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Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 987, 30 November 1910, Page 6

' The looseness in the conduct of tho business 'of tho House of Representatives in the early hours of the morning, which, under the existing regime, appears inseparable from the prolonged sittings towards tho close of the session, went even further

than usual during the all-night sitting which ended at 7 o'clock on Tuesday morning. It is perhaps permissible, if these all-night sittings are to be tolerated at all, that 'the Chairman during Committee proceedings should on occasions ignore minor departures from the ordinary rules of procedure, but there are limits which should not be exceeded. It is highly objectionable, for instance, that votes should be recorded for members who arc tying down in their places in the House, apparently fast asleep. Tho rules of the House say that members must enter the lobbies when divisions are being taken. ' At yesterday's sitting votes were recorded again and again for members who lay stretched at full length on their benches, oblivious to all that had been going on around them. Why should the votes of these sleeping or drowsing members bo permitted to count against the votes of members who are attending to their duties 1 Why, also, should these shirkers escape the discomforts of these all-night sittings which the Government force on the House? But there is another matter which calls for attention; that is the rowdyism which goes on in the lobbies. The noise from the lobbies yesterday morning on several occasions quite disturbed the proceedings in the House. Members should not forget that even at 2 o'clock in the morning Parliament is still Parliament. There is really a greater need for the preservation of order and decorum at that hour than when the galleries are full, for it is at such times that there is danger of serious trouble arising out of the disputations which occur. Yesterday the Chairman even found it necessary to draw attention to the fact that a member was smoking in his placo in the House and to tell him to desist. And the member in question, instead of realising that he had insulted Parliament by flouting its rules, appeared to think that he had done something clever!

Our suggestion that the public might be curious to know whether Mr. Millar would resign his portfolio as a consequence' of the severe rebuke administered by the Prime Minister has called forth some dissenting criticism from some of our contemporaries. Ono of them takes .some space to convince ifcsolf as to the non-applicability of the precedent set by Mr. Hogg, and winds up by assuring the public that the easee are' different, and that Mr. Millar will not resign. We are sorry if our suggestion caused any alarm. Most peoplo-know that Mr: Millar would not resign, for reasons which are obvious enough. They are very-well put by the Christchurch Press:

But wo do not , look to.seo Mr. Millar resign his portfolios, either voluntarily or by.request. He and his chief mny be on no better terms than has for a long time been commonly believed, but if. Sir Joseph Word can put up with the numerous disparaging references that Mr. Millar has u.ade regarding his predecessor's administration of tho railways he is not very likely to demand his colleague's resignation- because of his open disagreement with the Government on the Gaming Bill, and if Mr. Millar bad the slightest intention of severing his connection with the Government over the question of tho bookmaker he would havo done .so before now. If half what rumour eays is true the Cabinet is no happy family, but the" ferces that bind them together as individuals are stronger than those that have more than once suggested disintegration. It is a question of personal dignity against self-preservation, and the latter being tho first law of nature has, of course, triumphed.

It.'is.probable.-that. Mr. Buddo is really the only perfectly happy man in the Ministry. One cannot help feeling a little sorry for- the pains of the others, driven by their fcelingsto the verge of resignation, and checked at the last moment by worldly prudence—caged spirits, in fact.

It will interest tho public to note the tactics adopted last evening by the Prime Minister in respect of the discussion of tho findings of ,tho' HiNB Charges Committee. No moro important issuo than that involved in the findings of the Committee,, affecting as they do the honour of members and the honour of Parliament, could come under the notice of the House. But the Prime Minister, presumably in order to prevent, as far as possible, full publicity being given" to the debate, and also to force members to debate the matter while wearied physically and mentally, .so arranged the day's Ordqr Paper as to hold back the opportunity for discussion until nearly one o'clock in the morning. Comment on such tactics would be superfluous. The public will have no difficulty in drawing its own conclusions.