PRIVILEGE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 918, 10 September 1910, Page 5

PRIVILEGE.

ABOUT A MONEY CLAUSE,' . '«A DISTINCTJREAtH." " THE RIGHTS OF HOUSE/AND "! •-' COUNCIL,///: ■ An. important .constitutionals/question' /-:/' was the subject of a'discussion/in the V;l Houso.of Representatives :yesterday./ . ' In/ : the Crimes Act Amendment Bill, -"; which had passed the •L'egislative^Coun-' ;; v i :': it.' an a PP r <>Priatiou:clause. When A ' ' '':■ was. introduced.in th©.House' : ' : on Wednesday^Mr.,Massey,- ..Leader the. Opposition, objected .to--the-'action-;/'/ of: the .Council: in .initiating: a -clause- /-' ol the kind...,Next:day;:in. order'- to v ' : - ; meet- the difficulty, the Prime Minister^"/ brought down, the .clause by Governor's: : Message. Again Mr. Massey raised his // ; '' voico-.m protest. 'Mr:- Speaker',' after/--referring to ;the; importance; -of//;the- : Hmatter,- reserved his decisioc.' ■ -^■ /'-. .."■• V:'•;-■ '.-.; Mr, Speaker yesterday stated:that the/;'/' passing, of the clause, by: the/Leglsla- ;/V'/ tive .Council was-a; distinct /breach/-of "- ;y -'V the; privileges of; the'Hbuse. cedurethen should uow.beadoptedPlW ' v.'" House could neither lay' the - Bill: aside--? X or.proceed; with the-Bill, by -'- ■■■■- Message, provided-that -the';' passed,-a.. resolution :that -it : / did' • not - ■';-'■ intend to insist .on its' privileges;/-but/" 7 '/ notes the fact'tHat/a' breach'- 71 / i' privileges; had ;occurred. /There'-were'' /- .many/precedents;;in//-3iipport "of- "ibiaA ' - rmmg,.and/as;regards the• lt applied 'particularly; where the appro- - --/ priatibn clauso was': subsidiary-to".' the : ' :: '- ; ' mani:object of the Bm.:-It was for the ; //• ■House to say.what should 1 be'done, /v;'-i/;. ' Prime Minister, who/said/ 'he'-'/--' proposed to ask-, the House:"to proceed 1 . ">'"-- by Governor's Message;'moved:—''At-';;'-'''■ tentipn: having been'called &■■ a .breach 1 / : /-- : '' by the:Lcgislativo.;Cbuncil of'the-privi--/ : ' •* leges of- the; House., itt/respect/of'tfio/;//;■' BUI,- the privileges/of,/tho .House'/be'' -// .m. this :instaace/ .waived;:-; Kut;i;such '■>'/" waiver is/not .to- a //■/ nrecedent-on.ahy^^futuTe^bccasioii.^ 1 lie..went.on to;say.that;the'/BillVdid/:■•-/; not .deal with any constitutional-ques-';-/ tion.. . (Oh!) iLrso far/as'/it/cohtained/'-// a. money clause it'followed- the-.priii-/'/i' : crple-already-in'.the;esisting//Act/ ; The^//' Flouso.;had- the; power-to" waivo'v its- :i -- privileges. - (No!) He-quotedi'a number-- >'v pf cases dealing with breaches/of%rivi-"/-/ .bige.on the part of the Lords./?' / 'He; :added;that;,the House could /without ioss/bf .prestige;;;/'';/' Mr. .Massey:/You'are losing-piestigiiV? every minute;;/;;. :/;v-/::"-/!. ;-.;-..\ the course .of bnjf'/ "- the subjeot,- Mr.. Massey 'declared; 'that/// -'• the. Prime. shpuld;;have ■■■: risen//il" to tho occasion; and-prbtecWd/thb'privi-" 1\& leges ;of ;his fellbw. members. -', The'Pfime 1 /"// Minister had/made; a /pitiful- speech;; ha-/-/ .had evidently ; ;been..briefed;, but',''iibt /;-: properly,\as he.had given: only, brie:side.'-:/ ■ ■Every^'case/qubied/by/Sir.;Joseph was//. : /S : ah; instance of;, atf/ amqhdriieht: 'made' ; by. tho -House' 'of ;Lorik/m -a; Bill; which'; / & had /passed;/ He challenged;nim; ; tb; qiibte/a/singlp'./:;' instance in: the / Parliamentary history //./' .of the -Empire" where /an /Upper ;Hbuse;;/'/' :bad/atteinpted/to:'db.; what- .had, done; on; this' pccasioh;:';,/The:-rights'; of/"/// ■■ the House.'should not-bei :! made ; a /party'" l -'/'' ■'''^'':.^V'.'yy^'' : '",-; -:?■'.'■?■:■'<

:. : The : Prime ...Minister' that'' the matter was a: debatable' one::'; Hecould not,xmderstand-Tyhx: ; MrftMassed had: upbraided'.him;: so' .vigorously . ill' regard' to it. • 'la fact, .he, had.-'almost gone as_,far. as'xalling:him:'namesjod. : the :;subject;'';■';;■> ''!"-■>]'*' 'yv:'■.'.'; ':■'.':■'—' .:'■?' * •' The;motion^wass agreed :: to.byM3 to' '24;;. v '•'■.'";■.'• -.:;. '■ ■'-.• "■■'':■■■ ':'4:■ l.V'-'v^ ; :: : v-V'-;. J';Beforo:tliG:second of this Billiwas'moved,..?::-;: :'; v ;.-.'vf:'.,';:.; j '".;'!".•• ;;,.:;.[' '.;. Mr. iMassey. -declared that there.; had; .•■been L a: secondHroaW) of, ; privilege ? on I .' : the'.p'arir of the Legislative; Council." In Section:lO,it' was provided-/.'The: .ernor .may: appoint such clerks, -;and. .other. officers -as he' Chink's: ; necessary •for; ; tlie : conduct;-of 'the; bus;-:' 1 ness'of:".the.-booird'..and -the'.administration -of ithis"'.Act'j/.arid . may, payi/thei persons so.appointed such': salaries ."as. .'hel .'thinks fit, Qui;of moneys appropriated ;by_ : ; The .Legislative-Council had no rjght to, .pass/such a. clause.:; ■•"-.sv ::■■ : \vV4 : f;U '-,'., Mr. Speaker said j. :that,: .the..'' 'con-'; tent-ion-of ..Mr.,.' : Massey:was .perfectl* - sound. :.:._Before- the'-clause';', passed:.an-," othM. Governor's; Message',..would "";-be"necessaryi'to. 'give, effect;-.to.;it;';: : V;;;« :'■:■>■ ;;The second, reading ,;was. therefore; postponed;:;'.):;;:.'. I;:.:;»-i -:.; : ; : '- ; r-•;:'w