IN THE LOBBY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1036, 31 August 1883, Page 3

IN THE LOBBY.

[from OUB PAEfcIAMKNTABY COREESPON- , , , , DENT.] .n' Ksi -.li WiuuHCßOir, To-day. VJ Tbe Speaker of the Legislative Council Is f.feyerely taken to task in to-day’s Tpm&, for his attitude towards the School Committee - Elections Bill as. follows : ‘.‘ltiaiptat aU advisable that either the imsaf&ality orithe sound judgment of the Speaker ,of the,LegislativeOc unoil should be lightly called in question. A case octhe Upper House on Wednesday, however, which seems to demand apOke little notice, as indicating either pitftfality or want of discretion on the part-of Sir Wm. Fitzherbert in his official capacity. .The School' Committees Elaijjllljs which was designed to abolish yfa’c cumulative vote, had been carried twiflo through the House of Bepresentatives.laet aeaaioa, aud this by a substantial majority.-,: 'Last session it was rejected by the ;Upper , House. On Wednesday it aagne jup again from the Lower House and oiki .the motion- being put 17 • members Tptftd lor At and 17,’agsinst. The Speaker, gave his casting vote, and the Bill WAS; lost, What was singular in the dttdsion listiwas that Mr Campbell, who ba&last session voted in favor of the Bill, ob this - occasion voted, against it under misapprehension, he having only , just then entered the Chamber. Even, granting, however, • that the Speaker was not awaro. of .'that fact until after npng hie. decision, and also conceding that-' when the division was taken the i numbers could not be altered, itj.-.waa .scarcely good judgment to ejtereiss a casting vote in order to throw out 'for another year a Bill which had been twice carried through the Lower Home, unless indeed there was, what did iWtappear, some obviously strong objection to the Bill becoming law. An Upper Bouse, especially one which is of a nominee . -character, is supposed to exist mainly as.a* check upon hasty legislation '■lni.another; place.’ Here there could be no Each thing as hasty legislation. The .Speaker apparently made a decided mistake, andtobstructed the Biil which he ought to have helped to pass.” 1 y.iv-fi, ■ i i . - -