MR. WILLIS RELENTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1542, 11 September 1912, Page 7

MR. WILLIS RELENTS.

J PRESS RE-ADMITTED. PREPARED TO SEND HANSARD BROADCAST. HIS AUTHORITY VINDICATED. fly TelegraMi-Press Association-ConyrigM (Rec. September 10, 11.10 p.m.) Sydney, September 10. The Speaker's sentries were withdrawn to-tluy, and Iho "Daily Telegraph" reporters again admitted to the. Press Gallery of the. Legislative Assembly. Tlie. Speaker's messenger handed a "Daily Telegraph" representative n stalemen!:, as follows:— "When the 'Daily Telegraph.' was excluded it came, to my knowledge that pressmen in (ho gallery had approached their employers with a view to talxioiug Parliament, and depriving readers of Parliamentary news. In order that the public should not bo kept in ignorance, I arranged for the daily issue of Hansard, but Hie -press having continued to report the proceedings, (lie necessity of issuing Hansard broadcast was obviated, and the expense that would have fallen on myself avoided. I think there is cause, for gratification at having directed attention to biased reports in tho press, as the authority of the Speaker lias boon vindicated and tlie public has not been penalised.". "BELITTLING" PARLIAMENT." NEWSPAPERS INDIGNANT. Sydney, September 10. The morning papers publish leaders in which strong exception is taken to Mr. Hotmail's statement that if the daily press is out on a campaign to belittle Parliament, then the Government will have to face the position, and face it cheerfully. The "Herald" 'claims that the statement contains more than a suspicion of a threat, and that there is a great deal of pivro bluff aud electioneering intrigue in all this. "The Government is concerned before everything about muzzling tlie press when an appeal must be made to the country. To muzzle the press is to hit the public, and is bound to result in substantial retaliation." The "Daily Telegraph" says: "Mr. Holman might have used a less unfortunate word than 'belittlement.' What he probably means is that he is out against criticism of the Ministry. It appears that lie only differs from Mr. Willis in desiring to exercise censorship which lie regarded as vested in himself." THE NEW STANDING ORDER. Sydney, September 10.' The Governor has approved the new Standing Order regarding tho admission of the press to Parliament. It is claimed that it still gives tho Speaker the power of selection. There is keen interest in the question whether Mr. Willis will re-admit the "Daily Telegraph's" representatives today, ME. WILLIS AS HE SEES HIMSELF. Mr. Willis mado the following statement last week of his reasons for excluding tho "Telegraph" reporters :— "The 'Daily Telegraph' is guilty of contempt. It wilfully incited members to disorder, and in a recent instance encouraged a member in the use of violent language .disrespectful to the Speaker and tho House. * "Parliament as an institution must be respected, and a daily journal should not aid and abet undisciplined persons in treating contemptuously the authority of tho Legislative Assembly. When I came to tho Speakership I found ono person leading several reckless spirits. Tho Standing Orders, wero ignored, while thrcafcenings wern loudly voiced and missiles hurled at the Speaker as he retired from the Chair. "Olio of the culprits was caught redhanded by a sergeant of police, who took a water-bottle from him. Personally I liavo borno with such misconduct, and in a twelvemonth liave re-established tho authority of the Speaker, which members of all sections of the House have personally assured mo is tho case. "The press were given notice at tho beginning of this session that persons who wilfully misrepresent what actually takes place in Parliament, or who libel members, would be expelled from the gallery. The 'Daily Telegraph' was adjudged guilty of contempt in wilfully misrepresenting what took place in the House. It incited members to disorder by commending a suspended member for his bad conduct. This member had, with insult to the House, given vent to coarse and unwarrantable language, which 'Hansard' has recorded. "In tho House of Commons in 1875, and again in 1888,' power was reserved to tho Speaker, whenever he thought fit, to order the withdrawal of strangers from any part of the House. "This Standing Order, word for word, wni approved by tho' Governor of NowSouth AVales, and is now in operation here, having been specially adopted in !SM- • „ ~ , , '"Mav's Parliamentary Practice has laid it "down for guidance that reflections must not be cast in debates upon ' 110 cm >- duct of tho Speaker. "If newspaper writers abuse their pnvile»e by inciting members to disorder, as in" this notable case, and encourage on habitual offender to insult the Speaker, they should be excluded from all tho rooms set apart for the use of reporters, in exactly tho samo degree that tho Standin" Orders affect the member. ' "An assurance that the writers of tho journal concerned will respect the. authority of Parliament should be forthcoming; failing that, their exclusion must continue, as I shall uphold the authority of Parliament."