PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1901, 8 November 1913, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY*

When the Hon. F. M. B, Fisher ' tnoved to introduce the Second Ballot - Repeal Bill yesterday a Btorm set in. This camo on quite early in tho afternoon, to tho exclusion of all the usual preliminary business except questions. _In answer to the Leader of tho Opposition, the Prime Minister stated that he hoped to. be able to tell the Housq on Tuesday what business ho proposed to go on with tbis session. Mr Witty asked him. whether he pro- ' po6ed to go on with the Shops and Offices Bill this year. Mr. Massey Baid that, all being .well, he would ask Parliament to put the Bill on tho Statutebook. _ He hoped to bo ablo to do so, but this would depend on matters apart from tho Bill.

Then camo the Second Ballot Bill. Scarcely had Mr. Fisher sat down after repeating the formula to signify that he wished to move in accordance with his notice, when Sir Joseph Ward asked to bo informed what was in tho Bill. Mr. Fisher said that the Bill provided foi the repeal of the Second Ballot and nothing more. Sir Joseph Ward proceeded to charge tho Governtaent with all kinds of perfidy, working himself into a fury to the huge delight of Government members. His gnov•Btce was that tho Government were proposing to abolish a system of eleotion which ensured majority representation, to revert to a system which made minority representation possible. He urged that the Second Ballot ought not to be repealed without some substitute such as preferential voting being provided for it, and ho threatened the Govornment that tho Bill would be obstructed. He tried his best to induce the Prime Minister ,to state reasons, for the introduction of tho Bill, but tho Prime Minister promised to do this on the second reading. ' Sir Joseph Ward remarked that they wore still, a long way from getting th 6 Bill to that stage, Ito which Mr. Massey replied: "But we'll get it there." . At 6.80 p.m. the motion Would, in 'the ordinary oourse have lapsed,, but I Mr. Massey moved that the other orders I of the day be postponed to enable the ' debate on the introduction of the Bill to go on. This motion also was "discussed," and the debate' became the most obvious obstruction: .

It was quite apparent thai tho.Government members were pleased to hear . that the Government did hot.propose Ito try another experiment in place of the Second Ballot. They made no secret of their satisfaction with the ineasure to repeal the Second' Ballot ■ and revert to the straight-out system of .Voting. ■ Tho obstruction was continued until after midnight. In the Legislative Council tho Public Revenues Bill and the New Zealand Society, of .Aocounts Amendment Bill were put through all stages. The Standing Orders intervened to prevent an all-night sitting.; Tho motion to postpone the Orders of the Day waa disposed of at 0.45 a.m., and Mr. i Speaker announced that the principal ..motion, being "new business,' could fcot go on. The House rose at 0.45 a.m.