POLITICAL MATTERS IN VICTORIA.

Globe, Volume V, Issue 529, 28 February 1876, Page 3

POLITICAL MATTERS IN VICTORIA.

The correspondent of the Daily Times gives the following account of recent political proceedings in Victoria ; The great stonewall has proved after all to be only a creation of mud, and at the first onslaught by the Ministerialists it has given way and tumbled to pieces. On the despatch of my last communication the Opposition were defiant, and in response to the appeal for supplies, tragically uttered “ Never 1” “ Never !” “ Never !” The band of twenty stonewallers were determined to remain on the floor of the House, and to die there if necessary in their country’s cause, and, with the view of making themselves as comfortable as possible, one or two brought their household pillows into the Assembly upon which to rest during the weary hours of the night. Strangers were excluded, so that it mattered little what went on. All through Wednesday night the Opposition members kept up an incessant flood of talk upon every conceivable subject except the particular one before the chair. The Ministerialists were told off in batches, and relieved each other at stated intervals. The Speaker had a spell off, and the Chairman of Committees acted in his stead, and so with the clerk and clerk’s assistant, it was a case of watch and watch about all round. The Ministerialists were fiom and determined to stick to it, be the time ever so long, and all the members on the Government side Jof the House displayed some enthusiasm in the performance of the arduous task they had undertaken. Matters went on drowsily until eight o’clock on Thursday morning, when it became apparent that the Oppositionists were becoming exhausted, and literally pumped out. They were checkmated by a ruling of the Speaker, which prevented them from speaking both to the original motion and to the question of adjournment, and this in a great measure facilitated matters. Eventually a division was taken on Mr Berry’s amendment to Sir James M'Culloch’s motion, and that having been negatived, Mr Murray Smith immediately moved the previous question. This cpujp most completely floundered the stonewallers, as it prevented them from moving any further amendments, as thpy proposed to do ad indnitim, and the levelling of the whole structure was now only a question of

a few hours, and so it proved. The Opposition found themselves cornered at every turn, and crippled to such a degree that they were at 'last forced to give in. They struggled through the whole of Thur day, but by eleven o’clock on that night Sir James M'Culloch’s iron hand as it is called by the Ministerialists, and gagging resolution, as it is named by the Opposition, was carried by the large majority of 11 to 20, mrl thus the sitting was brought to a

c>ose, aft j r having lasted 65 hours, an event unprecedented in the history of legislature in these colonies.

During the parliamentary proceedings of last week large crowds assembled about and around the House of Assembly, and indulged in groans and cheers on Wednesday night. There was an open air meeting of the free and independent electors held within earshot of the Parliament Houses, when resolutions were passed praying the Governor to dismiss his Ministers. The mob meeting being dispersed, they helped to swell the numbers in the Parliament Yard, and so much noise was created that at one time it looked very much like a row, but there was a large force of police in attendance, and all passed off quietly. On the following night there was another gathering of rowdy characters, who assembled just under the windows of the Assembly, “ boehooing," and lighting up paper torches. This sort of thing was countenanced for some time, but at length the police were moved up, and the crowd were effectually cleared out of the Parliament Yard, and there was no more/ noise or attempt at demonstration, so that when the House rose an hour or so later, and the prominent Stonewallers came/' forth, there was no one even to cheer them in their defeat. On Tuesday, a Supply Bill was passed for something over half a million. The Opposition offered no resistance, and it was all done in the space of no time at all. Mr Peter Lalor, who wished to be made a martyr and 'a hero, was not gratified, and, after all,he apologised for the language he had used, and the motion for his committal was therefore withdrawn ; but the acerbity of feeling has by no means passed away, and a good deal of personal animosity is exhibited. At Tuesday’s sitting one honorable member expressed his regret that honorable members came to the House in a condition unfit to transact public business, and that they were unable to behave like gentlemen. Then two other members talked about blackening each other’s eyes, and such expressions as the following were pretty freely bandied aboutAn unmitigated lie.” “You dare not say that outside. “ A low, mean skunk,” and “ I don’t take any notice of what gorillas say.” This is the style of language now indulged in by some honourable members. It is needless perhaps to say that M‘Keen played a conspicuous part in these lively proceedings. The iron hand resolution was the cause of a slight muddle on Tuesday night. The budget proposals were being considered, and a member of the Opposition moved that the question be now put, The Government voted against it, and it was negatived. It was then contended by one of the Opposition that it stood in the same relation as the previous question, and consequently that the resolution could not be put again- The Chairman of Committees gave a contrary ruling, that the discussion could be again resumed, but supporting the Government view. The Opposition wanted the Speaker’s ruling, but a majority of the committee elected otherwise. The budget proposals have since been considered, and the land tax and house tax have been passed. The income tax is now under consideration, and is rather strongly opposed by members on both sides of the House. It is expected that after the estimates are passed the Assembly will be prorogued for a short time ; but it must meet again before June.