THE DIVISION.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1927, 9 July 1869, Page 2

THE DIVISION.

The following graphic description of the division on Mr Fox's Avant of con-

duce motion is given by the Lyttelton

Wellington correspondent. He says :—But how am I to describe the events of Thursday ? It had been arranged, that with a, view to end the debate as soon as .possible, the question should coma-on at the afternoon sitting. Mr Williamson was considered good for the \vholei-afternoon, and Mr Bell was ready with a three hours’ speech for the evening, if not forestalled by Mr Fitzherbert, who, although looking very ill, has still almost as much wire in him as ever. Dr Featherston, Mr M'Xean, tend one or two others were also full to the bung, and when tapped would each take the best part of an evening to run out. It was intended to make an effort to sit on Saturday, and finish it on that day if possible—there was not the faintest conception of the debate drawing to a close before Saturday night, but a belief that it would extend into the present week, if Mr Travers did not arrive sufficiently early tg enable him to make his deliverance previously, A fine afternoon had temptofLmany to take a spell, and the House was unusually thin, the debate having lost its interest to most members—the intending speakers proposing to speak move because it was expected of them than for any other object. Mr Williamson did not occupy the floor very long, and there was a

pause, during which the cries of “ question, question,” and “ divide, divide," began to get pretty general. Mr Kelly endeavored to fill up the gap, and did so for a brief space, daring which Mr Fox was in close confab with Mr Speaker as to the mode of putting the amendment of Mr Carletau’s and the original resolution. Returning to his seat, Mr Fox arranged his papers' in readiness for the possible emergency, and the emergency soon arose. Mr Kelly’ssubsidonce was followed by a a renewed pause, and renewed impatience being manifested, Mr Fox, apparently with the tacit consent of both sides, rose to reply amidst loud cheers. To those of /iis who were sitting in the gallery it all sfßJmed as if there was something behind the scenes, as if the Opposition was stealing a march on the Ministry. ’'My .own thought was that a party of the Ministerialists were away pleasuring, had taken a ride to ride out to the Hutt perhaps, and that by such means a large majority was being aimed - at, and yet I could scarcely think that it was so, because I knew that the conviction was that a dissolution would surely take place, if the Government were not fairly as well as decidedly beaten. The spur of the moment, the choice of innumerable points of attack, the cheers, the excitement of the House at the time, and the certain prospect, yet uncertain extent of success, all seemed to combine in favor of Mr Fox making a splendid speech. I don’t know how it will read, as it will not be in “ Hansard ” until to-morrow, but it came forth from him with an energy and a power I have rarely, if ever, seen equalled. You, who know the result days ago, can have little conception how it fell on the ears of an excited House.' About this speech there are no two opinions. To speak of an opponent’s speech as tame, weak, not up to the mark, unworthy of the speaker, inferior to his ordinary efforts, is as common a custom as to describe the great speech of the party to which you happen yourself to belong, as powerful, equal to any of the best the speaker is remembered to have delivered, and so forth. But Mr Fox rattled on with great animation and power, sweeping away cobweb after cobweb, and making the House ring again. How long he could have kept it up, it is difficult to say, but the hour for adjournment (half-past 5), necessitated by the Standing Orders, was rapidly approaching, and would oblige him to stop, with the opportunity of resuming again at seven. As soon as he had risen, and the fact of the approaching division was no longer doubtful, the whips went off in all directions. There were, as I have already mentioned, an unusually large number of members absent on both sides, and it was a work of some difficulty to find them. . The country i-oads around Wellington were scoured, and some of the members had a little more violent exercise than they bargained for, returning to town very much quicker than they left it. The House filled rapidly, and about a quarter-past five nearly every member was present, very many of them, who were too excited to take their seats, crowding round the fire places and lobbies. Another five minutes or so, and the work of the whips was satisfactorily completed —every member was to time. Should Mr Fox be allowed to run on over the hour for adjournment, or break off in the middle 1 It was decided to get him to do the latter, as when a House is once got together it is dangerous to let it go again. Some one member is apt to jib at the last moment, the Maori members might get tampered with, and as Avas the case last session be sent off on special errands, or enticed into a longer rubber than usual. At four minutes to the half-hour, Mr M‘Lean whispered something to Mr Fox and so did MiBell, "each putting their Avhisperings into his hand, having already written them on scraps of paper. Mr Fox immediately concluded by remarking that although he had mTich to say, he felt he should be best consulting the wishes of the House by calling on the Speaker at odee to go to a division. He Avas only just in time as there were but two minutes remaining, although i pi question is being put at half-past five the House must wait its legitimate determination. The amendment was put and nsgafiyec], on tliQ voices. There seemed to be some little confusion in the minds of membeas, and no division was called for, which I wonder at, as only just before the last speaker (Kelly) had expressed his intention of voting for the amendment in preference to the original motion, and probably some others Avould have done the same. The original cpiestion Avas then put, anc| Mr Stafford, Avhen the A r oioes were given agajpst the IVj'i-ustry, asked for a division. Very soon the numbers Ayere announced—ayes 40, noes 29, majority 11. The cheering Avas of course loud, and the House immediately afterwards adjourned until Friday on Mr Stafford's motion.