M.P.’S TO GO TO COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 September 1922, Page 6

M.P.’S TO GO TO COURT.

ORDERED TO QUIT “DIGS” RATHER REMARKABLE SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES. ECHO OF RECENT TRESPASS CASE. Four South Island members of Parliaent little thought, when they came to Wellington for the opening of the session a little over two months ago, that they were to be involved in court proceedings before they returned to their electorates. Proceedings, however, have been instituted against them, and in the course of a few weeks the cases are likely to come on for hearing. The circumstances are rather remarkable. It will be remembered that, quite recently, Mrs Nellie Evans took' action against the Rev. Robertson Orr respecting the possession of a residential property, and, after a hearing lasting several days, was awarded £2OO damages. It now seems that further, proceedings i have been instituted against;'* Mr. Robertson Orr, from whom a sum of £5Ol is claimed by Mrs Evans for the time during which she was kept out of the premises. SHORT NOTICE. The premises over . which there has been so much trouble happened to oe the temporary home of Messrs J. Bitchener (the member for Waitaki), T. D. Burnett (Temuka), J. R. Hamilton (Awarua), and A. Hamilton (Wallace). The day after the verdict was given in the recent proceedings a letter was sent to each of the members by the solicitor who is acting for Mrs Evans, stating that they were required to quit the premises. The verdict was delivered on Friday, August 18th, the letter *to quit was sent j along on Saturday, the 19th, and the request was that the M.P.’s should vacate their quarters by noon on the following Monday. Two of the members were out of Wellington wnen the notice was delivered, and did not return to. Wellington until the time mentioned ifi the document had expired. One of the politicians had some of the lady members of his family with him, but eventually new quarters were found, and the Parliamentary party departed. [Hojyever, they have 'all received summonses—in the terms of the notice—that if they did not leave by noon on the Monday they would be joined with Mr. Robertson Orr in the new action. CASE TO BE CONTESTED. It seems that one of the members had rented the rooms from one of the principals in the litigation, and that the other three members were responsible to him for their share of the rent. It is understood that the members do not intend to treat the matter lightly, and will contest it. Members of Parliament have certain privileges of immunity from prosecution during the progress of a session of Parliament, and it remains to be seen how these will be used.