The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1889. LEGISLATIVE AMENITIES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2315, 27 December 1889, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1889. LEGISLATIVE AMENITIES.

The New South Wales Parliament l seems determined to maintain the position of " the shocking example " among colonial Legislatures, the rowdy scenes which every now and then take place within its precincts being without parallel m any other British community. Take for instance the disgraceful proceedings of a few days, or rather nights ago. On the night of Thursday, 12th instant, two honorable (?) members oame to blows m the lavatory. "Mr Frank Farnell (Central Cumberland) and Mr D, Ferguson (Wellington) became excited m the course of conversation, and the latter made an observation to the former which he considered offensive. Mr Farnell resented it by striking Mr Ferguson on the mouth with his fist. ' come loose hitting followed, and finally the combatants closed and fell on the tiled floor of the lavatory. Friends interfered and separated the two members, neither of whom was greatly hurt. " We are almost sorry to hear it, for both of them deserved severe punishment for forgetting themselves and the obligations of their position m so outrageous a manner. Really if things go on at this rate we may look for recourse at no distant date to revolvers and to the occurrence of scenes similar to those witnessed m some parts of £outh America, Nor is it only m regard to their condnct towards one another that these Sydney legislators seem to have lost all sense of ordinary decency ; at least some of them appear to pay no respect whatever to the Chair, for we read that on the evening prior to the resort to fisticuffs above mentioned "offensive and insulting remarks, directed not only at aaembere, but at the Speaker, were uttered by Mr Crick at various stages of the proceedings." This sort of thing was followed up on the J evening of the 18th, Mr Crick leading off by having a slight difference with the Speaker, and giving " notice of a motion which the House received with loud cries of ' Shame/ The motion was :— (1) That m the opinion of this House, Mr J. H. Young, the present occupant of the chair, has exhibited since his election both incompetence and partiality, and has further been wanting m civil and courteous treatment to some members who opposed his election to the chair. (2) That m the opinion of this House, the occupant of the chair should be a man of ability and education and free from hasty prejudices; and hereby places on record that this House considers the Speaker unfit for his position.' The motion came up on Tuesday evening, when it was the cause of a long discus sion. Mr Crick, who stood alone m the House, was very strongly condemned. His action from the time he entered the House was reviewed by various speakers m terms of unmeasured disapproval, it being pointed out that he was largely responsible for the disturbances of last session, and for the disunion which had occurred m the ranks of the Opposition. Sir Henry Parkes, who waß exceedingly severe on the member for West Macquarrie, said the motion was a disgrace, and that Mr Crick was worse than anyone who had sat m the House since the first Parliament had met. Altogether Mr Crick received probably the most severe castigation ever administered to a member of this Parliament. He made a weak attempt at bravado m his reply, but it was evident that he was not altogether proof against the general contempt with which he was treated by the House. Eventually the House, on the voices, adopted an amendment to the effect that the action of Mr Crick m impugning the conduct of the Speaker was unworthy and offensive, and should be generally condemned by the Houge, and that the motion be expunged from the records." Jt is clear that the House generally desires to uphold the digrity of its Speaker and of its own proceedings, and m the resolution which it passed purged itself of much of the disgrace which attaches to the conduct of such members as Mr Farnell, Mr Ferguson and Mr Crick, but it is a sad blot upon the colony that suoh things as above detailed should so frequently occur m its Legislature, and f he sooner the electors awake to their duty m the mat??' the better will it be for the fair fame of New South Wales.