CRIMINAL LIBEL BILL.
Slanderous Propensities of Members.
[our parliamentary reporter.]
Wellifgton This Day. During tho‘passage through the House on Friday night of the Premier’s Criminal Libel Bill, a strong attack was make by Mr Pirani, who is a journalist, on the privilege which members of Parliament enjoy and take full advantage of being at liberty to say in the House w'hat they please about people outside without being amended to the law of libel. There was ho said, no more scandalous thins in the history of this Parliament, than tbe libels on men outside, which were uttered in the Hou-:o under cover of privileges. Every member who made a speech personally attacking men outside Parliament, who were not in a position to reply and who could not even reply through press without running a risk of an action for libel or being brought before the bar of House, should be made liable to the same laws as a journalist who was endeavouring to do his best for the benefit of the public. If the House did not embody in the Bill defending criminal libel such a provision as ho had suggested, members ought to object to such a measure going on the statute book.
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GEST19011028.2.24
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 28 October 1901, Page 3
Word count
Tapeke kupu
204CRIMINAL LIBEL BILL. Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 28 October 1901, Page 3
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
No known copyright (New Zealand)
To the best of the National Library of New Zealand’s knowledge, under New Zealand law, there is no copyright in this item in New Zealand.
You can copy this item, share it, and post it on a blog or website. It can be modified, remixed and built upon. It can be used commercially. If reproducing this item, it is helpful to include the source.
For further information please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in