MUSICIANS’ BILL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2136, 19 July 1907, Page 2

MUSICIANS’ BILL.

A ROUGH PASSAGE. (Special to Times.) WELLINGTON, last night. The whole of the afternoon was wasted over Mr. Sidey’s Musicians’ Bill, • a somewhat crude measure to which there is great objection throughout the country. The House however, did not take Mr. Sidey very seriously and his remarks were for the most part inaudible, because of the hum of conversation in the Chamber. This became so pronuonced that at last the Speaker had to intervene on Mr. Sidey’s behalf. This warning however, did not remain effective for more than 'two minutes.

5 Mr. Sidey explained that he did not propose to carry the Bill to the committee stage in the House, but would be content with referring it to a select committee. Messrs. Tlios. MacKenzio, Fisher, Barber and others then rose and began to smite the Bill, the first-named being so ungenerous as to move that it be read a second time six months lienee.

Twenty-two members were in favor of promptly killing the Bill, but 38 opposed its premature death, and the member for Cavorsliam got his second reading. lie then asked leave to move his motion referring the Bill to a select committee, but this was promptly objected to and leave was refused. In this dilemma -Mr. Sidey moved that the Rill' be referred to the Education Committee—a proposal that caused some laughter, Even this motion, however, was not allowed to go unchallenged and again the 22 malcontents voted against the proposal, but there was a majority of 13 (an ominous number) in favor of the motion. The Education Committee will therefore he permitted to wrestle with the problem that the member for Ca versham «o unexpectedly set them, and tlieir report will be awaited with interest, even with apprehension,