LEADER OF OPPOSITION RECHRISTENED.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2929, 29 August 1925, Page 2

LEADER OF OPPOSITION RECHRISTENED.

UPROAR IN THE HOUSE.

Wellington, East night. •Just after the House of Representatives sat-this afternoon, there occurred one of those disturbances rare in the New Zealand Parliament, in which language which calls for apology is used. On this occasion the person called on to apologise was a Minister of the Crown. The House had just gone into committee of supply on the estimates, when the leader of the Opposition rose and complained that very little notice was given members of the business to be dealt with by the House. Members were supposed to discuss things intelligently, but bow could they he expected to do so ut a moment’s notice? That morning, lie had asked the Prime Minister for an idea of the classes of the estimates be was going to take that (lav and tin* Prime Minister had replied that lie could not say, except that he was going to take 20 or 30 small classes. He did not remember matters ever being kept so secret as they were at the present time. The Government knew that the public was looking seriously at the enormous increases that were taking place in the expenditure on the Public Service.

The Hon. Sir R. Heaton Rhodes described the complaint of the Lender of the Opposition as simulated indignation and the Hon. Sir Maui Poniare said that Mr. Forbes had been snivelling from the time he got on his feet to the time lie sat down. He would call him “Snivelling George.” There was an uproar at once. Half-a-dozen Opposition members were on their feet, all protesting against the use of a term thev declared to he

offensive. MV. Poland’s voice could tie heard above the others, hurling heatedly at Sir Maui Pomare: “You are a full-blooded Maori, and a dirty one at that.”

The uproar continued and from the Opposition benches, someone shouted “A dirty cur!"

Oppositionists rose in quite a small body and demanded the withdrawal of t lie remarks made by the .Minister and some of them added that an apology also should he tendered. Sir Maui withdrew the remarks.

Mr. Poland: “I do not think a withdrawal of these words is sufficient. He should apologise: the words were not used in the heat of the moment, but deliberately in cold blood.” Sir Maui said it had been ruled, he understood, that be was to withdraw the words and this he had done. t

'l'he chairman of committees (Mr. -T. A. Young), who was presiding at the time, asked that the words should be repeated by Sir Maui Pomare in order that he might be in a position to rule on the point raised by Mr. Poland. “I said,” admitted Sir Maui, “that the lion, gentlemen was snivelling from the time lie got up till he sat down and that I am reehristening him “Snivelling George.’ ” “Not only must the Minister withdraw,” said the chairman, “but he must express regret.” Oposition members: “Hear, Hear.” The chairman said the standing orders were very strict on the point If that kind of thing was allowed to develop, he did not know what Parliament would come to. Sir Maui: “1 withdraw and express regret, but 1 must say—•” The chairman: “No, the honourable gentleman will please continue his speech." Sir Maui: “But I must say that the words were not used in any pernicious manner. They were said with a smile and anyone who knows the lion, member for Hurunui and myself and knows the relationship between us, will say that the words were not meant offensively. ’They were only used in a political sense.”