UNPARALLELED SCENE IN PARLIAMENT.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 27 April 1901, Page 4

UNPARALLELED SCENE IN PARLIAMENT.

Disgraceful Riot In The House of Gommons.

A Free Fight.

Members Removed by Police

the small hours of the morning a scene occured in the House of Commons which has no parallel in the previous honourable history of that body, upon which, unhappily, it reflects indelible disgrace. It is true that the actual discredit attaches only to a-certain limited section of its members, the ten or twelve men who, by thair rufliinly behaviour, brought shame upon themselves and their country. Still, it will bo impossible henceforth for the "Mother of Parliaments" to boast of traditions unstained by Ruah opi3ode3 as unfortunately charaeierise certain Continental bodies which hitherto England has been able to point to as "bad examples." Strictly speaking this amazing disturbance began a few minutes before 12 o'clock on Tuesday night. The House of Commons was in Committee of Supply and had been slow, and just before midnight Mr Balfour moved the closure to an amendment then under discussion. The Irish Nationalist members forced a divieion, but the closure was carried, and then the Chairman put the question that the whole vote of £17,004,000 be granted. "When the Chairman put this question, the Irish members raised shouts of "Gag," "Shame," and "Why don't you send for Kitchener?" besides emitting various discordanthowlß. Theso characteristic freaks were also disregarded, but when thirty Nationalist members remained in their seats after the rest of the House had proceeded into the division lobby, the Chairman mildly requested them to go also and record their votes* This was the beginning of trouble. Several members roared out at once a flat refusal. A second request from the Chairman was similarly received. Mr Flavin then rose and said —May I be permitted to point out that we feel it our duty to make it a protest against tho way in which Irish votes are being closured ? No Irish member has opened his mouth to-day in this debate, and we consider it a scandalous procaeding that all debates on Irish votes should bo closured in this way. The Chairman Order, order I It U not possible to go back on a decision of the House. The House has .'already decided that the question should be put, and it is my duty to put it. Mr Flavin—The Irish members have got no chance at all to speak on my Irish vote.

The Chairman—Ordor, order! If the hon. members decline to proceed to the division lobbies I must report the circumstances to the Speaker. (Ironical Nationalist cheers.) Mr M'Hugh—Bring in your policemen. (Nationalist cheers). We are not going to divide. (Nationalist cheers). The Chairman—l then despatch, a message to the Speaker. By this time the entire House and the journalists bad become awake to the severity of the struggle which bad opened, and the resisting Irish members —who sat solidly together, in number estimated at from sixteen to thirty, at the lower end of the House—raised derisive .'cheers as they filed into the House. Mr Redmond and Mr Dillion were absent from the House. "While the House awaited the return of the Speaker.'the second Clerk-Assist-ant (Mr Nicholson) proceeded to the Irish benches with the object of of taking down the names of the members who refused to leave the House. His task seemed to be one of great difficulty, as several hon. gentlemen with whose names he was not acquainted apparently declined to say who they were.

The Speaker entered shortly after half-past 12, and at once resumed the chair, thereupon.

The Chairman said—Mr Speaker, I have to report that during the course of the division I had put tin question which I was ordered to put by the House as the result of the division upon the closure. During the course of the division, a certain number of members declined to leave their seats—(prolonged Irish cheers) —in order to proceed to the division lobbies I requested them more than once to proceed to the lobbies, whon I gathered from the observations which fell from those hon. members, or somo of them, that they declined to proceed. Thereupon, I thought it was due to the House and the position in which we found ourselves that I should follow the precedent, and ask you to return to tho chair. It was impossible for mo to see all all the hon. members who declined to leave their seats, but I may say I was among those I was able to observe were the members for South-east Cork, North Kerry, South Tipperary, North Meath, North Leitrim, East Limerick, North-east Cork, West Gavan, East and West Cork. (Voices—" Limerick City," "South Mayo" "College Green.") The Speaker then asked the members in quostion to proceed to a division, but again there were cries of " No, no." The Speaker—lt is my duty then to name the hon. members, and I 'name Mr. Wheelan, Mr. Flavin, Mr. Culliman, Mr. White, Mr. M'Sugb, Mr. Lundon, Mr. Abraham, Mr. M'Covem, Mr. Doogan, Mr. Jordan, Wr Donelan, and Mr. Gilhooly. (A-voice —" And all the rest.") I request those gentlemen to leave tho Houoe for wilfully obstsuotins; the House, and disregarding the order of the chair.

Mr. Balfour I move that those gentlemen be suspended from tho service of the House. (Loud Ministerial cheers.) The Speaker put the motion and declared it carried, as there were no Irish tellers.

'Again there were Ministerial cheers, and responding cries from Irish members of " Gag." The Speaker then named Mr. Flavin . personally, whereupon the hon. member emphatically shoutsd—"l refuse to leave the House." The Speaker—The Sergcant-at-arms will see that adequate force is used to take out tho hon. member. On the Sergeant-at-arms approaching Mr Flavin, the hon. member lay back iu his seat for better resistance, and invited the officer to bring all the men he could an invitation which excited the other Nationalists to cheer tumultuously. A couple of messages were summoned to assist tho Sergeant-at-arms, and as , they neared the offending member others caught them by the sleeves and tried to drag them back. Cries were also raised of '"send for Lord Roberts." While the messengers were still unsuccessfully trying to persuade Mr Flavin 1 to withdraw, the Speaker proceeded to name the other members in order, beginning with Mr Crean. Mr Crean—l decline to withdraw. The Speaker—Then I ask the officers to remove the hon. member from the House.

Mr Crean —I decline to go. The Speaker—Then the hon. member must be removed by force. (Loud cries of " Shame! " from Irish members ; a voice: "Ten to one on Crean," and laughter.)

At this point the Inspector of Police and four constables came to the assistance of the messengers, their appearance causing the Irish members to cheer and shout derisive remarks. At once the whole force of officials concentrated their persuasions upon Mr Crcan, who fixed his legs firmly under his seat, and otherwise endeavoured to make himself immovable. Mr M'Hugh was prominent in an attack on the Inspector, who fell with him to the floor in the gangway. Others joined in the melee, and very soon hon. members and uniformed officials formed a moving mass of humanity on the floor. More policemen now entered the House, and with their assistance Mr Crean was at last carried bodily out. The Speaker then named Mr. Cullman, and that hon. member loudly proclaiming his intention not to stir, precisely the same scene took place. After a long struggle he was dragged bodily over two benches on to the floor of the House, and carried out amid loud Irish cheers, above which a voice rang out, "Nineteen policemen to remove one Irishman." Up to this point the other members of the House, many of whom had moved 'to the galleries, and been quitely, but with amazement, watching the extraordinary scene, and when the Speaker, evidently greatly distressed at what was taking place, again invited iho members named to withdraw quietly, his invitation received from them a responding and heartfelt cheer.

Members generally stood aghast. The Ministerial benches were crowded, most of their occupants standing to witness this extraordinary episode ia the history of the House.

At this stage the Speaker called on Mr. M'Hugh. Mr. M'Hugh—l refuse to go. (Ministerial crie3 of " Out you go," and challenges from the Irish members to " come and put them out.") The Speaker—This scene is as distressing to me and to the English members as to the Irish members.

Mr. M'Hugh—Why are we gagged ? (Loud Nationalist cheer 3.) Why are we not allowed to discuss the questions we have been discussing ? (Renewed Irish cheers.) The Speaker—Have some respect for the decencies of the House. (Ministerial cheers.)

Mr M'Hugh—Wo are absolutely defiant. (Nationalists cheers.) I defy even the Chair and the Government. (Nationalist cheers.)

The force of policemen by this time had been brought up to the number of twelve or fifteen, and after a sharp struggle, Mr M'Hugh was carried out on his back, vigorously waving his hat, the other Irish members riotously singing, "God save Ireland," in far from musical tones, meanwhile. Seldom, indeed, docs a street row compose such a strange picture as that which at this point was presented in the neighbourhoed of the Irish benches. Husky voices roared out the national song without regard to key or time, now and then cries rose shrilly in condemnation of the House and all pertaining to it, and police and members were in a wriggling, writhing, struggling mass.

Mr White on being appealed to, declined to withdraw, whereupon the police surrounded him, whipped him off his seat and had him at the Bar in remarkably quick time. Mr Flavin next came to the scene. He said—l wish to point out to you Mr Speaker, that during your absence a vote of £17,000,000 was closured without a single Irish member taking part in the debate upon it. (Nationalist cheers.)

The Speaker—l appeal to the hon, member to leave the House.

Mr Flavin —I shan't go. The Speaker—Then he must be removed. And some exclamations from the Ministerial benches which did not reach the gallery. Mr Flavin, defiantly, and addressing hon. members opposite—-Yes; you come across to remove me. (Loud Ministerial cheers.)

Mr Flavin throughout had been one of the noisiest and most persistent offenders. On the Speaker naming him tho House assured itself of a desperate struggle. Mr Flavin, however, removed all fears by smilingly intimating that lie was not going to hurt anybody. Nor did he. He merely sank as low in bis seat as he could, reduced himself as nearly as possible to the condition of a log, and after a good deal of panting and struggling was bodily lifted oil: his seat by half a dozen policemen and carried out of the House. During the short and historic journed he waved his hat, sang "God Save Ireland," and chaffed his bearers. Mr P. O'Brien (one of the Irish Whips) now rose, and the House subsiding to comparative quiet, he expressed His anxiety to see an end to the scene, while at the same time he sympathised with his colleagues. He appealed to Mr Balfour whether he could not see fit to let the matter end. (dies of "No, no.") If not, there was nothing for it but to continue the process of ejection in the case of every Irish member. (Loud Irish cheers). Tho Speaker—The only suggestion that I can make is that hon. members should, whether they agree with the course that is being taken or not, place the observance of the rules of the House first, and where they have been named retire from the House decently, (Hear, hear.) They may make a protest on future occasions, but their duty now is to retire, and I appeal to them to do so. (Irish voices : " No, no!" "We will not." followed by cheers.) The response to the appeal proving ineffectual, the police, who now formed quite a large and constantly-increasing force, again took up their unaccustomed duties.. Mr. Lundon, Mr. Abraham, Mr. M'Govern, and Mr. Doogan were then removed, the Nationalist members loudly cheering, singing " God Save Ireland," and standing upon the benches waving their notice papers wildly, while the members named being ejected. Mr. M'Govern and Mr. Doogan were ejected after struggles which their physique would hardly have suggested as requisite. Captain Donelan is a man of rather indifferent build, and, moreover, well advanced in years. Being heavy, a considerable force was needed to raise him from his seat, but this was accomplished in due time, and as tho procession once more moved to the door it was to the accompaniment of another verse of " God Save Ireland," roared out by the Irish members, followed by the frantic waving of hats and vociferous cheering. Two perspiring members, unassisted by the police, sufficed to remove Mr. Gilhooly, who consequently was accorded less noisy honours from his colleagues i than some of the earlier victims.

The Speaker now made a second attempt to bring about an end of the proceedings, being evidently appalled at the prospect of some thirty other members having to be forcibly removed. Bising, he said the House would again go into committee, and he trusted that when the question was put hon. members would go into the division lobbies. At once several Irish members cried. "No, no 1" "You may as well suspend us at once." roared out one above the rest, and cheers gave approval to the remark.

The House went into committee, and again, on tho question being put, there were no Irish tellers, and the Speaker declared ihe motion carried. It was now 1

o'clock, and by the rules discussion ceased, and the House adjourned. As it did so the Irish members ventad their exuberance in loud cheers, which were evideutly intended to acclaim some measure of success resulting from their tactics. In a few minutes the Chamber was empty, save for one or two members, who lingeriug about the benches round wiich the fray bad been concentrated, were busy pointing out to each other damaged cushions and woodwork.