ALL-NIGHT SITTING.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3990, 24 July 1915, Page 6

ALL-NIGHT SITTING.

STONEWALL IN THE HOUSE. ' jyiß. SIDEY’S TIME BILL. ■ K COM PROMISE EFFECTED 1 . DEFERRED FOR THREE YEARS. Bv Telegraph—Special CoircsponctGuE WELLINGTON, July 23. ‘ By Telegraph—Special Correspondent. For. the first time for many year.', iir the history of the New Zealand Parliament the House of Representatives last night indulged in an allnight stonewall on a private member's Bill. Mr T. K. Sidey’s Definition ot Time Bill was the bone of contention, and the “debate” dragged on till 8.20 a.m. before a compromise was effecton. A large number of country members —prominent amongst, whom were Messrs Oke.v, Mine, Pearce, Wilkinson, Eseott, E. Newman. Coates, and Anderson —kept up a tireless stonewall, whilst the author of the bill, to use the apt phrase of Air Coates, hung on to his pet. measure with characteristic “bulklog tenacity.” At 1.30 a.in., after two motions to report progress and one that the chairman, leave, the chair had been defeated, Air Mine (Stratford) moved an amendment to the’effect that the title of the Bill be altered to “The Dunedin Time-Saving Bill,” the object, lie stated, being to restrict the operation of the measure to Air Sidey’s own city. The “discussion” on this amendment lasted for two hours, when it was defeated hy 2fi votes to 19. OB DERATE OPPONENTS. A quarter of an hour later Air Pearce (Patea) again moved to report progress. Air Eseott (Pahiatua) stated that | u . and the other opponents of the Hill were prepared to hold the Bill up until midnight, on Saturday. qne motion was defeated hy 27 votes to 20. Mr Pearce then moved that the chairman leave the chair, but at 5.45 a.m. this was also lost hy 27 votes to 20, Mr Mine, at 6.30 a.in., moved an amendment to the effect that the operation of the Bill 1 he postponed until November, 1918. Mr Sidey offered to accept tins ameiiclmcnt if the Bill were allowed to go through committee. The Hon. W. H. Merries, who, whilst not taking part in the stonewall, had stated his opposition to the Bill as a country member earlier in the night, defined the terms of the suggested agreement. The opponents of the Bill, he said, claimed a free j hand at all other stages of the Bill ! ami reserved the right to vote against 1 the third reading. They would also j ask the supporters of the measure to undertake not to attempt to have the Bill restored to its original form when it reached the Legislative Council. Air Sidey said that he was prepared ■to agree to the latter suggestion, but he could not bind supporters of the Bill outside of the House. . Air Okey (Taranaki) said that he was opposed absolutely to the Bill going on to the Statute Book and, after sitting up all night to fight the Hill, he would agree to no compromise. Air [ferries pointed out that the suggested compromi.se would “scotch’' the Bill for the whole of the present Parliament. He jocularly suggested, as a further condition, amidst much laughter from tile members who were still awake, that Air .Sidey should agree to rest from his legislative labors and bring forward no more Bills during the remainder of the present Pal lia incut. At 7.40 a.in. the amendment was agreed to by 36 votes to 12. A FIGHT CLAUSE BY CLAUSE. A division was then taken on the adoption of the clause as amended, the result being that the clause was agreed to hy 35 to 12. The remainder of the Dili was then fought clause by clause and the division bell was kept constantly ringing. I Clause 3, the principal i.huise of the j Bill, was carried by 29 votes to 16. j 'Phis provides that from the hour of two in the morning of the first .Sunday in November in each year until the ! hour of two in the first (Sunday in i February in each year. New Zealand . > clock time shall be one hour in ad1, vancc of New Zealand standard time, j and that, for the remainder of the ' ] year, New Zealand clock time shall I i»e the same as New Zealand standard time. Clause 4, which provides that clock time shall be applicable to all Acts and legal instruments, was agreed to by 30 votes to 15. The succeeding clause, providing , that astronomical and navigation time shall not he affected, was agreed to on tne voices. A new clause limiting the ope ation of the Bill to a period of Three months in one summer only (tint 'd 1918-19) was agreed to on the voh n. The motion to report the Bill to the House was carried by 26 votes to 17. The Bill was accordingly reported, and the House rose at 8.20 a.m.