I wish to bring to your notice, Sir, a leading article in a paper known as the Sporting Press in its issue of February 23rd, with a view to seeing whether you would consider sending this document for examination by the Committee on Procedure and Privileges and to ascertain whether this leading article is not, in fact, a grave breach of privilege. I propose to read only short extracts from this article so that you will know its trend. It is headed: “Parliamentary Conduct.” It begins:
"Carrion consuming vultures exhaust their appetites on the flesh of their victims; they leave the dried bones to the ravages of time and weather. It seems to be the special craving only of some public men to deprive the elements of their due and to wallow in dead men's graves, rooting for their sins."
Further on it says:
"Leprosy of the mind is every bit as revolting as leprosy of the body, and equally consuming. It destroys without supplementary irritants. The afflicted are more pitiful than their flesh-corrupted fellow beings. Pass them quietly on the street."
It is sufficient, I think, to read only the first paragraph of these five paragraphs with a view to asking you to examine this and possibly other articles of this nature by this paper for the purpose of ensuring that the House and its members, in the conduct of their duties here, whatever their views may be, will be protected from such criticism.
