SCENE IN THE HOUSE.

Manawatu Times, Volume IV, Issue 67, 1 September 1880, Page 2

SCENE IN THE HOUSE.

-?* tePyXi on the/Totoof • ?«, bll « Buildings, .clausell, pbjr O >d to the rtem^of fnrnituwj for: , the WeUingtom - Hospital, £1500.— Mr. George /said it wai very plain fr>m fehavsiateof affairs that it would be impossible to go oii with: the wbA.' ;He therftfolre ; mgyed :to. report" •progressi '■ House divided. Ayes Bis8 i5 noes 39 .^-Bir -(£ ' ]a-.-ey,moTed that the Ch»'irman Idare .thi cham It wwl wident fi that at least pn* '. member was not^to^be tlier* It Vas • disgrace to 'iWHiivr Zealand Le»isla>ai» : " that larga sums should be Voted m this way?' 7 ' : '.pr Mr. Eeeves was- surprised to hear such • remark. The^honV' 1 member coala not ! b# v; ;awarepf whflt he was talking about.— Sir -G-.'Orey said th«. fa'«jt Ith'ai- such - eondnct had been going on •howed that membera were not iti v fit ; state i to' -vdi^; away larg» sums :of money. They Harl worked. fqt. eigliteen houri.-i-The hon. Mr, Hall^saicl'v* the hpn. member certainly .wai not in* fit '-^ state, ..bjut that waa no.isjason for saying the Houue was "not m a fit state to gopii. He : objected to adjourn.— Mr. Fyke laid h« had not obstruc-ted business, He Tras, inclined "to ■?▼ fc hafc the Premier had been' guilty «of impudence. He •sked a qu<j«fci on honestly ..and. he had a right tb asi theqiieslion. He wa i fc<^ there : the whole night, and,he intended to remain until the rote was itruok >ut: iHe would not be told by the Premier that he was trifling 7 with or pbslructing the House.— The' 'motion. for learing the btiair ' 'wos'pjut and negatived Pn the'Toices'— Mr. Pykeimoved that the item of : £1500 for th» Wellington Hospital be struck out. Ayes 17^ noesJß^^^^. ; Grey ;saidthat,it waa,v.. now absolutely necessary to report progress. It nwaß evident there were members who were notirfa &V itate "torgopn^^M*. :~JV T, :Fishe'r hoped tjiey would not meet again until ;Monday,-.^;r, (liunaon said. tSfre was 1 'everylprospect of » quarrefiif they attempted* I to"-go' on.— Mr. Hull said it was disgraceful that nine tenths of the'-mein'ierf should >belcept. there eimply, te.plewe one r oj two; | These two or tliree^membersf were y isimply there to obstruct :the budneas. 1-rMoition for reporting progress was put and negatived on tfie.yqijes.T-After furtherdiscussion the rote was put and passed. A number n t otherj totes^ were, discussed and./ passed alter which, Sir Gfeo. Grey 'insisting' that tli e H juse was not m; a; vfit- state to prpbifed itMk the business^ mojed fc .at^ tl.ty progress.-r-A diTision TesultidinTb'i 'motion being negatived by a laTg^majbrity i — tMi* Pyke";callei ; ,the attenti n pf lihar: Speaker to the fact that the member for Hokitika (Mr Seddpr.) who was^prSseßt •&•;■ :.*; 'the', House, had not recorded his vote. Oh : being awakened ariS ' cßWllenged, Mp 'Seddon said he" Votedi againat Pykelinsisted that-ti'ie -rote had been .irre- , gularly recorded, 1 m i.deSance of re^' peatejiJ orders from the,t/hajr to resume fii» r seat, [persisted m pVpfestm.j against ." th¥ ;; '-. miinner m which the rpte'lrad been record ' ded. \ A scene of great -dieorder enstreaj :' amidst which the remarks of both tl)«iV;aci r= > ting dliairman and> Mr Pyke wereiwholly '.-■>■■■ inaudible m the gallery .rH Mr Pyke wag r / understood to say that lieii^isted upon'thbt; /; Chairman lear^ng ijhe JOhair 4 arid. rop6rting., ; jvhati had transpired, to I.*1 .* the-jSpeaker.- ; Amidst the utmost possible confusion" md. V,; d.i9order the Chairman le'ft*the Cnair, and! ' : onSthe House resuming .he reported to the Speaker that the member^ for Dunstan had been guilty of disorderly conduct and in- ' subordiaati6ri?in«<»mMh ' as he had ref nsecl '• '. to re.ume bis seat m Coinuiittee after hay".ifig been repeatedly called, npon'.iko.iiSp" ao^-ii' : The Speaker said ho would take coghisarice of thii rejortr and- called upon, the member- - for Dunstan to affoicl the . House an- explanation and apoiogy=;— BJr Pyk(»i ■who'w.aa indistinctly heard amidst the -confusion, and uproar t h at ensued^ '■^la^understood to pffprjsome explanation or julbylcationof hia : conduct.-^— The Speaker 1 ' interrupted^ oim^ "| ; "It has been reported to me^by the Chaixw --:i man of Committees that the hop.; -lEemberr for Dunstan has been guilty pf[disordjrly ~' conduct, he being a memlier. for this House while* the House was sitt ing,,a.nd ]f npw-caU uponj him to make explanation and apology for so doing."^— Mr-Pyk3iif»:n essayed -to jjvrliamentlj; bat ; .bis' voice; ■ ;wae ~ "drowned am !sfc cries ' pt ; : '*|^apdlogis«,' 1 '^ithdrawi!' inproar and general confusion. --„ li-'ThV Speaker': f^l'hjare again. ioC**k : thijs ; h6n member for v Bunstanj "Mb VI^CKR^ Pxitß, if be ia prepared to offer an-applpgy, for the conduot pf irhicn he^h'aa been jE|niity * . m Committee, which has heed reported to ' ,mß>by the CJiairman of Coriimittee'."— Mr Pyke : «' Then I may say Ido not a,Jolo-i gise for it."-^he Spieaker !" Thefi ib thai? case the member having V been duly^chaFi lenged, and having refused ta applofise- for "Kis conduct m Committee I direct" that he. yfill atonce leave the Chamber."— Mr Bjkethen j pose, anS on withdrawing ejacul«ted m a loud voice something., that .sounded like a na(e of defiance-.-^After he had -.:. i hdrawn »Hpnt Mr HaJljSald'that ihey must jtllrreg 15k; o ,ti|e jpa.irif«i scene which' h'«d" just been ci.«/ _■ ' aeled. . ■* The "conlJiict | of the Ho^se ha 3 been T outraged; arid; it«j authority had "been: sets atf 1 defiance. To him it was a matter for deep, f < regrit, and_.he had not the least ,doubt 7 bif^_ that; all present shared With him m regret. They must, ,hp never, )lear m mind/ fthatithey nadaduty tp discharge both to. themselves and the country,—and that duty,'could not be discharged unless they . took - cb|nisance.Qf;^lie; cpndnot.<ii<hichL hadjusij /riowi been enacted. He would move "That this 'Hqu«e haringt-a ken into consideration, r - fche insulting' and disorderly ; conduct mani* '' ' fested by the member fdrDuiptan towarda 'a Committee of the; wholexlHouieaudita- >; Chairman, and the ftict-ithat: when challenged by M_r. . . Spieaker m pursuance of ; hist - authority, he refused to apologise, therefore, , this: House expresses itV diiapprobwhon.and 1 censures, M*> ' Pyteifpr^hV inme: 1 '— In the course of a rery animated discussion -which ensued en the motip.n, the attention ol.thf.; ,( 'Speaker wai^^ called to. the -ty^^ ; tE»t Mr^ : 'Pyke had taken up his . position m the lEeporter^s Gallery.^-The Speaker ; MDpI {; understand that the hoin. member for >Dun- v i 'stari; who has just been ordered to leave, 'the, Chamber, is still present m gome por^ ution of it."-^- Mr. Andre"wa7 "He, ,ii, Jlir j^i .he is"presehf m the^Reporte^'a i{ oaUerj4'--—. The Spjaker : "Sergeant-at-'Afms, Jpoft wilj , now proceed of tVe Hptt»e v if you ftbd r^^Hpn?' member /foiv' Dnnst in. there you will direct him to leave by directions ipf the;- Spe^ker.^'Wsirn due. fr opurs/ that functionary arriVed at the • prea^ gallery and proceeding to the extreme.'. . end; of , it^ , ; where Mr. Pyke was seated) busily employ ci) tracing HierogUphies QA% i street of foolscap paper, he tin> ed M«N Pyk*

looked np with some surprise and indignation demaaded'to know what he meant by •waiting him whilf he (Mn Pjke) wat; m the exepiitibn of his duty.— -The Sergeant having delivafrecl the m«ssag« given to him by the Speaker. Mr. Pyke replied ; as follows: !" Til not go. Keep your hands off me Sir, orJl'Ji have you, brought before the Court for an asiadt. Stand out of chit I'm reporting for a newspaper. I'm reporter for the Association. , Get put of this or. I'll; bare you up -for assaulting me." — The Sergeant having withdrawn and reported. to the Speaker the state of affairs m the' Gallery, he wm directed by the Speaker to proceed to the Gallery and, if .needs be,> have Mr. Pykr removed by force. -pThe Sergeant paid a second visit to the Gallery with, on this occasion, his dress coat buttoned up to the throat, his wristbands turned up and two attendants at bis' heels. ■ The aspect of affairs was so very alarming, that the only other occupants of the Gallery, t wo drowsylooking newspaper reporters deemed it prudrnt to take back seats. On- being again challenged Mr, Pyke, who wm still busily ■- employed tracing;, what appeared; to be, a eeii)-oomic sketch of j«£r. Speaker and his robes with' an equally comical representa* tion of Cabinet Ministers, en dvthdiille, protested thatthu was an unwarrantable interference "with the liberties of the press, and that he was a "newspaper reporter on this occasion reporting for the Otugo Daily \ Times.-rThe Sergt. : J? Come away, Mr. i Pyke, and don't make a damned fool of yourself !" Mr. ' P/ke— " Take your bands off me, sir. I'll have you punished with the utmost rigor of the law for assaulting me m the. execution of my, duty."— At this juncture'ihe Sergeant .applied * some c i ,ht force, when : Mr. Pyke tpse to. his feet, and facing his ; antagonist, took a working survey of him froui head to foot, ; when jLJjis eye lighted on the buttoned-up coat Wfnd wriibands. He appeared to take m the situation at a glance, and without further re3istance,fpllpwed the sergeant, and his attendants down stairs. On again making his appearance oh the floor of the House the sergeant reported that lie bad at last succeeded m ejecting! Mr (iPyke from the gallery.— An animated debate then ensued on the motion tabled by the Hon Mr Hall, which resulted m Mr Pyke; »aid he did not know what he had tor-apologiso for. In calling the attention of p)u Chairmun to the faot that Mr Seddon had not .rofed, he had simply disclia'rgfld a duty he owedvtp the House and his constituency, by whom he had sent there. If there was anyone to be blamed'it wasnot he. ' It was the Chairman Tvho persistently called upon him to sit down- wbenihe; was calling : attention to the above named faot.—Jhe^Speaker-j; " I fin, l that you are still unwilling to apologiie for jour coi^uct. rf pbWer ? if ybii remain refactory, either to order you into' the custody of the Sergeant-at- Arms or else to impose a^flne on you ' v c>t £50.— Mr Pyke : "I decline tb apologise for an 'offence of ' which ,ulj.*aaii; •> perfectly ' • innocent. — The Speaker: ''.Then you will retire."— Mr Pyke then left iJie" Chamber.'; ' ■ • * Mr Sheehan sai,d he blamed the Governnent very much for what had taken place. They had kept member sitting there for close on 24 hours, and it was not to be wondered at that disorder and irregularity arose : said Mr,Pyketo|.d him he did not meanjiny disrespect to the House, and all he intended to do was to assert what he considered to be his privilege. ■; He thought they shbuld'he satisfied with that and'all'dw' the subject to drop. He tabled a motion to the effect that the House take no further no ice the of matter.— Mr Hall f»ul he had li tene'd with the utmost attention to what had been eaidjbjr Mr Pyke, and he. had^np.t heard a siiiglW word that could possibly be construed into an expression of regret or Apology* >v He, regretted the circumstance as. much as 'anyone r could do, but he ,had no alternative > left butjto insut: ;upun the vote of censure.— Mr Seddon, after detailing the circumstances under w hich he recorded hw_ rote, said Ihat'wlien the. hen. member for* Dunsfcan was ordered to sit down, there was a great, noise m the House, members calling out « Ghhri" " Wabwfi" and making ; all manner of noise?. Jb was quite possible the memben f or*the , Dunstan did; not hear the Orders g'ven ;h*im by*"the__ChairmHn.— Mr Beeves said the member for Dunstan was quite m];t,jjpt to, apologise and lie was. glad te see He was determined to fight it out to. the bitter end.;t-rlt. is not .the .member, for, Dunstan who was to* blame, but the Chair-. man. He was the ; only., man to be; blamed Under the circumstances. He had occasioned the whole of the trouble. — The Speaker—" I cannot allow you to censure the Chairman of Committees, You mnst confine yourself to the member for^Dunstan."— Mr Reeves— ' f Then I have' nothing more to say." — Eventually it was agreed, the motion should be allowedto stand over and that the debate should be resumed next [( night, and when, that time arrived, Mr. Pyke had taken bet(.•r counsel w^tii himself, and. apologised. .