\\ ELL1X GTON, July 26. A draUiatie incident occurred in the ilouse of Representatives when it restiined this morning, caused by the interjection of a soiitary visitor in the public gallery. After Mr. fSpeaker had oeen announced and prayers were read, members were on the point of resuming their seats when a man in the public gallery declared in voice which was audible piactically all over the chamber: "God help my country. Here's something else for somebody to wear. ; ' He then fumbled .at his coat lapel and threw 011 to the floor of tlie House an R.vS.A. badge which eventually appeared on Mr. Nash's desk. Mr. Speaker called for order and commanded attendants to remove the man who had interjected in the gallery. The man left without a protes't and the business cof the House was resumed. The man later disclosed to a reporter t.liat his name was W. Julius Hyde, a Wellington civil servant. "My action was in the forin of a public protest against tlie rottenness of party politics,'' he explained. "I had 110 personal feelings' in tlie matter and there was 110 raneour, liut when 1 heard | the prayer in the Ilouse I just felt I had to do it. " Mr. Hyde explained tliat lie had not made his protest in Ihe forin he intended. Producing a crumpled scrap of paper, he read tlie full text of what he nieant to say, which was: "God help my country. Here's another reward for Major Hkinner. You and I can't both wear tlie R.R.A. badge. T^et tlre Government liave this honoVary degree. ' ' Mr. Hyde said that lie had listened to tlie no-eonfidence debate for the past three night.s and as a result felt that some. protest must bo made. "Aftev all, it is our Parliament, not theirs," lve said. "I iliouglit tlie Op- j position made a good job of putting ; tlieir case, although I have no time for j anv politieal partv." . Looking quite. cheerful in view of liis j expressed b'elief that he would shortly ; j lve loeked up, Mr. Hvde lisft the Parlia- j |mentarv grounds. T am going back to ' J llie ofliee 1o see what tlie boys there jhave to say," he said. j