EXTRAORDINARY SCENE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 959, 3 September 1880, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

An extraordinary scone, thus described by the Post, occurred in the House of representatives shortly after 4 o’clock last Saturday morning : —“ The House had been discussing the Estimates since 2 a. m,, and at that hour Sir George Grey had, for about the fifth time, called for a division on the question of reporting progress Most members were wearied out by the continuous sitting of 18 hours, and the member for Hokitika, Mr Scddon, had succumbed to fatigue, and slept peacefully upon his seat. When the result of the division was announced, Mr Pyke drew the attention of Mr Kelly, who was acting Chairman of Committees, to the fact that Mr Seddon had not recorded his vote. Mr Kelly took no notice of the remark, and procecdeil to the next item on the Estimates. Again Mr Pyko drew attention to Mr Seddon’s condition, when the latter gentleman, with a yawn and a stretch, slowly rose from his posture, and said, “ I vote against Mr Pyke.” The acting Chairman then recorded Mr Secldon’a vote with the “noes.” Mr Pyko once more rose amidst uproarious cries of ‘ Order, order 1’ ‘Chair, chair !’ Mr Kelly ordered Mr Pyke to sit down, and he did so, hut immediately rose, and somewhat peremptorily insisted upon Mr Sadden being called upon to state personally the side he voted with. The House here became a scene of utter confusion. Time after time did Mr Kelly order Mr Pyke to be seated, and time after time, after obeying the request, Mr Pyke rose again to expostulate. The Premier at last called upon the House to support the ruling of the chair. Still Mr Pyko would have his own nay, and the more he insisted the more noisy became the House. Eventually Mr Pyke moved that the Chairman leave the chair and report the matter to the Speaker; hut while he was moving this, Mr Kelly announced that he would of his own motion vacate the chair, and inform the Speaker of the occurrence (Mr Seymour, who was acting in the absence of Sir G. M. O’Rnrke as Speaker), and to him Mr Kelly 'related the melancholy story of Mr Pyke’s insuhordinatiou. The Premier then, considering

that some notice sliouhl be taken of the matter, moved that the House should deem Mr Pyke guilty of contempt. Mr Seymour gave the delinquent an opportunity of expressing his regret before he (Mr Seymour) proceeded to further extremities. Mr Pyke, however, behaved badly, and positively asserted that he was in the right, and therefore he would not express regret whatever punishment might be inflicted. All he hail done was to dqmaud that the vote of the hon. member for Hokitika should be recorded. Mr Pyke was then ordered to leave the Chamber. He did so, and skipped to the reporters’ gallery, where he became an interested spectator of the discussion which was taking place below. The Premier, upon Mr Pyke’s retirement from the floor of the House, expressed himself bound to move—‘That the hon. mender for Dunstan, in resisting the authority of the acting Chairman of Committees, and refusing to apologise when called upon to do so, is guilty of disorderly conduct, and deserves the censure of this House.’ The motion was seconded by Mr Andrews, after Mr Brown bad asserted that no one was likely to do so. A long debate then took place upon Mr Pyke’s conduct, when attention was drawn to the fact that Air Pyke was listening in th-gallery. He was ordered to withdraw, but as lie did not do so, the Sergeant at-arms was ordered to remove him That officer, on reaching Mr Pyke, was requested by that gentleman politely but emphatically to keep his hands off, or he would he sued for assault and battery. After vainly endeavoring to .induce Mr Pyke to withdraw, the Sergeant-at-arms reported his refusal to Sir (}. M. O’Rmke (who had shortly before entered the Chamber and taken his chair). The officer was instructed to do his duty, an I Mr Pyke was gently ushered from his position. Soon after, in obedience to a generally expressed wish, he was called into the Chamber to offer an explanation of bis conduct. He stated his view of the case, and insisted that he was not at fault, and that not having having done anything improper hj - declined to express regret. He again left the Cnamber, and his conduct was further criticised by the House, some members

si-ling with him and against the acting Chairman, others being against him and upholding Mr Kelly’s action. The Speaker sai 1 there were two modes of punishing Mr Fyke : one was to place him under the custody of the Sergeant-at-arms, the other to indict a penalty of LSO- ilo strongly 7 urged the latter course. A wordy war then ensued between the backers of Mr Fyke and

his opponents, which was only terminated at half-past 8 a. m. by the House agreeing to postpone further consideration of the matter till half past 7 this evening. The House then adjourned till that hour, it being understoo 1 that Mr Fyke should not be permitted to enter the Chamber until definite action had been taken with regard to his conduct. To is evening Mr Fyke expressed his regret, and alleged that his refusal to sit down was addressed to mcmbeiswho were shouting, and not to the Chairman. The apology was accepted on the motion of the Premier.”

-T;ie morning Herald's Wellington cor respondent in referring to the scene, mya

“There is no doubt that such scenes could ho prevented hy the House lising at an earlier hour, and hy the closing „f the har at mid-night. Though Mr Py he is the member on whom attention has centred, it must be mentioned that many members were celebrating the close of the session in a very jovial way, The noise in the House

was great during the night, and matters wore rushed through in such a manner that hut few knew what was being proposed.