PARLIAMENTARY.

Kumara Times, Issue 2791, 1 September 1885, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

BILLS PASSED,

PARLEYING ABOUT THE ORDER PAPER.

(from our own correspondent.]

Wellington, September 1, 2.32 p.m. The Legislative Council yesterday passed the State Forests Bill, the Stamp Act Amendment Bill, the Deceased Persons Estate Bill, the River Boards Bill, and the Public Reserves Bill. In the House of Representatives last evening there was a very stormy scene for about three hours, and which was a mere waste of time, unless indeed it may have served as a sort of safety-valve for " bio wing-off" a good deal of ill-humour and soreness left behind the recent struggle, and by the peculiarity of the manner in which its result was ultimately decided. On the orders of the day being called, Major Atkinson said, before proceeding to the business of the Order Paper, he should like to ask the Government a question. He understood that when the House adjourned on Friday evening, it had done so without appointing a clay for the consideration of Government business. It followed, therefore, that the Government had no authority over the Order Paper, and consequently that the Order Paper stood now, in accordance with the Standing Orders, as an ordinary private members' day. He observed that all Government business was well up on the Paper, and as the Premier had been good enough to allow his (Major Atkinson's) resolution precedence, he would ask whether it was intended to move the postponement of the Government business in order that the discussions on the resolutions might come on, in accordance with the agreement 1 The Premier said the House, in affirming the motion of the hon. member for Port Chalmers, had affirmed the view that the resolutions of the hon. member for Egmont should not be considered [A Voice : "No."]. —He thought it was the duty of the Government to abide by the decision of the House. Major Atkinson asked the Speaker if he were ruling as to whether the resolutions were traversed as a whole by the amendment by Mr Macandrew 1 The Speaker said he would certainly think that the amendment affected only the question under consideration. By no stretch could it be taken as affecting the whole of them. But the position now was that the Orders of the Day as on the Order Paper must be taken, except of course that they might be postponed by motion. Major Atkinson asked whether the Premier would state whether it was proposed to keep faith with him. The Premier said even if the Government were agreeable, they could not postpone orders of the day, because any I private member might object. He might at once tell the gentleman, however, that he did not intend to move the postponement. Major Atkinson regretted that the hon. gentleman had not said that before. The Premier : You did not ask me. Major Atkinson proceeded to speak, when The Premier asked what motion the hon. gentleman was talking of ? Major Atkinson, to put himself in order, moved the adjournment of the House, and accused the Premier of fencing and being kept in office by the Maori vote. A point of order having boon raised, The Speaker said he did not approve of hon. members being spoken of in this way. Every member met on an equal footing, and had a right to vote as he pleased. Major Atkinson said he simply wished to point out that the four members who had no taxation kept the Government in office. Mr Macandrew said the lion, member should be the last to find fault with the course adopted. He reminded the hon. gentleman of his conduct in 1879, when ho had kept back a no-confidence motion for a fortnight, and then kept office by means of the " square four." Colonel Trimble said the question of 1879 was a very different one. The Government then claimed a right to declare their policy, and held office until they had done so. He pointed out that when Mr Tomoana walked off the Government benches, he was a patriot ; but when hon. members had gone from the Opposition to the Government side, they were only "rats." The Government had only a majority of four votes.

The Premier said he was afraid the hon. member had forgotten the division list on the other evening; the majority was not 4; it was 12. The Government had done what no other Governments had done. It had met three votes of want of confidence in one night. He regretted that the hon. member for Taranaki had brought up the question of 1879. —[Mr Hurst: No; Mr Macandrew brought it up.] The Premier said no doubt Mr Hurst knew more about it than he did.— [Hear, hear.] He submitted that the amendment of Mr Macandrew comprehended all the questions raised by the resolutions. It was unfair for the hon. gentleman to say that faith had been broken by the Government. After several other members had spoken, the motion to adjourn was negatived, the Opposition not daring to call for a division. The House then went into Committee, and passed the Rabbit Nuisance Bill, the Mortgage Debentures Bill, the Lands Transfer Bill, and the Gold Mining District Bill; and adjourned at 2.30 a.m.