Extraordinary Scene in the House

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 25, 16 August 1892, Page 2

Extraordinary Scene in the House

♦ — The Minister for Labour on Friday last brought a hornet's nest about his ears, and the laying up of trouble for Tuesday, by a hasty and supercilious phrase. In the absence of the Premier he was apparently representing him, and Mr Gr. Hutchison was asking aa to the non-production of a return, when Mr Reeves snapped out, "If the Premier were present he might choose to give the information." " Choose," shouted Mr Eutchisou, and " Choose" echoed the House, as, amid loud " Hear, hears," the member for Waitotara rose and moved the adjournment, as a protest against such a reply. They were supposed to be hying under a Government of responsible Ministers, but found it to be au oligarchy of the most irresponsible kind, which refused information and gave just what they " choose." Mr Rees endeavoured to stay the storm with a point of order, and the Minister explained that he thought Mr Hutchison's reference was to a question which he had already informed him could not be answered in ihe Premier's absence, an answer with which the hon. member was dissatisfied. But Mr Hutchison was not to be ap« peased. He returned to the charge, and informed Government that in refusing information they were forgetting that they were Ministers, and therefore paid servants of the House, and bound to do its bidding. It was time the attention of the House and country was drawn to it. Mr Rolleston seconded the motion for adjournment, and said that it was time House realised its position. Here Mr Seddon got a hearing for points of order, but without avail, and Mr Holies * ton said the interruption was but another example of the efforts made to baulk the House from getting information. He would obtain the voice of the House on the matter, and they should do no further business until they knew their position. During Mr Bolleston's philippic, Mr Seddon was consulting anxiously, first with Mr Bees, and then nith Sir George Grey, who had just come in f.ora the lobby. Mr Hutchison wanted to discuss the whole matter now, but was stopped by a notice of motion which appeared on the Order Paper. M r Seddon tried to smooth matters out, and denied (hat information was refuse! more by this Government than its predecessors, Mr Duncan said that the Opposition was the most carping he had seen. If they acted differently Government supporters would see they got fair play. Mr Fergus foU lowed, and said that " there was no more servile follower of Ministers than Mr Duncan" The Minister for Lands was immediately on his feet, and with much warmth demanded that the words be taken down. Remembering Wednesday night, the House roared, but the Minis* ter was in deadly earnest, and angry at that. The Speaker rose to rule, and the Minister for Labour rushed over and spoke to his colleague. Tlie Speaker called for order, but the Minister for Labour still whispering, he was sharply ordered by name to return to his seat and sit down. " You must allow me to rule this House." sharply rapped out the Speaker, and the House applauded him.—Post