LOYALTY MOTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 August 1920, Page 5

LOYALTY MOTION.

A REJOINDER TO LABOR.

MESSAGE TG HOME GOVERNMENT. A BREEZE IN PARLIAMENT. (By Wire.—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. Last week Labor members of the House of Representatives sent to London a cablegram expressing approval of the proceedings of the "Council of Action/' and the matter was mentioned in the House later, when the Prime Minister was asked if he would give members an opportunity of expressing their disapproval of tha attempts to embarrass the British Government at a critical period. The Prime Minister told the House of Representatives this afte.rnoon that he had consulted the Leader of the Opposition, and had agreed with him that the Government should submit a motion at a later date. The motion he proposed to move was to the following effect: "That this House expresses the continued loyalty of this Dominion to the Empire, and its sympathy with the Imperial Government in the difficulties with which it has to deal, and expresses the confident hope that the Empire will' emerge from the troubles which, judging by past history, are inseparable- from a period of reconstruction, more solid and more powerful than ever before."

LABOR PROTESTS. A chori)3 of interjections came from the Labor benches. Mr. McCombs (Lyttelton) declared that the motion had nothing to do with the Labor Party's cablegram. Mr. Holland (Buller) stated that the Government was "simply shirking the issue." Mr. Fraser (Wellington Central), who had signed the cablegram as President of the New Zealand Labor Party, asked if the Prime Minister would alter the motion to one directly condemning the cablegram. The Speaker said that the Minister's statement was not open for discussion at that stage. Mr. Massey: "I would like to answer the question. I have been asked it" I would allow the motion that has been agreed upon by the Leader of the Opposition and myself to be altered. I want to tell honorable members that I have no intention pf doing anything of the sort." (Hear, hear.) Mr. Holland: "May I ask the Prime Minister a further "question?" The Speaker said that the time for asking questions had passed, fhe Prime Minister's statement was noF open for discussion.

Mr. Holland: "I don't want to discuss it." The Speaker:. "I don't know what the honorable member wants to do." Mr. Holland: "I merely wish to ask—" The Spea-Kcr: "The honorable member cannot ask a question without first asking the indulgence of the House to enable him to do ao." Mr. Holland: "I do that, sir." "COWARDS!" The Speaker put the question to the House, and the Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Nosworthy) interjected, "I object." Mr. Speaker: "Indulgence can bo granted only by the unanimous consent of the House; that is the standing order." Mr. Parry (Auckland East): "Cowards!" Mr. Holland: "All right; there will be r\o further indulgences." Mr. T. W. Rhodes (Thames) (referring to Mr. Parry's interjection): "Has the honorable membei a right to im/mte cowardice to any honorable member?" The Speaker: "No member is entitled to use that expression to any other member of the House. I did not hear it, but if the honorable member did use it lie will have to withdraw it." Mr. Parry: "I did not use the word cowardice." Members: '"He did." An lion, member: "You did; you said coward."