The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1870.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume V, Issue 63, 16 March 1870, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 1870.

What.'-VER may be the faults and failings of our New Zealand Parliament there exists among its members a love of order aud decorum which forms a marked contrast to the rowdy ism and disorderly conductwhich are so strongly characteristic of the proceedings of the Victorian legislature. On one occasion ouly have our legislators so far forgotten what was due to themselves and the constituents they represented as to disgrace the legislative chamber by enacting a scene of which all who witnessed it felt thoroughly ashamed — we refer to the session of 1868, when an unseemly attempt was mide by the Opposition to prevent the Estimates being passed — but the fact that many of those members who had up to that time been opponents of the Stafford Government at once withdrew their support frora the Opposition on the grounds that they would not support a party who would resort to such means as those adopted on the occasion ia question, together with the general outcry tbat was raised in the public press of the colouy against such conduct, showed in the most unmistakeable manner that the people of New Zealand were not prepared quietly to allow the deliberations of tbeir representative body to be lowered to the level of a taproom squabble. With this solitary exception the debates of the House of Representatives have always been conducted in a most orderly and creditable manner, and New Zealand has reason to be proud not only of the ability, but of the dignified air, which marks the proceedings of her Parliament. There can be no doubt that this state of thiugs is due in a large measure to the high tone adopted by the present Speaker, who most determinedly sets his face agaiust the slightest laxity or breach of Parliamentary etiquette, but the manner in whieh he is supported by the Avhole of tbe members shows lhat they fully appreciate the advantages of having as their president one who so jealously guards the honor and respectability of the body of which he is the head. In marked contrast to our own Parliament is that of Victoria, which appears to be devoting a considerable proportion of its present sessiou to scenes of the most disgraceful description. It was only tho other day that we extracted from the Australasian an account of a violent altercation which took place in the Legislative Assembly, when a Mr. Smith threatened to kick one of his brother members, and actually carried his threat into execution iu the lobby of the House, aud by the mail just arrived we now learn that the Legislative Council Chamber has been disgraced in a somewhat similar manner. The following is the account as givei. by the Australasian of February 26 : — " Tho Legislative Council was, on Thursday last, degraded to the level of a low pot-house by Mr. Frazer. He came into the chamber in a most disgraceful condition, and almost immediately commenced interrupting the proceedings, aud insulting member after member, in a manner whicli, if indulged in in almost auy other place, would have earned for

him a well deserved and severe personal chastisement, or would have led to his being consigned to the care of a constable. Vainly did the Speaker expostulate with him, and equally in vain were the entreaties of his friends, who besought him to be quiet or leave the chamber. Wearied with. his disorderly conduct, the Speaker at last named him, and said, ' I tell you Mr. Frazer, that you are guilty of disorderly conduct, and I call upon the House to deal with you as a disorderly member.' This quieted him for a few. moments, but he agaiu rose and commenced an equally disorderly scene, when the Speaker left the chair, and during his temporary absence some of Mr. Frazer's friends took him from the chamber." From this we must draw one of two deductions ; either tbat the Speaker of the Legislative Council of Victoria is possessed of very little authority, or that, possessing it, he is culpably neglectful in the exercise of it.