PARLIAMENTARY.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3176, 2 September 1881, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday,

The Council met afc 2.30 p.m. XEAVE OP ABSENCE. Messrs Reynolds, Robinson, Wilson, Nurse, and Miller were granted leave of absence on urgent private affairs. THE STONEWALLING IN THE LOWER HOUSE. Mr Reynolds moved that the Council should adjourn from the following day until Wednesday, September 14th, as there would be nothing for the Council to do. The motion was rejected by 17 to 11. NEW PLYMOUTH HABBOB WOBKS. Replying to Captain Fraser, Mr Whitaker said the Government had no power to stop the New Plymouth harbor worts until the bill that had been introduced in the Lower House was passed. NATIVE KESEBVES Bl__. The Native Reserves Bill was read a third time and passed. CHINESE IMMIGRATION BILL. A message was received from the Governor, notifying that he had reserved the Chinese Immigration Bill for the signification of the Queen's pleasure. BILLS. The Waimakerere Harbor Board Loan Bill, the Invercargill Gas Works Site Bill, the Canterbury Rivers Act Amendment Bill, and the Rangiora High School Bill were read a second time. The Akaroa High School Bill was thrown out by 12 to 10. The Council adjourned at 5 o'clock. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. Thursday. BEPEESENTATION BILL. The House continued sitting in committee on the Representation Bill. Mr Levestam then spoke until 2.40. Mr Gibbs followed, urging objections to the bill on various grounds. He spoke until 3.30. Mr Tomoana applauded the stand made by the Nelson members. He thought there ■ was a great deal of similarity between their position and that of the native members. Each were contending for those they represented. Tho Government should come to some just settlement. He proposed to sing a verso of a Maori song to illustrate his views. Mr Tomoana then commenced to sing : One, one point— Mr Hall objected to such a violation of propriety. The native members should be taught practically how to conform themselves to the rules of debate. Mr Pitt thought ifc would be quite in order for a member even to sing. He supposed all their voices were more or less musical or discordant. Mr Tomoana said he had asked the Chairman whether he was in order in singing his song. Colonel Trimble, who was the ActingChairman, said he did not think tho hon. member would be a bit more out of order in singing than other members had been for the lasfc 12 hours. The whole of the proceedings had really become a ffarce. Holding the chair temporarily lie did not wish to go against rulings already given, but he held that the forms of the House were not intended to be used for purposes of obstruction. He quoted authorities in support of his view. He held it would be out of order to sing. Mr Collins said they would evidently have to wait five months in order to secure justice. There was apparently no chance of concession from the Government, and as for himself and those working with him there was not the slightest chance of their yielding to intolerable tyranny when they were in the right. The only means of settlement was dissolution. Mr Collins finished speaking at 4.35. Mr Hursthouse succeeded him and continued speaking up to half-pasfc 5 o'clock when the committee rose until 7.30. The House resumed at 7.30. BEPBESENTATIOK BILL. In committee on the Representation Bill Mr Hursthouse spoke for about half an hour. Sir George Grey then spoke on the land laws and electoral rights. He was proceeding to speak on the pension question when the Chairman ruled him out of order in referring to that subject. Sir George Grey retorted that the Chairman's ruling amounted to oppression, and that if in defence of public rights, endangered by class legislation, freedom of speech was denied him he would sit down, protesting against the Chairman's tyranny. Mr Swanson defended the property qualification, contending that all the liberal measures they had were the result of legislation passed in virtue of the existing franchise. Referring to some remarks made on a previous occasion in "allusion to the writings of Carlyle, wherein reference was made to the blessings of honest poverty, Mr Swanson said there was a great deal of sentimental trash spoken and written on the subject, but his experience was that all were anxious to get quit of poverty and acquire for themselves an independence. Sir George Grey asked to be allowed to jay a few words,

The Chairman replied that Sir George Grey could not be allowed to transgress ! the ordinary rules of debate. The imputation of tyranny was most unjustifiable. After a few words from Mr"Seddon, Sir George Grey said he did not think it desirable for him to mix with Mr Swanson in political matters, as Mr Swanson was a man of property and had a compact in his pocket making him either one of the Government or the master of the Government. Mr Swanson's wbole speech was in favor of the influence of wealth, and of rendering ifc impossible for the poor man to acquire property. Ho (Sir George) was opposed to any other franchise than the manhood one, but if the freehold one is maintained he thought the evil might be mitigated by tho leasehold franchise being also allowed. After some further remarks, Sir George was alluding to the Council's rejection of the Law Practioners Bill. The Chairman ruled that Sir George Grey was out of order. Sir George Grey, after a pause, said he supposed they must not speak of their masters in another place. He then continued to speak on a variety of points until the usual adjournment for half an hour at 10.30. After the adjournment Mr Rollesfcon replied to the remarks made by Sir George Grey [iv reference to the Chairman, and hoped the House would uphold the dignity of the chair. He cared little himself for the speeches of Sir George Grey. They fell harmless on him, bufc some of Sir George Grey's remarks were contemptible. He (Mr Rolleston) would, however, never sib still and hear the Chairman spoken of as Sir George Grey had spoken of him on the present occasion: From a long experience of Sir George Grey he knew that the member was utterly insensible to shame and decency, and had not a spark of (generosity or patriotism about him ; nor had he one of those qualities which the House could respect. Mr Collins followed with a reiteration of his statement that be would fight the bill out as long as ifc lasted.. He was prepared to sit as long as the present Parliament existed.

Mr Speight relieved Mr Collins at 11.40 and spoke till 12.10, when the committee divided on the question of the Chairman leaving the chair —Ayes, 10; noes, 27. Mr Sheehan immediately, moved that progress be reported, and Mr Reeves proceed to speak. At 12.35 the committee divided on the question that progress be reported—lyes, 6; noes, 26. Mr Reeves then moved that the Chairman leave the chair, and intimated his intention of speaking until 8 o'clock in the morning. Major Atkinson called attention to Mr Reeves' threat to speak till 8 o'clock. A discussion followed as to whether the business of the Committee was being conducted in "an orderly manner," in the course of which Messrs Sheehan, Whitaker, Seddon, and Turnbull, took parfc. The Chairman (Mr Seymour) ruled that the disorder did not go far enough to warrant him in putting a stop to the carrying on of the debate by Mr Reeves. Major Atkinson quoted from May the words, " Nor use the rules of the House m order to obstruct public business," and asked the ruling of the Chairman as to whether they did not apply prohibitively to the tactics of the Opposition. After the Chairman ruled that ifc was not competent for him to put a limit to any period during which a member might choose to speak, at Mr Sheehan's instance the question arose as to whether a deputy Chairman nominated by the Chairman of Committees on vacating the chair should carry out the rulings of the Chairman irrespective of his own opinions. Mr Seymour ruled that he should do so, and that each successive deputy Chairman should carry out what he belived would be the rulings "of the permanent Chairman of Committee. Mr Beeves moved that the Chairman leave the chair. Ayes, 7 ; Noes, 24. Mr Hamlin, on the nomination of Mr Seymour, took the chair. Mr Seddon moved that progress be reported. He commenced speaking at 1.45 a.m., and spoke until 3.39, when a division took place. Ayes, 4 ; Noes, 23. Mr Seddon then moved that the Chairman do leave the chair, resuming his review of the Wesfcland electoral roll. After reading one name the Chairman, Colonel Trimble (who had relieved Mr Hamlin) ruled Mr Seddon out of order. _ Mr Seddon quoted Mr Seymour's ruling. The Chairman maintained that this ruling was correct. Mr Seddon, amid cries of " order," protested against being " sat upon." The Chairman appealed to the House for protection, and Mr Seddon apologised ironically, and proceeded without further reference to the roll, passing his remarks on the schedules. At 4.40 the Committee divided on the question that progress be reported. Ayes, 3; Noes, 24. Mr Seddon then moved that the Chairman leave the chair. Mr Eisher asked if Mr Seddon was in order. The Chairman explained that he felt his hands tied by the ruling of Mr Seymour, but he would take the earliest opportunity, should he again occupy the chair, to exercise his own judgment, and do his best to get the Committee out of the difficulty in which it was. Several motions that the Chairman do leave the chair, and that progress be reported, were moved and negatived. At this stage the Chairman intimated that if the Opposition pursued its present course he would have ' a painful duty to perform.' Shortly before this the Sergeant-at-Arms, who was at the moment in another part of the House, was sent for by the Chairman. Mr Shepherd followed at some length, supporting the motion that progress be reported. Mr Sheehan followed, and spoke until 7.15, when the motion to report progress was lost. Ayes, 3 ; Noes, 24. Mr Gibbs followed. At 8.20 Mr Bryce took the chair, and afc once told Mr Gibbs that he must keep his remarks to bear on the Representation Bill. Mr Pitt followed at 8.25, and continued until 9.5, when Mr Levestam addressed the Committee, and spoke until 10. He was followed by Mr Speight, when Mr Bryce was relieved from the chair, his place being taken by Mr Thomson. During Mr Speight's speech the Premier pointed out that the bill.did not strictly settle the members of the House to be ninety-one, intimating that the number of the members could be altered on the recommittal of the bill. Mr Swanson then commented upon the operation of the property vote in Auckland.