SPEAKER WILLIS ACTS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 519, 20 November 1912, Page 5

SPEAKER WILLIS ACTS.

SIX MEMBERS EJECTED. ANGRY SCENES IN HOUSE. By Telegraph.—Press Association.— OopyriglU Sydney, Tuesday. Protracted sittings preparatory to the closing of the session have disorganised the Assembly. An extraordinary scene of disorder, lasting nearly two hours, resulted in the ejection of Messrs Bruntnell, Cohen, Levy, Fallick, White and Wood, deputyleader of the Opposition. Messrs Gardiner and Moxham also came into collision with the Speaker, and were named.

The trouble arose through the Ser-geant-at-Arms reporting that Mr Perry, after his removal ordered during a recent sitting had returned to the House and participated in business in defiance of authority. Mr McGowan moved that Mr Perry be adjudged guilty of contempt and suspended for a week. A series of angry scenes followed in which the Speaker was accused of petulance, insulting members, and stifling the truth. His rulings were strongly repented. Amongst others three Ministerialists entered protests. Mr Holman vva3 trying to throw oil on the troubled waters when the Speaker remarked that if he understood that the Attorney-General was encouraging the Opposition he would certainly deal with him. The Speaker's reply to charges was that the Chair was paramount. If a member was ordered to withdraw that was sufficient The excitement continued, and the progress of business was impossible. Mr Eden, Minister for Mines, suddenly moved the adjournment of the debate, amid uproar. Mr Willis declared the motion carried. Loud cheering followed from groups of the Opposition. The fact that the Speaker's actions were strongly resented by a number j of Ministerialists as well as by the Opposition placed the Government in a quandery. Mr Gardiner, one of the. men named, is a Government supporter. As soon as the House rose a meeting of the Cabinet was summoned to discuss the situation. Mr Holman, interviewed, said that while supporting Mr Willis over the Perry incident, Mr McGowan had decided to secure the adjournment of the debate to prevent further disorder.