ORDER!

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 933, 28 September 1910, Page 6

ORDER!

DEBATES AND INTERJECTIONS IN PARLIAMENT. HOW PAR ARE THEY ALLOWABLE? The question as to how far members might go in the matter of interjections was .the subject of-ah interesting discussion in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr. Ell, M.P."for Christchurch . South,' who. brougiht up the matter, referred to the. incident on Friday night, when Mr. Speaker threatened to name him if he did not desist from - interrupting- the member who had - the'' floor. ■■' -He said ho had noticed a paragraph bearing on the incident; in The Dominion, which stated, inter alia: "After the; adjournment the House, or a section of it, returned to the Chamber more irritable than before, and apparently prepared to wrangle on. the'slightest provocation. '/'. .' Repeated interjections by ifr. Ell/brought forth a protest from Mr. Speaker, who threatened.■ to name the .member for Christchurch South if he,.had to,speak to him again." 'This statement (continued Mr. Ell) was grossly unfair. (The Prime Minister: Hear, hear.) Up till that period of the day he had not made a. single interjection, ■ and ""then he had made only two interjections, both of which.' he considered relevant. On. loot ing - through the. English . and, Australian Hansards,, he, found that interjections were permitted." ' ;,. "■:"■' A Member: You are reflecting on the Chair.' ■ ':, ;-•■ ■■'.-■■ . ■;■■'■■ ■••''-.■ •-.- Proceeding, Mr. Ell said that twice in ■The•' Dominion, and once, in: the "New Zealand Times," he had been ' reflected.! upon, , and . was .'■ entitled to be allowed to explain. .He was quite .sure • Mr.Speaker would give him fair play. (Hear, hears.). As there were a number of interjections at - , the time, 'it., was; .quitepossible, that among . the -...voices'- Mr. -Speaker, had heard his, interjections more clearly :than the,others. The statement, in the; newspaper contained the ineariing' that; he had persistently, interrupted, which-was grossly misleading. He would like to know how far .one might go in the matter:of interjections. : The Prime Minister said he thought tho . paragraph was. nn /' attempt: to exaggerate what< really, happened... (N0,;,n0.): Sometimes- remarks 1 \vere twisted against, a member—it. depended, on the "colour"; of tho -paper;';' ;';.:':,;.' ;';•;:.■.'.'' :-,; 7 . Mr.' Massey: That happens to' all; of ■US.:';/:, .."■•' ■■'. /,'.'.' ..,"•- ,■;■' . : ; .:.' In ..conclusion, .the. Prime Minister said' that xriticism :'of the .kind ;'to . was' .referring.' tended ■' to : put ,a ,: member in an unfair light.before.'his..constitu-' ents; and the;;country;■ .:• V;v';..\ .::':■ Mr.JMas'sey; was of'opihioni'that: the; incident had. .been correctly reported, but it was only; fair:,to say! that Mr. Ell's interjections, l were neither, offensive.-. nor objectibnablei .; - ;". V.' '.' : ; v ■'■'/■' . -Mr;; Hardy (Selwyn). siii'd that' when reference' ha'd'-been made' in the newsr papers.'to-, his: action in inter jeering, '':he. had:, taken'-his. gruel, because ;he i know he had'deserved it. (Hearty laughter.) ■ ;'' Mr.;. Speaker said that no .doubt interjections: were permitted, in England and .Australia. Interruptions were, however, a distinct: breach; of the, rules of debate. During, the current -session .it-had become 1 the. rule .rather -than,'-otherwise to 'make, interjections.; i'The .transgression .of■' the .rules had come from both sides of the House. He ' (Mr.. Speaker) had tried on several occasions to stop '.it,; and 'had himself, come .in ;for seyero jcomment oh the subject , .He had'.not, wished, .to ..be too .severe at: the start. graph-,'meant that: Mr. Ell had" on .different: occasions, during-the debate been guilty, of interjecting it.'was -wi'bng in its comment. This w,as the .only occasion on which ;he had interjected; \it .all':- took place'in a few 'moments.; < ;V: ..;.,'! ',':-.

"I shall have tp 'continue," added Mr;' Speaker,' "to". try;.and .preserve the.'rules. If interjections are 'Jpermitted, they --..hot :'only .the .debate, but ;they give the person. to : whom" they are v made, a new text. ' And /sometimes' notation .is : caused by-, the. retort.',■■'-' Mem *"rs must not feel aggrieved'if I prevent them'.frbm interjecting. '; Interrupting has' grown on /members this .session.". ... ■'■■••'■'.. ■■. ;.'■•' ; Mr/ Greenslade: :Wi)l.noj interjection "of-any 'kind. be allowed? /' ••-,,. ■■'; ..■':'-;•";:" Mr. Speaker:. I won't say, that,, .for sometimes another.'member; : may; :wint- to ask a ..question, .but. contradictory/ interjections, 'which /are,very .• objectionable, should;.be-stopped. ■■:...