Objectionable

Ui Alters

[?]Rivileges Bill

From a Suva Correspondent •A Fiji Government proposal to produce a bill which curtailed tess freedom was defeated in June Mowing strong opposition from the ress. The bill was passed at the me 22 meeting of the Legislative 'ouncil, but with amendments re ilting in most of the objectionable matures being withdrawn.

TNDER the original bill, which J defines the powers and privileges f the Legislative Council, it was an [fence to “insult” or slander any icmber of the Council, or to publish ny evidence or document which the touncil or any of its committees rohibited from publication, or -here the evidence had been heard ehind closed doors. It laid down unishments to a maximum of a 200 fine or two years’ gaol, or both. [ put Fiji councillors in a special Dsition of privilege and encouraged oncealment of information. [Publisher of The Fiji Times, Mr. .en Usher, led the attack on the roposed bill, and as a result there rere protests against some of its jatures voiced in Britain, New ealand and Australia.

The Sydney Morning Herald said Lustralian politicians would “surely nvy” members of Fiji’s Legislative Council for the “truly remarkable revisions” which made it an offence y insult members, without indicating mat an insult was. Was it an insult, or instance, to say that a member iad not fulfilled his election pro lises?

Some of the clauses represented a quite intolerable infringement of tie freedom of the Press,” said the Jerald.

Under the amended bill it is not n offence to insult a member out ide the House, and other safeguards ►n other clauses were written into he bill.