Nelson Evening Mail FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 1881.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 203, 26 August 1881, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 1881.

T.ir. sfeds of dissension between Weliinp-fon and the South so skilfully sown by Mr Pitt in h*-* s-peech on the second reading of tbe Representation Bill bave not been long in germinating, and with a little judicious tending and nursing may yet develop into a very vigorous plant, under shelter of wbich tbe Kelson attack upon tbis miserable measure wliicli bas bluudcred into existence, only, we hope, to he strangled ere it arrives at maturity, may be carried to a successful termination. Our Wellington correspondent's telegram yesterday informed us that the JArenivg Post waa strongly condemning Ihe Bill and expressing sympathy with the Nelson members in their e'L'orts to ''stonewall it to death,'' and a hope that their endeavors would meet with success. Last night the article in full was telegraphed to us, and it will be found in another part of to-day's issue. The condemnation of the \ Bill is very strong indeed, and if our contemporary expresses the opinion of the Welling public, our members are not likely to be left to fight their battle alone. We also publish an extract from the A*. Z. Times, tbe morning paper in Wellington, from whicb it will be seen that warm sympathy with Nelson is aroused in that quarter also ; and— we feel sure our readers will require no apology from us for devoting so much of our space to this matter to-day— we further quote from the Post of Tuesday to show that the battle which our members are so pluckily fighting is by no means a hopeless one. Our Contemporary says :— '*" The only way in which a minority can make ita power felt, and resist the will of the majority in cases such as this, is by that process of stubborn Obstruction known in modern parliamentary slang as 'stonewalling.' This is the plan now being followed by the Nelson and Westland members. However seriously inconvenient it may be, and however prejudicial to the progress of public business, it is hard to blame them for taking the only course open to them to prevent the doom hanging over their heads. It is their sole weapon, and they have a right to use it in defence of tbeir political lives. The question is— How far can and will they carry it, and will the majority be able to coerce the minority into submission ? There is absolutely no limit to the possibility of obstruction, excepting that of tbe obstructors' physical capacity of endurance. There are twelve Nelson and Westland member.-*. They can relieve one another either in three **' watches" of four each, or two of six. Being in committee, they can speak as often and as long as they like. The only way of crushing tbis kind of obstruction is for the majority to force tho continuous sitting of the House' by negativing all adjournments, with the object of wearing out the endurance of tbe minority. That is tbo sole weapon with which tbe majority can meet tbe single formidable arm employed by the minority. If both sides are equal in their constancy and tbeir endurance, clearly tbe only way out of the deadlock is a compromise of some kind. We have foreseen from the first tbat this deadlock was sure to arise, and have already expressed an opinion that some Compromise will be found equally inevitable. How tbat can be effected without throwing overboard altogether the population basis, we are not prepared to say. To us it looks very much like an impossibility. In that case we fancy the population basis will be offered up as a sacrifice." Uhile we are being thus supported by outsi )era, we learn with unmitigated surprise tbat two of our own representatives, Messrs Collins and Hurßthouse, are displaying culpable lukewarmness. Tbey are • tbe last men whom we should havo expected to stand quietly by with folded hands while their colleagues are engaged in a life and death struggle in which their constituents are deeply interested, and yet this is what we are told they are doing. Instead of taking part in the fight they are looking on as disinterested spectators, coming up to time only when the division bell rings. Are tbey aware to what extent tbcir passive indifference is injuring the good cause ? Will it not be a perfectly fair argument for our enemies to use that the injustice proposed to be perpetrated upon Nelson cannot be so great after all, since one-third of the electors, through their representatives, are content to allow matters to drift ? This is no time for such balf-beartedness ; we cannot afford to allow any of our members to suffer their disinclination to undertake an uncongenial task to outweigh the positive duty wbich they owe to their constituents, and we trust that public meetings will be called, both in Motueka and the Suburbs, to bring pressure to bear upon tbose who should bave required no such incentive to action. There appears to be a probability of the whole of next week being demoted to " stonewalling," and there is no reason whatever why Messrs Collins and Hursthouse should claim exemption from the work that is cue out for the Kelson men. Their constituents »hould insist upon tbeir being participators in, and not merely ob servers of, the struggle. The following telegram received from a correspondent in Wellington, read in connection with another from our regular correspondent, which appears elsewhere, will give a good idea of the i present state of affairs and of the brighter prospects which appear to be now opening up, and which will no doubt encourage our brave little band to fight to the iast in the interests of tbose they represent :— " When the House went into Committee on the Representation Bill on Tuesday evening at half-past seven, Mr Bastings moved to strike out the words "ninety-one" in Clause 2, and to insert other words. This was tbe commencement of the stonewalling, according to arrangement*- made among Messrß Bastings, Gibbs, Shephard, Pitt, Levestam, and Seddon. Of the otber Nelson and Westland members, Messrs Hursthouse and Collins voted with the Nelaon members but declined to stonewall. Messrs Gißborne and Weston declined to stonewall, paired, and went home. Mr Reid voted with the Government, but Mr Seddon nobly helped in the stonewalling. Tbe discussion was kept going till 4*30 on Wednesday morning, wben Mr Pitt offered Major Atkinson tbat if h9 would consent to reporting progress he would consult with his friendß and see if a satisfactory arrangement could be come to, but the ofl'er was declined with this exception, that the Government party kept silence throughout. After this tbe itonewalliDg continued without cessation. At eleven o'clock on Wednesday morning Mr Reeves arrived and joined the Nelson men. It was known to the Nelson members tbat Sir George Grey and otber Auckland members intended moving important amendments in Clause 3 whicb would create great discussion, and they, therefore, determined to let a division be taken on Clause 2, and get rest by transferrin* the talking to the other members of the House, and see if any | satisfactory arrangement conld be made with the Government. Accordingly a division was taken on Mr Bat-tings' amendment at 3 p.m. After some further amendments were disposed of Sir G. Grey wanted progress reported. Messrs Bastings and Pitt urged compliance in the bope of some arrangement being come to. Progress was not reported, but an adjournment was taken till Bpm The Nelson men kept quiet, and the other members occupied the House till 2 30 a m on the following day (Thursday.) An amendment giving a leasehold franchise was carried, and a proposal against splitting up certain cities into single electorates was negatived, the result being, as the Nelson men, who supported every amendment, anticipated, tbat many members became dibsatisfied and will now oppose tbe Bill strenuously though supporting it before. The Nelson and Westland Btonewallers were in readiness to divide into two watches, and had intimated to the Government that if the schedules were attempted to be touched stonewalling would recommence. All tbe Auckland members except Messrs Harris acd Speight kept aloof and took no part in the stonewalling, Baying that the Nelson men were only fighting a local grievance. Now however, the combination will be on general grounds and it is understood that Messrs Mongtgomery, Ballance, Ilutchisou, Jones Andrews, and J. T. Eisher will strongly oppose the Bill and help the Nelson men Thursday being a private members' day the Bill Btandß over till Friday. An attempt will be made to excise the leasehold qualification clause from the Biil ou recommittal a course which tho Government would pro-

bably favor as they now see the danger of the increased opposition to the Bill. Tb9 Nelson men will all vote for the clause remaining, so as to make the Bill distastiful to mony numbers. Stonewall tactics will be resumed on Friday by the Nelson men and their allies upon the schedules, end they hate now so rrganised matters that they will be able to relieve watches, and so make the work less fatiguing. Had they continued the stonewalling till now, they would not have been in so good a pestion as they are. Now they bave shelved the Bill till Friday without the labor of BtoneWhlliiig, and have gained friends and support in the House and the press; whilst the schedules are untouched. Both the Wellington papers are writing against the Bill, and the Post wonders at the stonewallers apparently giving in so soon, but neither paper says a word about the Wellington city and district members who arcall supporting the Bill. The Nelson members, with tbe assistance of bther members in the Hohse, are now prepared to renew the contest, rested and renewed in strength and determination, and, being nobly backed up by their constituents, are determined to succeed or make matters extremely unpleasant for the Government and the supporters of the Bill. During the stonewalling the speaking fell solely upon Messrs Shephard, Levestam, Pitt, Gibbs, and Seddon, assisted occasionally by Messrs Bastings and Harris. Up to the time of Mr Reeves' arrival at eleven on Wednesday morning, the abovenamed had been speaking for about sixteen hours continuously without giving even a chance for Mr Bastings' amendment to be put, and were prepared to keep it up before the course was determined upon as mentioned above. Mr Reeves joined in at once on arrival, and was a great assistance.

We understand that Mr George Thompson, late landlord of the Wakatu ftotei, and at present of th 6 Star and Garter at Richmond, has become tbe purchaser of the Postboy Hotel for £1250. At a meeting of the Town Schools Committee held last evening, the following resolutions were passed :— (1) "That instructions be given to the teachers of the Town schools that the school bells are to be rung at 9.20 a.m. and 1.20 p m. for the purpose of insuring greater punctuality in the attendance of scholars." (2) "That, in consequence of the irregular attendance of some scholars of the Town schools, teachers be instructed that, in the event of any scholar being absent from school for two weeks consecutively without a reasonable written excuse from parents or guardians, the name of such absentee shall be. taken off the rolll, and the first new applicant after admitted instead. The scholar whose name has been taken off tbe roll to stand in the same position as a new applicant." It having been ascertained from the monthly returns of the schools that notwithstanding the removal of 25 children from Miss Kitching's to Miss Snart's school last month to make room for new applicants, tbe whole of the vacancies were filled in one day, in addition to which seven applicants had to be refused admission ; also that 12 children bave been unable to obtain admission to Miss Cother's school during the month, in addition to which a number of parents are constantly complaining to the Committee that they cannot get their children admitted to the schools. It was unanimously resolved that the Education Board be urged to proceed without delay with the erection of the school in Brook-street for which a site haa been some time purchased. An American telegram by the San Francisco mail says :— The infernal machines, shipped to England from America, have created quite a ecare there, acd almost equal excitement in the States. The Secretary of the Treasury haa addressed a communication to the collectors of New York and Boston with instructions to use every mtans to find out the name of the consignor of the deadly packages. The representatives of the steamship companies are especially agitating over the affair, and have deprived O'Donovan Rossa of a sub-agency he held in the Allan line. Tbe city editor of the National Democrat, Plori, Illinois, states that the infernal machines were made in that city and gives the name of the street, adding that a reporter of the paper had been invited to an exhibition of the machines destructive powers. The New York Tribune, referring to the matter, ssys :— " If the American authorities do tbeir duty, the Irish Revolutionists will not be long able to plan their hellish schemes in America "