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ation that he does perhaps address a remark to' a member or to a witness in a tone that is calculated to give rise to irritation and cause loss of temper. Ido not think our present Chairman will admit that he is in every respect a perfect Chairman. Then, what is the position here? Let us get down to bed-rock. The difficulty in a Committee of this kind is to get rid of party feeling. We have to some extent a party on both sides—a party feeling manifested, and we have a party gentleman in the chair. The Chairman: lam giving you all latitude. Hon. Mr. Allen,: I must really ask Mr. Hanan to desist. You are only stirring up strife. Mr. Hanan: lam pointing out the position. The Chairman: Yes, Mr. Hanan, I am giving you all the latitude, and far more latitude thau a strict chairman would do, but 1 must rule you out in referring to party matters. Mr. Hanan: Mr. Chairman, I desire to refer to the attitude of the witness in this matter. We can settle this matter between ourselves. It is not desired that it should be brought back to the House again. The Chairman: Your time is up, Mr. Hanan. Hon. Mr. Allen : I only want to say that there is one question and one question only before us, and that is the use of unquestionably improper words to the Chairman of the Committee— words which would be improper in the House. That is the only issue before us. It does not matter what was said before :we can deal with that afterwards. The one thing we have now to deal with is the use of obviously improper words which cannot be allowed, or we never could maintain order on a Committee or in the House. If they cannot be withdrawn I am very sorry it cannot be done. I have tried my best to endeavour to get round the difficulty, but unfortunately I have not succeeded, and the Committee has not succeeded. If the Committee could deal with it without referring it back to the House again I should be very glad to adopt that course. Mr. Myers: 1 full}- enter into the spirit which has actuated Mr. Allen in acting as he has done, and I think I am expressing the opinion of every member present when I say that we all deplore the position which has been created. Now, it appears to me that it is to a large extent, as frequently happens, due to a misunderstanding: and I hope the Chairman will allow me to say, and I do so with the greatest respect, that I believe Sir Joseph Ward made use of the expression he did —which there is no doubt is unparliamentary—for the simple reason that he felt it was a personal affront to himself. I will go further and say that Ido not believe the Chairman desired or meant for a moment any personal affront to Sir Joseph Ward, and under the circumstances, if I may be permitted to say so, it seems to me that we should adopt the suggestion made by Mr. Allen, and deal with this matter at once and get rid of it. Hon. Mr. Allen : I shall be only too glad if you can. Mr. Myers: You asked for a suggestion. It appears to me, sir, that if there is a misunderstanding, why cannot it be cleared up. If the Chairman did not mean it as a personal affront to Sir Joseph Ward Hon. Mr. Allen: It is wrong to assume he did. Mr. Myers: Well, I believe Sir Joseph Ward does. I say with the greatest respect, with the full responsibility of one public man to another, that I do not believe you meant it as a personal affront, sir, to Sir Joseph Ward. Sir Joseph Ward thinks you did. If you were to express yourself, as I believe you are a fair-minded man and desiring to do the right thing, that it was not your intention The Chairman: I must ask you to drop that line of argument. It is unfair to the Chairman and unfair to the Committee. The question before the Committee is that the words which have been refused to be withdrawn shall be referred to the House. Mr. Myers: I believed that this matter was going* to be cleared up in this way. There is apparently some misunderstanding, and as reasonable men why cannot we Hon. Mr. Allen: No, I cannot see any misunderstanding. Mr. Myers: Surely every man in this room deplores the present position, and if there is a misunderstanding, if anybody else can offer a suggestion, I am sure I am only too happy to sit down and let them do so. T followed the matter very carefully, and no man knows better than Sir Joseph Ward himself that he used an unparliamentary expression. Hon. Mr. Allen: And therefore it should be withdrawn. Mr. Myers: He feels that it was a personal affront intended by the Chairman. Now, I stand up here and say that I do not think the Chairman for a moment desired Mr. Hanan : Then why cannot the Chairman say so? The Chairman : I must ask you again to desist from referring to the Chairman's action. Mr. Myers: I have nothing more to say, then. Mr. Craigie: We are sent here by the House, and I am sure every member in the House wishes the Committee to settle this matter. They do not want to hear anything more about it in the House. It is a deplorable thing, and if we can settle it we are doing good work for the House and every one concerned. Hon. Mr. Allen,: Have you any suggestion to make? Mr. Craigie: Well, T think Mr. Myers was on the right road. Of course, if the Chairman will not allow me to say what T want to say I will sit down ; but I heard the evidence, and I looked upon Sir Joseph Ward as almost on his trial, and there was no doubt party feeling in the House and also party feelinir in this room. Sir Joseph Ward was Minister of Finance- 1 The Chairman: I must ask you not to take that strain. The question before the Committee is that those words shall be referred back to the House. You will resume your seat for a moment. Sir Joseph Ward is a member of the Committee, and I do not think it is proper to say that he is on his trial when he is sitting at the Committee. You are going beyond all points of precedence when you take up that argument.