The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 1892.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3213, 28 June 1892, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men, Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 1892.

The Hou. Mr Bryce has petitioned the House to be heard at the Bar in order to state his case and secure the rescinding of the vote of censure passed upon hiui last session. The petition is a very lengthy one, and traverses the whole of the incidents of the unfortunate business. As we pointed out at the .time, the expression " be ashamed of himself," with the qualifying ending to the sentence in which it was contained, was not unparliamentary, and that the vote was passed under the misapprehension that Mr Bryce, when he said he would rather take the consequences, was not replying to the Premier, who had called upon him to withdraw the words " ought to be ashamed of himself," and who moved that the words be taken down before he had had time to conclude the sentence. Under these circumstances,the consequences to lie faced consisted in obedience to the Speaker when called upon to withdraw. The Premier had no right to demand withdiawal.but he was perfectly within the rules of Parliament in moving that they should be taken down. What is the object of what is technically termed "taken down?" Olearly, in order that the Speaker may call upon a member to withdraw the words, or in the event of his considering them so gross a breach of Parliamentary law that the simple withdrawal would net be sufficient vindication, he may call upon the House to deal with the offending member as it may deem fit. It has never been pretended that the words could be classed in the latter category, and the Speaker, who was new to his office, admits that he never called upon Mr Bryce to withdraw, for the reason, as he stated at the time, time, that he thought it was uselsss to do po. On the other hand, Mr Bryce has stated in his petition that he would have felt bound to obey the Chair. The censure of the House, therefore fell, upon the wrong shoulders. Withdrawing would not of course have prevented Mr Bryce subsequently questioning the ruling that the words were unparliamentary. There are many precedents for a member,,pursuing this course. It is to be sincerely hoped that the House will accede to the petition, as much for the support of its own dignity as for the withdrawal of a stigma from the name of a man who has rendered valuable service to the country, and who had always maintained in public and privato life a character for sterling integrity and a keen sens 6 of what constitutes honourable conduct.