WORDS IN PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1878, 11 October 1913, Page 6

WORDS IN PARLIAMENT.

RUFFLED MEMBERS,

MR. SPEAKER'S RULING TAKEN 1

Exchanges between Bome membors of tho House of Representatives last evening threatened at one time to develop into a serious altercation, but in tho end, after the matter had been submitted to tho Speaker, the wave of tioublo subsided as quiokly as it had arisen.

iluring the debato on the Land Bill Mr. Isitt Bpoko of Mr. T. W. Khodes as tho "Colossus of Khodes." Ho explained afterwards that he had used tho expression believing that Mr. lthode« had previously spoken of oartain Oppositionists as "lily-whito gentlemen." Mr. Rhodes denied using the words.

Mr. 6. J. Anderson, who spoke next to Mr. Isitt, said that if it were in order to say eo, he would stato that tho membor for Ckristchuroh North ought to bo ashamed of himself, but as it was not in order he would not sax so. ■ ' Mr. 0. W. Russell oalled tho attention of tho Acting-Chairman (Mr. B. P, Lee) to what Mr. Anderson had said ( and when the Chairman ruled that Mr, Anderson i had not broken tho rules of debate, moved to take the Speaker's ruling.

Mr. Ngata asked whether he would be in order if he Baid to the Chairman: "If tho rules permitted it I would call you a fool, but as they do not I won't r' The Chairman: Tho hon. gentleman is out of order in citing an abstract case that does not ariso.

Tho motion to take tho Speaker's ruling was agreed to on tho voices, tho' l'rimo Minister offering no objection. There was no dispute as to tho oiroum-' stances and Mr. Leo's version of tho„ affair was corroborated, beforo the Speaker) by both the Prime Minister and Mr. G. W. Russell.

Mr. Russell submitted that the use of such expressions as Mr. Anderson had used would lower the whole tone of Parliament and provoke breaches of decorum which might give rise \to "scenes."

Tho Prime Minister said that he was very glad that members opposite wero anxious t<r maintain tho dignity of Parliament and advised them and others to avoid personal expressions. To his mind tho matter was not a particularly important one.

Mr. Speaker said that the expression, used by the member for Mataura was! just as bad as if he had not used the words: "if it were in order." As to the words: "ought to be ashamed of himBelf," however, he had previously ruled that session. There wore on record two conflicting rulings given by different Spoakers on this point. The lato Sir William Steward had ruled that the expression was not parliamentary, whereas the late Sir Arthur Guinnesi had ruled that it was. On an occasion, earlier in tho session he (Mr. Lang) hod ruled that tho same expression was out of order, but the oircumstanc«B then wore that the words wore used by way of Interjeotion, and not by a member in his speech. He ruled that in this case the words: "ought to bo ashamed . of himself" wero not unparliamentary/