THE RUSH THAT FAILED.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 52, 25 November 1907, Page 8

THE RUSH THAT FAILED.

PARLIAMENT AT PLAY. Parliament was added to the "regular attractions" on Saturday night, and the galleries were well-populated by citizens expeotant of the frivolity that seems to have become accepted as the-fitting finale to the .work' of legislation. There scorned to be no doubt that the House would'finally''disperse before midnight, and, as a rosult, the fifty members -who answered tho ringing of the bell at half past seven ■ were in high spirits. The load, of care that had sat heavily on them had been thrown off, and there was a festival air of gaiety and irresponsibility. Members looked years . younger. Swords wero sheathed,' and everybody was pleased with himself and everybody elso. Early in tho evening the tendency to rejoice broke but in smothered song. Members hummed tunes in the Chamber,'and singing was heard in the lobbies.- Tho Speaker suppressed this levity, and work proceeded rapidly. Messages from tho Governor wero frequent. A new Bill was brought in, and Mr. Ell rose in protest. 'Some members tried to study the Bill, but most of them wor'o quite,careless of what it might contain. Mr. Merries corrected a last lonely Hansard proof. The machine was working with lightning-like rapidity. Infuriated atUho slaughter of his pet local Bill, Mr. R. M'Kenzie threatened to "stick-up" business, but some pacificatory' influenco overcame

him, and members, breathed' freely..- The Supplementary Estimates ivent through with a rush'.' At waV dono except the Appropriation Bill, and with fifteen m,inutos to' spare, tho House was ablo to"make. Mr, Mender happy by considering a Bill which had seemed doomed to oblivion. The second reading occupied no time at all. When the Bill' went into Committee, members roared "Aye." "Clause 1," said the Chairman, and a storm of "Ayes" broko out.* "Clause 2," and the "Ayes" yolled again. Tho clauses wcro put through in a prolonged roar of "Aye." Somo of them were skippod. - In seventy-fivo seconds tho Bill was through. Nobody, probably, knew what it was all nbout.

The Speaker loft-the Ghair, and the "Mock Parliament" began, Mr. Hcko pervaded tho proceedings. Ho moved that Mr. It. M'Kenzie take the Chair. "I've had enough of the Chair," said' Mr." .M'Kcnzio. "Tho House has had enough of tho Chairman," said Mr. Poland. Poor witticisms flew about, and wore hailed as gems ■of . humour. A piano was wheeled up to one of the doors, and Messrs. Hoke and Ngata sang a Maori vereion of "Life's Dream is O'er. But this was dry work, and Mr. He.ke returned to intorfere with the proceedings. A dismal three minutes followed the appearance in the Chair l of Mr. Colvin. The piano was still being strummed, and anbthor eborus was sung. By this time, the proceedings chiefly consisted of Mr. Heke. lie hud a question to ask about bachelor members', and in a scene of groat disorder, ho endeavoured to urge some schome upon tho Chairman, whoso vcncrabln appearance led the Maori inomher to address him indifferontly as "Mr. Rip Van Winkle," and "Mr. Prophet Dowie. Ho could* make no progress against the uproar, and another song cut him short. It was bndly and stopped after one verse had been negotiated. "That," said Mr. Heko, with, an explanatory wave of a scornful arm, "that is only tho Legislative Council. It is trying to sing." And ho once more rose to pross. a question upon "Mr. Dowie."

Tho galleries were amused, but a littlo weary , of tho poor fun, and they were not

OI IX MinqO "'it JO3l na 4S 3 <tt "°M* α-jjos Premier announced that.' \he Legislative Council had adjourned until Monday morning, and farewell-speeches' wore made. The thunderstruck. people in the galleries disgustedly drifted out five minutes before midnight.

the Hoiiso,' to borrow a. metaphor from the turf, was -blocked in the straight.