“SCENE” IN THE HOUSE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2367, 13 December 1921, Page 3

“SCENE” IN THE HOUSE

LABOUR MEMBER SUSPENDED

FOR UNPARLIAMENTARY

LANGUAGE

Wellington, Last Night

When Mr Parry, the member for Auckland Central, concluded some remarks in the House of Representatives this after-noon on the housing problem, Mr V. Potter remarked, “You don’t know anything about it!”

Mr Parry retorted: “I know as much about it ns ‘Scabs’!” The Premier rose, and said he observed the expression used by Mr Parry, and he asked that the term “Scab” should be withdrawn.

The Speaker asked Mr Parry if he had used the term complained of, to which Mr Parry frankly admitted he had used it. ®

The Speaker: Then I must ask the lion, member to withdraw it.

Mr Parry: I emphatically refuse to do so.

The Speaker pointed out that if the word was not withdrawn he must name the hou. gentleman. The Premier interposed, and suggested that perhaps Mr Parry would reconsider his decision.

The Speaker also endeavoured to throw oil on the troubled waters by intimating that Mr Parry would have another opportunity to withdraw, if he so desired. Mr Parry: I refuse to withdraw!

The Speaker then intimated to Mr Parry that he must name him for disobeying the Chair, and requested him to withdraw from the Chamber while the House deliberated upon his case. As Mr Parry was leaving the Chamber, Mr Stathnm asked the Speaker whether he ruled that a member must not use the word “Scab” generally, or only as applied to a member of the House.

The Speaker said the word was unparliamentary, as applied to a member of the House.

Mr Stathnm then raised the point as to whether the word was intended to apply to a member of the House.

The Premier said he most certainly thought the member for Auckland Central had intended it to apply to a member of the House. Mr Holland contended that it was not so applied.

Mr P. Fraser pointed out that the Speaker had merely asked Mr Parry if he had used the offending term, not whether he had applied it to a member of the House.

As a result of the difference of opinion, the Sergeant-at-arms was sent to search for Mr Parry, who was to be brought back to state to the House specifically to whom he intended the term “Scab” to apply, but as a result of the search Mr Parry could not be found, and did not appear.

Mr Massey then rose and said it, was his unpleasant duty to move a motion, a duty which, fortunatelv, he had not been called upon to discharge for several years. He moved that Mr Parry, the member for Auckland, be suspended for the remainder of the sitting. Mr Holland said he hoped the motion would not be carried until Mr Parry had an opportunity to explain. Mr Massey: Well, move the adjournment of the debate. This Mr Holland did.

The matter was shelved for a time, and the debate was continued without further incident until 5.25, when the report was laid on the table.

Mr Holland then asked leave to withdraw his motion to adjourn the debate on the motion to suspend Mr Parry. This was agreed to, and on the Premier’s motion being put, it was carried, and Mr Parry was suspended for the remainder of the sitting.