THE “CLOTURE” SYSTEM.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2308, 27 August 1881, Page 3

THE “CLOTURE” SYSTEM.

[PBBBB ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.]

WELLINGTON, August 26. The following is the Hon. J. Hail’s notice of motion for Monday :—“ "Whereas standing order No. 382 declares that in all oases not hereinbefore provided for the Speaker shall decide, taking for his guide the rules, forms, and usages of the House of Commons, so fa r as the same can be applied to the proceedings of this House; and whereas doubts exist as to whether rules for the guidance of the proceedings of the House of Commons agreed to subsequent to the adoption of the above standing order are applicable to the proceedings of this House ; and whereas as on the 28t,h day of February, 1880, the House of Commons adopted a standing order in reference to wilful obstruction of the business of the House:} Resolved, that whenever any member shall have been named by the Speaker or by the chairman of a committee of the whole House as disregarding the authority of the chair or abusing the rules of the House by persistently and wilfully obstructing the business of the House or otherwise, then if the offence has been committed in the House the Speaker shall forthwith put the question on a motion being made, no amendment, adjournment, or debate being allowed, that such members be snspended from the service of the House during the remainder of that day's sitting; and if the offence has been committed in a committee of the whole House, the chairman shall, on a motion being made, put the same question in a similar way, and, if the motion is carried, shall forthwith suspend the proceedings of thfr committee and report the circumstance to the House, and the Speaker shall thereupon put the same question, without amendment, adjournment, or debate, as if the offence had been committed in the House itself. If any member be suspended three times in one session, his suspension on the third occasion shall continue for one week, and until a motion has been made upon which it shall be decided at one sitting by the House whether the suspension shall then cease, or for what longer period it shall continue, and on the occasion of such motion the member, if he desires it, shall be heard in his place; provided always that nothing in this resolution shall be taken to deprive the House of the power of proceeding against any member according to ancient usages. And whereas by a resolution of the House of Commons, of date 3rd February, 1881, the Speaker of the said House was authorised to frame rules for its governance in certain cases, and the Speaker did lay on the table on the 4th and 9fch February, 1881, the following Standing "Orders : —* The following are the rules framed by Mr Speaker for the regulation of the business of the House when the state of public business is urgent:—(l) That no motion for the adjournment of the House shall be made, except by leave of the House, before the orders of day or notices of motion have been entered upon ; (2) that when a motion is made for the adjournment of the debate or of the House during any debate, the debate thereupon shall be strictly confined to the matter of such motion ; (3) that if, during any debate, a motion be made for the adjournment of the debate or of the House, Mr Speaker may decline to put the question thereupon if, in his judgment, such motion is made for the purpose of obstruction, or, if he thinks fit to put such question, he may put it from the chair forthwith ; (4) that no member having spoken to a motion for the adjournment of a debate cr of the House during any debate, shall be entitled to move or to speak to any similar motion during the same debate ; (5) that Mr Speaker may call the attention of the Heme to continued irrelevancy or tedious repetition on the part of a member, and may direct the member to discontinue his speech ; (6) that when it shall appear to Mr Speaker during any debate to be the general sense of the House that the question be now put, ho may so inform the House, and on a motion being made that the question be now put, Mr Speaker shall forthwith put such question, and if the same be decided in the affirmative by a majority of three to one the question previously under debate shall be forthwith put from the chair ; (7) that where the order of the day for the committee on any Bill or other matter declared “ urgent ’’ is read, Mr Speaker shall forthwith leave the chair without putting any question, and the House shall thereupon resolve itself into committee ; (8) that on reading the order of the day for consideration of a Bill (declared “urgent”) as amended, the House do proceed to consider the same without the question being put; (9) that when before division Mr Speaker’s decision that the ayes or noes have it is challenged, Mr Speaker may call upon the members challenging it to rise in their places, and if they do not exceed twenty he may forthwith declare the determination of the House. The rules regulating the proceedings of the committee of the whole House upon any Bill or other matter declared “ urgent” are as follows:—(10) that when a motion is made that the chairman do report progress or do leave the chair, the debate shall be strictly confined to the matter of such motion ; (11) that if a motion that the chairman do report progress or do leave the chair be made, the chairman may decline to put the question if in his judgment such motion is made for the purpose of obstruction, or if that he think fit to put such question, he may put it from the chair forthwith ; (12) that no member having spoken to a motion that the chairman do report progress, or do leave the chair shall be entitled to move or to speak to any similar motion during the same sitting of lhe| committee ; (13) that the chairman may call the attention of the committee to continued irrelevance or tedious repetition on the part of a member, and may direct the member to discontinue his speech ; (14) that no member shall be allowed to speak m ire than once to the earn - question, unless the member in charge of the Bill or any member who has made amotion or moved an amendment desires to offer explanation ; (15) that the preamble of a Bill do stand postponed until after the consideration of the clauses without the question being put ; (16) that when before a division the chairman|e decision that the ayes or noes have it is challenged, the chairman may call upon the members challenging it to rise in their places, and if they do not exceed twenty he may forthwith declare the determination of the committee; (17) that when by any of the rules framed by Mr Speaker a question is to bo put from the chair forthwith, no amendment, adjournment, or debate shall be allowed. And whereas it is expedient that the said rules of the House of Commons should govern the proceedings of the House of Representatives, this House resolves that it is within the power of the Speaker to take the said Standing Orders for his guidance in cases not provided for.’,