CAN A SLEEPING LEGISLATOR VOTE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1961, 4 October 1888, Page 3

CAN A SLEEPING LEGISLATOR VOTE.

Whilst the Assembly were discussing the Ohineße Immigration Restriction Bill m committee on Tuesday, September 18 (says the Adelaide " Kegiuter,") tho Chairman waa confronted with a question to whiah no apeoific answer ia given by those Standing Orders with which he ia so familiar. Mr Reea had entered the Chamber ahonly aftar the beginning of the debate, and having vigorously iuter jiOted "Hear, hear" fitfully now and then, ho was ao overcome by the heat of tho weather and by hlB legislative dudes that, leaning back on the ooay cushions, he fell into a debp Blumbar, Ho waa still aaleop when an Important division was being taken— a division m nhloh ths parties were almost equally divided. The i Chairman was jocularly aaked to state whetht r 9- member's vote could bo counted whilst his mind was oblivious to all earthly conoidoratlonß, and when his thoughts migtu be roaming uufettered iv the BWeet tiblda of dreamland, Tne substance of Mr Ward'B first practical off hand reply was — " The chair is not responsible for the Blumbera cf the hon. member ;" and hie second, " Such a question does not come within the provinoa of the chair — the vote must be counted when the hon member ia ia hiß place." All thia time Mr Reeß proceeded composedly with his sleep, not even deigning so much as to snore one single indignant protest. Several members shouted " Wake him np 1" but roasing a sleeping Hon ia a task demanding BpecUl taot, diplomacy, and courage, and the gentlemen appealed to began with one accord to make excuses. The Minister of Education crossed over and reconnoitred the abstracted statesman for a moment, but — thab was all, Mr Oaldwell, bolder than all others, actually attempted to arouse him, but his efiorta and h>s touch were too fearsome and too delicate to be effective. Mr Bees still slept—slept whilst one division was taken m which the voting waa 23 to 22 ; slept still more deeply whilst another division was recorded m whloh the votes were equal. Either of those might have been aiterad bad Mr Rtes been awake, but Mr Rees still slumbered, Aa witty Mr Horn eaid subsequently, " This was about the only ocoußton upon which Mr Kaea bad been known to give a silent vote " At last sarcastic members began to make setto voce remarks, Buoh as "Ah ! sleeping Deauiy, eh 1" " Oh, don t wake him ior goodnesß sake!" "He doesn't talk when he's asleep, remember !" Then everybody rolapaed into Indifference almost as great UB that of the hon member himself, who, after a long interval of further repose, awakened by gradual degrees. At night he waß undoubtedly awake, and talked upon the fisttmatea to make up for lost time until members said — and meant what they Baid — that it waa a pity be had not ftlept on. A roar of laughter was produced at one moment when he said " Tno Stores Commission opened my eyes," but tha hon gentlemen evidently did not Intend the observation to be humorous, and looked surprised at the merriment he had caused. Daring a lull m the baainesj Obttain industrious members discovered a p^sßa^e m May, page 397, 1883 edition, which states that " to entitle a member to vote he must have heard the question put." Soma of them are now wrestling with the. question whether Mr Raea should have been compelled to vote, but it la hardly likely that the chairman will be asked to give a distinct ruling upon a point whloh will probably not arise twice In 10 years, j