MR. WILLIS AGAIN.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1371, 23 February 1912, Page 5

MR. WILLIS AGAIN.

o CENSURE MOTIONS IN NEW SOUTH WALES. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright ■ (Ecc. February 22, 11.40 p.m.) Sydney, February 22. In tho Legislative Assembly to-day. when Mr. Lovion's motion, that the Speaker (Mr. Willis) does not possess the confidence of the House, came on, Mr. Levien, at the Speaker's suggestion, agreed to confer with Mr. Fitzpatrick, who has also a motion on the Order Paper reflecting on the actions of the Speaker, with a riew to combining the two into ono motion of a more specific character than Mr. Levien's. Mr. Wade's motion censuring the Government was therefore given precedence. Mr. Wade, in moving it, strongly attacked tho Government for dismissing Mr. Robinson, head of .the Hansard staff. Ho argued that the conduct of Ministers towards Mr." Robinson, who was an old ard valued servant, had been arbitrary and drastic. Commenting on the Royal Commission's finding, Mr. Wade said the Commissioner lintl not had the benefit of legal assistance, and probably if the authorities on the question of joint control were placed before him, his finding would have been modified. Tho Premier (Mr. M'Gowcn) in replying said the Speaker had the power to issue instructions to the chief of tho Hansard staff, nnd it followed, therefore, that ho had the power to see them carried out. Mr. M'Gowen contended that Mr. Robinson had been absolutely defiant, and hud followed a course which, if followed by anyone on his staff, would have resulted in dismissal.