BY COMPULSION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 863, 8 July 1910, Page 6

BY COMPULSION.

MEMBER JOINS COMMITTEE. "I'd sooner go into the kitchen of Bellamy's and peel potatoes than serve upon this bogus committee," urged Mr. Wright (Wellington South) in asking yesterday that his name should be struck off the Classification Committee, moved by the Hon. D. Buddo. Mr. Massey said ho would like to see the House refuso to set up this committee, whose duty was to classiiy petitions and refer them to the select committees that were considered most suitablo to deal with them. -Mr. Massey described the procedure of the coiumittec as farcical. Mr. Buddo objected to tho removal of Mr. Wright's name. The Prime Minister urged that the committee did useful work, and that members should not pick and choose their committees. A division was taken, "lid the mime of Mr. Wright was retained by 39 votes fo I'd. .Mr. Massey: I suppose we must put it down to the" want of Ministerial experience. of .Mr. Buddo that we have had this division. I have been here many years, but I have never betore seen a division taken fo compel a mail to go 011 lo :i committee after that man has requested that his name should not appear there, lie honed that what had happened would not be"taken as n precedent. Mr. Buddo rose, to defend himself, but the Speaker ruled that he had no right of reply. Mr. I lorries (Tanranga) objected to such coercion as opposed to usual Parliamentary courtesies. Different treatment had been given to Mr. M'Laren, an Independent member. The Prime Minister quoted precedents for tho division in 1895 and 18%, and stated that on the second occasion Mr. Massey and other Opposition members voted "as the Government had just done.