THE OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1893, 14 July 1888, Page 3

THE OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY.

Mr Pykb's Otago Central Railway Bill had a tremendous time of it m com mittee on Thursday night and we certainly cannot congratulate the House of Representatives upon the nature of its proceedings. For seven mortal hours stonewalling tactics of the most pronounced type were indulged m, the member for Auckland Central, Hr George Grey, being m the van of the obstructionists, When it is remembered that the principle of the Bill was affirmed on the second reading by a crushing majority that majority being^ indeed an absolute majority of the whole house, and that it was carried into committee by 47 to 17, and that after seven hours committee fighting only one operative clause was disposed of, it will' at once be seen that the whole proceedings of Thursday night and Friday morning were simply an exemplification of the tyranny of the minority. Such an abuse as this calls for immediate remedy as unless it is remedied Parliamentary procedure will fall into deserved contempt, and it is to be hoped that the House will now see that it is imperatively necessary that the Standing Orders should be amended, m that such abuses may be no longer possible. As regards the Bill itself, which we consider as a wise and necessary one under existing circumstances, we trust that having now a week to reflect, before it again comes on for consideration, its opponents will recognise the false position m which they have placed themselves, and will desist from further factious proceedings. If not it must undoubtedly be lost for this session at any rate. The Government is not without blemo m the matter, for upon a ' measure of this importance the Ministry as a whole should have taken a decided stand, and even yet wo should like to see them take up a position either lor or against the Bill, which m the event of their support being accorded to it should now bo taken m charge as a Ministerial measure.