The Dominion. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1913. BREAKING DOWN THE DEADLOCK.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1915, 25 November 1913, Page 6

The Dominion. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 1913. BREAKING DOWN THE DEADLOCK.

The growing indignation of the public at the shameful waste of time and money caused by the obstruction of the Legislature Amendment Bill by Sir Joseph Ward and his followers, assisted by the Labour-Social-ists, has compelled those responsible for these stupid tactics to reconsider the position. The obstructive methods have not been abandoned, but they took a new turn when the House met yesterday afternoon, and tho short title of the Bill, which had been tho subject of a prolonged discussion of the most ridiculous and absolutely useless character, was allowed to pass without further debate, together with the succeeding clause. This means Ajiat many hours of valuable time wero completely thrown, away in talking at absurd length on almost every word in these two clauses concerning which there was no genuine difference of opinion. This is'shown by tho fact that they were eventually carried unanimously on the voices. It is impossiblo to conceive a more flagrant misuse of the forma of Parliament, and in the face of such wanton abuse of the rights of free speoch, the Chairman of Committees (Mr. Malcolm) wouldhave neglected an imperative • duty if ho had not taken some action to prevent tho proceedings of the House from being further degraded by such tactics! - Public opinion will not tolerate this sort of senseless obstruction, and Sir Joseph Ward will find that this "stonewall" is a mistake from every point of view. His Leadership of the Opposition has been responsible for one blunder after another, and tho latest is in some respects th<s woi-Bt. -i

Tho Opposition have a perfect right to express their views freely and fully on any question that may arise. No reasonable person desires to prevent tho proper and adequate consideration of any legislative proposal; but the Government rightly object to the systematic abuse of the rules of debate with the deliberate object of permanently preventing the majority from giving effect to its will, and in so objecting they have tho full support of every person possessed of any sense of responsibility. The statement made by the Chairman of Committees (Jin. Malcolm) when the House met yesterday afternoon showed that he was of opinion that the limits of fair discussion had been long overstepped, and that the time had come for measures to be taken to keep the debate within legitimate bounds. No inan in his senses can pretend that the Opposition has not offended in the grossest manner against tho spirit of the Standing Orders. Mr. Malcolm was thoroughly justified in drawing the attention of the House to tho historic incident, mentioned in yesterday's Dominion, when the Chairman of Committees (Mn. Seymour), supported by Mr. Speaker O'ltonKE, took very drastic tuoanuvon to bring a similar deadlock to an

end. Mn. Malcolm said he was not at the moment prepared to adopt such extreme measures as were taken on that occasion, but he would use to the utmost limit the powers which the Standing Orders gave him. This will not put a stop to the debate, but will do something to prevent persistent irrelevance, the unending repetition of worn-out arguments, and frivolous motions having no object but the wasting of time.

In view of what had occurred last week, the Chairman might well have taken a much more drastic course, though it is to be hoped that the line of action which he has outlined will be sufficient to prevent a repetition of the farcical and tedious methods of debate by which the Opposition have made the proceedings of Parliament a- byword among sensible men. Silt Joseph Ward endeavoured to show that the position on the present occasion was different from that which existed in 1881 when the Chairman of Committees and the Speaker found it necessary to interfere. It is true that the Standing Orders have been altered since then, but the great principle laid down by Mr. Speaker O'Egrke is just as applicable to the deadlock on the Legislature Amendment Bill of 1913 as it was to the prolonged obstruction on tho Representation Bill of 1881. On both occasions there was a deliberate and organised attempt to prevent Parliament from exercising its essential functions, and on the present occasion the period of obstruction has been longer than in 18-81. Indeed, obstruction at such absurd length has never before been attempted in the Parliament of New Zealand. There has been no attempt to conceal tho obvious fact that during the past week tho Opposition has sought to "so abuse the forms of the House as in a great measure to paralyse its powers, demoralise, its members, and bring it into contempt." It was on these grounds that Mr. Sfeakeh O'JloitKE supported Mb. Seymour in breaking up the deadlock in 1881, in order that the business of the country might be proceeded with. Mr. Malcolm gave the House two full hours for a general discussion of the second ballot system, and then began to keep the speakers more closely to the point. The strict suppression of tedious repetitions soon became somewhat irksome to members, who simply wanted to use up as much time as possible, but it gave ample opportunity for genuine discussion and the expression of every relevant, opinion. Eventually an appeal was made to the Speaker, but Mr. Lang expressed complete approval of the measures which the Chairman had taken to maintain the dignity of Parliament, and _ to prevent a. minority from making the transaction of business impossible. _ In view of the fact that something like sixty hours have been devoted to three clauses oi a Bill, one of which is the short title, and another non-contentious, it is supremely ridiculous for anyone to talk about the curtailment of free speech. Moreover, the present discussion of the clause, relating to the Second Ballot is taking place on the motion for its second reading. There still remain the further opportunities to debate it at the Committee stage, and on the third reading of the Bill. The. liberty of free speech is not threatened in any way by the Chairman's attitude, but the license claimed by a minority to block indefinitely the progress of business by means of empty talk is checked, and properly so. It is the most obvious hypocrisy for the Opposition tp profess to believe that they are in any danger of losing any privilege to which they can justly lay claim. They know too well that they have abused to the uttermosb the very wide liberty of speech which the Chairman has allowed them, and that the purpose they have had in view throughout has been a selfish and unworthy one, designed to servo their own party ends, and not the interests of the country.