HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Inangahua Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1235, 17 August 1883, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

.^ ." BREACH OF PRIVILEGE." Mr Fish Wished to bring a question of privilege .before the House arising out of a paragraph in the Evening Post, relating to the Government steamer taking members and others on an excursion to Terawhiti. The Speaker said if this was a breach of privilege the honourable member must bring up the paper, state the names of the publishers, and move that the offending paragraph be read by the Clerk. Mr Fish moved the 1 adjournment of the House. The Speaker said if it was really a matter of privilege, the honourable member must follow the course stated. He found it necessary, to set himself against frivblous complaints being brought forward. Mr Fish read the names of the publishers, and moved that the Clerk read the paragraph. The offending paragraph was then read, stating that! mining managers and others who wished to go on the Kinemoa to Terawhili next morning could obtain tickets from Mr E. Shaw, to whom the Minister of Marine had delegated the power of granting tickets. Mr Fish then asked the Minister of Marine (Major Atkinson) to say whether the publishers were officially authorised to make! that announcement, . that the steamer vas public property.

But> it now appeared that this trip was organised not for members of the House, as was supposed, but for mining managers and speculators. The Speaker asked if the honourable member considered that a breach of privilege had been committed. Mr iish was willing to be ruled by the Speaker on that point; the breach of privilege was in this — whether the Minister of Marine had delegated his power to Mr Shaw to make this arrangment at the expense of the country. The Speaker said if a breach had been committed the proper course was to move that the publishers be summoned to the bar of the House. Mr Fish moved that they be summoned accordingly — [Loud laughter.] Mr Pyke asked the Minister of Marine to say whether the steamer was to .be used on this occasion for members of the House, or for mining speculators, all and sundry. He hinted at "salting," and supposed those who were asked to go were expected to invest money in these mines. Mr Sheehan did not know they had a Minister of Marine, and asked who was this " Sir Joseph Porter, KC.B.'"? [Laughter.] „ Mr fifeh^incilbionTwas then, put, and w&s .^afcvea-amidsi laughter.