HASTY LEGISLATION.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 2 November 1901, Page 4

HASTY LEGISLATION.

A Bill a Minute.

By far the most vapid record of the session was achieved the other day, when nineteen local Bills were put through Committee in about twenty minutes, or at the rate of about one a minute. The House was in such a mood for business that any mover of a Bill who sought to explain it in a speech was promptly stamped down. For instance, when Major Steward, moving a second reading, got as far as, “ Sir, this Bill is,” he was assailed with a chorus of “ Ayes ” from all parts of the House, and had to sit down and allow the second reading to go on the voices. Mr M‘Nab, also in charge of a Bill, cauriously felt his way. “ Sir, I do not know whether the House desires ," but here his voice was drowned by tho shouts of “ Aye,” and the Bill was also forced on its way. In the course of the rush, a Bill in the name of Mr Seddon was reached, and as tho Premier was at that precise moment out of the Chamber, Mr Pirani good humouredly moved the second reading, but was at once plunged into dismay when Mr Meredith demanded an explanation of the Bill. The Premier, who by this time had returned, did not seem at all pleased at the turn affairs had taken. He had, he said, ghen no man authority to move the sec md reading. Mr Guinness, however, ruled that the Bill was in possession of (he Hogse,

Amongst the Bills passed were Templeton Domain Board Empowering Bill, the Lyttelton Borough Council Empowering Bill, and the Canterbury College Empowering Bill.