SCENE IN THE VICTORIAN HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 61, 9 June 1863, Page 5 (Supplement)

SCENE IN THE VICTORIAN HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY.

(From the Argus.) Last night, in committee, the Legislative Assembly rejected Mr. L. L. Smith's motion to supplement the funds of local bodies for the purposes of the rejoicings, the majority, on a division, being 24 to 16. The discussion was of a somewhat animated character. Mr. Don delivered an Oration, which was supposed to be in support of the motion ; feat, as the. Hon. member preserved his recumbent position and somnolent appearance during the division, and thus recorded a " silent vote with the noes, it is to be presumed that the drift of his observations was misunderstood. Some stray phrases used by the hon. member as to the importance of Melbourne and the suburban municipalities drew Mr. Woods to his feet, in a towering passion, to declaim against Melbourne, as being merely a collector of customs — a toll-gate on the road — the real producers being the gold-fields and country districts, to whom all the money should he voted. Mr. L. L. Smith summed up the discussion, and expressed his astonishment at the apparent disloyalty of the Minister of Justice, in attempting to count out the House when the proposition was first brought before it. Mr. Wood retorted by observing that he thought the House would appreciate his motives. Mr. Smith challenged the Minister to name them. Mr. Wood, thus put to it, said he believed that any motion of th° kind coming from the hon. member would be degraded to the level of a quack advertisement. Mr. L. L. Smith evidently in great heat, got up to propose that the words used by the Minister of Justice be taken down, and asked what he meant by calling him " a quack and a courtezan." The laughter provoked from all sides of the House by this Version of the Minister's words recalled the excited member to a better recollection of the case, and he "withdrew the word courtezan." The hon. member for South Bourke then went on at great length to defend his position as an advertising surgeon, and to declaim against the tricks of the other members of his profession to obtain trade. Was it not more manly, he asked, to make his busiuess by spending £3000 a-year in advertising in the newspapers, than by wearing a peculiar hat and boots, or getting himself called out of theatre or church ? The scene and the discussion terminated for the time in the rejection of the motion and the vindication — by the members already stated — of the honor and loyalty of the country. At a late hour the affair assumed a more serious aspect. Immediately after the division, the House adjourned, the usual hour of refreshment having arrived. It seems that Mr. Smith, about an hour afterwards, went into the refreshment room, and, after some remarks struck the Minister of Justice, from the table. Mr Wood sprang up to follow him, but was caught by the arm and held by the Chief Secretary, who afterwards summarily ejected Mr. Smith from the room, while the Attoi'ney-General called for a constable, intending to give the hon. member into custody for assault. Before the arrival of the officer however, Mr. L. L, Smith entered the Legislative Chamber, to shelter himself from arrest under "privilege." After some little interval, and the Speaker not having resumed the chair, the officer entered the Chamber, stated to the hon. member that he had been directed to arrest him, that the Attorney-Gene-ral had given him into custody, and desired him to walk out with him. This Mr Smith declined to do, dared the officer to remove him, and called for the Attorney-General to come in, and give him into custody. While this was going on, Mr. Orr and Mr. A. J. Smith entered the chamber, and by their attitude, expressed astonishment at the scene. The officer at last retired, in obedience to an order addressed to him by Mr. Ireland from the lobby below the reporter's gallery ; and the hon. member remained in his place. As soon as the Speaker took the chair, the AttorneyGeneral stated what had occurred, and said if he had s.-itisfi»d the House that an assault had been committed in consequence of what had passed in the course of the debate, he would move that the hon. member be committed to the custody of the Sergeant-at-Arms. Mr Smith then rose and said that before he struck the Minister of Justice, the latter had refused to apologise, sayS'ng— " No, I'll see you d d first.'* Mr Smith then stated what followed, the Speaker requesting that he should keep himself to the matter stated by the Attorney-General. The honorable member, in reply, stated that he had acted in the belief that the refreshment room was beyond the privileges of the House. The Speaker stated that the assault as reported by the AttorneyGreneral, and as admitted by the hon. meiT ber for South Bourke, was a gross breach of the privileges of the House, and such as had always been visited by the severest punishmant in the power of the house to inflict. Mr Smith then left the House. After a discussion, which lasted till nearly ten o'clock, the motion was agreed to, Mr Pope alone objecting. The Sergeant-at-arms was then directed by the Speaker to take the hon. member (Mr Smith) into custody ; and having received a warrant authorising him to do so, in a few mi-

nutes afterwards the officer announced that he had the hon. member in custody. After the disposal of the business on the paper, Mr Heales submitted a mot'on for the discharge of Mr Smith from custody without payment of fees (which amounted to £105), on his making an ample apology to the House and to Mr Wood. Mr Lalor suggested that the hon. member should first petition the House. This suggestion was adopted ; and Mr Sullivan soon afterwards brought up a petition fiom the hon. member praying for release, which was read by the clerk. Mr Heales then submitted his motion ; and Mr Smith having been brought to the bar, read an abject apology to the House and to the hon. member from Warrnambool, in which he professed his desire to use whatever language the House might think best to express his regret at having been betrayed in a hasty moment into an assault on Mr. Wood. Mr Smith then retired from the bar, still in custody ; and Mr Heales having moved the second part of his motion, the hon. member was discharged from custody ; and thus ended the story of the first committal of a member of the Legislature of Victoria for an assault committed on another hon. member.