The Dominion. FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 1910. POLITICS IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 851, 24 June 1910, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 1910. POLITICS IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

One of those disgraceful scenes which occasionally disfigure the proceedings of tho New South Wales Parliament is reported in to-day's cable news. A member of the Ministry,' it appears, denied that he had ever belonged to the Labour League, and, on being contradicted by Mr. Griffith, a Labour member, suggested an adjournment to the lobby for a bout of fisticuffs. The challenge was accepted, and a fight took place, in the presence, apparently, of most of the members of the Assembly, for "the Chamber," , we arc told, "wa-s practically emptied while the fracas was in progress." It is unlikely that the incident will greatly disturb the peace of mind of the New 'South Wales public, for the whole of the want-of-eonfidenee debate, which is described as "monotonous" in the cable message, has been disfigured by quarrels of extraordinary violence and vulgarity. Feeling may run high in any Parliament, and angry scenes are witnessed at times even in. the House of Commons, but it rarely happens that in the Legislative Assemblies of the older countries anger leads to a display of pot-house manners. A f§w extracts from the proceedings in the New South Wales Assembly last week will show that that phrase is not too strong for application to tho methods of some of the New South Wales legislators. The Leader of the Opposition, for example, shouted at Mr. Wood,- the hero of the fight in the lobby, that if he said a certain thing he:was "a lineal descendant of Ananias." A. repetition of his statement by Mi:. Wood led to a scene of great disorder, in which tho Speaker cut a poor figure, since he seems to have been so helpless as to'allow one of the disputants to insinuate that he was shielding the Minister. A little earlier, to quote tho newspaper report, ,

The Speaker having several times called for order,

. Mr. Wood informed tho Speaker that the memljcr for the Darling had used thu words, "It's a d lie," in reference to a statement made by Sir James Graham. Mr. Median denied tho allegation. Mr. Wood maintained that the lion, member had used the expression. (Continued Labour interruption./'/. The Speaker said thero was a great deal of noise at tho time, and tho lion, member having denied using the words, the Chair was bound to accept his denial. Mr.- Met linn explained, amid the merriment of his supporters, that tho word lie had used was "darned."

On the following day there was much talk of "dirty jobs" and "gutter politics"; a shout of "poodle" causcd only "loud laughter"; members gave each other tlio lie direct with the utmost freedom. It is not difficult to excuse members of Parliament who grow angry in debate and express themselves angrily, but for coarscncss and vituperation there is no excuse. We do not look, in Australasia,. for the Parliamentary standards of Great Britain, where culture and intellect can appeal to the. electors without competition from tho uncultivated Cleons let loose by the conversion of politics into a salaried profession. Yet the Australasian publics, ought to contain a sufficient leaven of decency and good sense to secure that their Legislative Assemblies shall bo wholesome if _ rather humble and pedestrian bodies. The degeneration of the Australian State Parliaments cannot be regarded without uneasiness as indicating a general lowering of the Australian public's standard.