Parliamentary Privileges

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 78, 11 December 1884, Page 2

Parliamentary Privileges

«. The subjoined Australian telegram should be road with no small degree of interest by New Zealand politicians and especially by members of the House of Representatives. There are several " obstructive windbags " in the Lower Houso who. doubtless, would like to see the ruling referred to in the telegram made applicable to New Zealand. The telegram reads : — '• In the Sydney Banco Court on Tuesday, iudgment in faror of the plaintiff wan delivered in the appeal case, A. G, Tullob« member for Mudgee, v. Hon. E. Burton. Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. The Bench held that the Assembly has no power either to adapt from the Imperial Parliament or to pass on its own account any Standing Order giving itself authority to punish any obstructive member or remove him for any period lonjier than I lint of the sitting during which th obstruction occurs." We manage things political somewhat differently in this Colony. The Speaker of the Now Zealand House of Representatives is armed with considerable power and authority, and this power Sir Maubtcb O'Kohke used, with beneficial results, some sevpral sessions of Parliament since, when he fined the Hon. W. Gisbornb (then one of thp oldest members of the House) £20 for obstruntive conduct while the House was in committee. Moreover, the fine had to be paid before the hon. member wm allowed to retake his seat. Fortunately for Sir Maubice O'Kobke, Mr Gisboiixk sat present in England, otherwise he might be tempted to test the question in the Supreme Court h« to whether Mr i Spenker hns powrr to " punish, fine, and imprison " obstructive members of Parliament.