A RECALCITRANT COUNCILLOR

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 18 October 1901, Page 3

A RECALCITRANT COUNCILLOR

Another “ Breeze ” in the Council

(OUE IEPOETBE.)

Wellington, This Day. When the Legislative Council met the Hon. Mr. Shrimski referred to the incident of the previous afternoon, which resulted in his temporary banishment. He expressed his regret for not having obeyed the ruling of the chair, but explained that there were times when one felt he was doing his duty. Referring to his allusion to the Hon. George Jones as a “sweater,” lie observed; “I do not retract what I said, but I beg pardon to the chair.”

Mr. Speaker Millar expressed the satisfaction of the Council with the explanation, and added that if Mr. Shrimski had taken lime for a moment’s reflection, his good sense would have pointed out to him that when a ruling of the chair was given it must be obeyed. Unless the ruling was respected, the business of the Council could not be conducted. Ho advised Mr. Shrimski to cultivate reflection and not to be too

hasty, and on behalf of the chair ho might say of the Council that ■ the incident was now banished from their minds.

The explanation offered, however, did not satisfy the Hon. George Jones, and ho wanted to know by what right it had been given.

The Speaker promptly ruled that if Mr Jones wished to revive the incident he must give notice. Mr. Jones urged that Mr. Shrimski had not gone far enough. This provoked an admonition from Mr. Speaker, who ruled Mr. Jones out of order, and regretted that he should revive the matter after Mr. Shrimski had made a statement that the Council had approved of. Mr. Jones having intimated that he would take up the matter again by giving nofee The Chairman of Committees (Captain Baillie) said that in his forty years of experience of the Council, this was the first offence he knew to be recorded on the journals, and he would ask the Minister of Education to move its expungement. The Minister asked time to reflect on the suggestion. He regretted the attitude of Mr. Jones, who might have been more generous. Still, Mr. Shrimski had not withdrawn the words.

Mr. Jones said that was his objection, and he asked where their generosity should come in when ho had been maligned?