GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 701, 18 September 1876, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

(Per Press Agency .)

HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. Saturday, September 16.

Mr Bees concluded his speech at ten minutes to one a.m. Mr Thomson followed, and by arrangement the House adjourned at a quarterjto three for half an hour. On the House resuming Mr Thomson continued and rambling considerably from the subject, the Speaker was asked whether he was in order. The Speaker quoted from “ May’s Parliamentary Practice,” and stated that the hon member was in order. While allowing every latitude, he must, however, express a strong and decided opinion that a very heavy responsibility rested on those members who spoke discursively with a purpose on a question of adjournment;. . Mr Thomson then proceeded. At 5 o’clock Mr Joyce called the Speaker’s attention to standing order No 65, under which the Sergeant-at-Arms was to take into his custody any stranger whom he might see or who might be reported to him to be in any part of the House. He would like to know on whom rested the responsibility of reporting to the Sergeant-at-Arms that the Ministry were disqualified, and as a private member he was quite prepared to report to the Sergeant-at-Arms their presence in the House, and as they were there only as strangers they ought to be taken into custody. He would like to ask the Speaker whether the reporting the matter to the Sergeant-at-Arms was a privilege belonging to a member, or did it rest with the Speaker himself 1 The Speaker said that the hon member was not justified in assuming that the Ministry were disqualified. The Premier said that the hon member who raised the question appeared to have forgotten that the question of disqualification was then under the consideration of the House.

The matter then dropped, and Mr Thomson proceeded with his speech. A little before six Mr Thomson appeared to be very nervous, losing his voice. Mr Joyce then raised a question under Standing Order Mo 67, relating to the reading of newspapers, &c, by hon members during the debate. He was aware the question had been raised several times the day before, but on the first occasion it had not been ruled that the order was absolute. He thought himself that this was an open question, and it was not right that the hon member who had been speaking would be so often drawn off his argument. Under the circumstances he would move the suspension of the standing orders, so that order No 67 might be eliminated. The Hon the Speaker ruled that Mr Joyce was out of order, but he continued to speak in spite of this ruling amidst cries of order and a general disturbance, Hon Mr Reynolds during the disorder giving the opinion that the hon member should be made an example of, and fined £5, Mr Joyce said that they might name him or fine him, or do whatever they liked, but he would not stand being told by any hon member what might happen to him. He was quite willing to submit to the Speaker’s ruling, but not to that of any hon member who might see fit to get on his legs. Mr Thomson was still speaking at 6 a.m; when the House adjourned until 10.