The Minister for Health gave me notice that he wished to raise a personal matter.
Personal Explanation by Minister.
I merely wish to recall what happened yesterday in reply to a supplementary by Deputy Norton in which I stated I was not going to be intimidated, that there was neither a strike nor a lockout involved in this matter, as Deputy Norton had suggested. Deputy Norton contradicted me and said that he had used the word "boycott" and that I had been guilty of a falsehood in using the word "strike." Later I saw the script of the official report and the word "strike" was typed in in the ordinary context as part of the sentence. It was blocked out and the word "boycott" substituted. I do not wish to raise this matter as any sort of indictment of Deputy Norton, but I do hope that you, Sir, will be indulgent enough to have the word "falsehood," of which I have been accused, expunged from the record.
Has Deputy Norton been advised of this?
Yes, I advised him.
That you intended to make a statement to that effect?
That I intended to make a statement that the word "strike" had been used and that I was not guilty of a falsehood when I stated that that word had been used by Deputy Norton. It is not of any great consequence, except I suppose that neither Deputy Dillon nor any other member of this House would wish to lie under the imputation that he had been guilty of a deliberate falsehood.
The Chair does not consider it its duty to strike out the word "falsehood". The Minister has made a personal explanation and that surely covers the matter.