THE LIBEL ON THE KING.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 22 July 1901, Page 4

THE LIBEL ON THE KING.

In reference to cables giving the result of the East Melbourne election, it will be remembered that on the 2oth ult. attention was called in the Victorian Parliament by Premier Peacock to an article that appeared in a local paper called the 1 Tocsin,’ that had republished a scandalous article attacking the King, which had originally appeared in an Irish paper. The State Government (he said) had been faced with a great responsibility, and he had asked the LieutenantGovernor to cable to the Imperial authorities inquiring whether newspapers were suppressed as an act of State, intimating at the same time that Ministers were quite willing to advise him to act. Whilst the newspaper in question was being issued with the imprint of the member for Melbourne, Mr Findley, on it, the latter was taking the oath of allegiance at the opening of Parliament. Mr Findley had been warned of the intentions of the Government, and he might now be allowed to make any statement he wished. ./ Mr Findley: I did not write the article alluded to; I did not authorise its publication ; and I did, not read it until my attention was called to it by the “Argus.” I desire also to say, as publisher of the journal named, that I have no more contents or knowledge of what it will contain than the Government Printer has respecting “Hansard”; but since my name has been associated with the article in question I would point out that the “Tocsin” newspaper made no charges against the Zing. On the contrary, it condemned those made by the Irish paper, and urged that because of their sheer abusiveness an illegal and unconstitutional act has been resorted to in order to suppress that paper.

‘’Do you apologise to the House ? members asked.

Mr Findley ; I regret that the article has given offence to this House, and I regr»t that it appeared. lam not here to justify the appearance of that article.

Mr Peacock held that it was not sufficient to exprtas regret. There must be an unqualified disavowal and disapproval of the sentiments on the part of Mr Findley. He moved—“ That the hon. member for Melbourne, Mr Findley, was guilty of disloyalty to His Majesty, had committed an act discreditable to the honor of Parliament, and that he therefore be expelled from this House.’ Sir Samuel Gillott (Attorney-General) seconded the motion.

Mr Irving, Leader of the Opposition* held that it was not possible to adopt a less stringent course than that taken by the Premier. The only way of vindicating the honor of Parliament was to send the member back to his constituents, and leave them to determine whether he should longer sit in the House,

The Speaker thought it best that Mr Findley should retire, and so requested him.

Mr Findley: I wish to say that I have not the slightest sympathy with the article in question, neither has the writer of the article in the ‘Toscin’ any sympathy with it. I took the oath of allegiance in all sincerity.

An amendment was moved by Mr Warde (Labor)—“That the member for Melbourne be suspended from the sittings of the House for the remainder of the session.”

Dr Maloney held that if the proposed motion was taken no man would regret it more all the days of his life than the Premier. He moved as a further amendment —“That Mr Findley be suspended for one week.” Mr Trenwith (Chief Secretary! thought a different complexion would have been placed on the matter if Mr Findley had come to the House and declared his indignation of the publication of the article, and had stated that he had severed his connection with the paper. Mr Findley at a later stage avowed his unswerving allegiance to the King, and announced his determination of severing his connection with the paper as an evidence of his entire repudiation of the article.

The Premier announced amid dead si' lence that it wus uhe intention of the Go vernment to adhere to their resolution.

Mr Prendergast (Labor) made a vehement speech againt the motion, and strongly in favor of Mr Findley being treated in what he termed a less vindictive manner.

Mr Sanggter (Labor) held that the whole thing was a trap laid by the ‘■Argus ” to win back the Melbourne seatfor the Conservative party, and that the Government had fallen into it splendidly.

Several other members spoke. Some deprecated the extreme course involved by the carrying of the resolution, and thought that the case would be met and the honor of the House vindicated by a far less extreme course.

Eventually tlr resolution for the expulsion of Mr Findley from the Legislative Assembly was carried by 64 to 17. Then a vacancy in the representation of East Melbourne occurred through the death of Mr Anderson, and the expelled member hoped to re-enter the parliamentary portals through that unexpected door, but the electors of East Melbourne asserted their loyaltv, and refused to be represented by Mr Findley

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