MR. SEYMOUR ON THE STONEWALLING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 281, 25 November 1881, Page 2

MR. SEYMOUR ON THE STONEWALLING.

The following ia an extract from the report in the Express of Mr Seymour's speech at Blenheim -.— When first this diminution of members was taken off, a good deal of sympathy was felt, and I think if the Nelson members had played a judicious part they would have had some concession made them, but instead of this they set up the stonewall. They stonewalled the Bill both in the House and in the Committee. Seven or eight commenced the battle, and soon attracted others to them, and. so the stonewall went on day after day, until there were at least a dozen in it, trying to waste the -time of the country. It fell to my lot to stop it. After existing three or four days, the stonewall began again by motions to report progress. No less than four-and-twenty times was the same motion put, and what with the speaking —and that extended over 48 hours—there appeared to be no end to it. It had drawn, amongst other supporters, Sir George Grey, who actively supported them to stonewall the Bill, which was actually based on his own. The stonewall members then divided into three watches of eight houi s each—(applause)— four members in each watch. By the rules of the House a quorum of the House consists of 20 members, and it was absolutely necessary for the Government to keep this number of members in the House all the time. Well, these four men could have gons on for ever. (Laughter). One would speak half-an-hour, and then another half-an-hour, and so on, and when they had all finished, the first would get up again. But it was an enormous stretch of endurance on the part of the Government to keep the necessary number in the House for a quorum. So it went on. At last it seemed to me something must b« done. I waited and waited, hoping to see some solution arrived at, forlfelt 12 men could not r«le the entire House. But no, not the slightest chance of any settlement appeared, and indeed things only seemed to grow worse. Sir

George Grey gave out that he was going to make a great speech to the galleries and was then going to stump the country, and get up a popular demonstration in layorof the Nelson men; and that during this time the stonewalling was to be kept un ancl when he came back, for all we knew, the stonewalling might go on. I thought something .hould he done and I determined to try my best. That evening, wheu the rclJcrk-. wci. crowded, and Grey w.5 going to make his great speech. I stopped iV (Hisses, followed by applause and hisses.) I think that I earned the gratitude of the colony by my action. (Laughter) Some of you disapprove- of it. Do you know what the Bill cost the colony ? XIO,OOO ! £7,000 of which were wasted in obstruction. (A Voice: You don't say so '.) I say a wilful wanton waste of money. It is not as if the time and money were spent in talking about the measure : that would have been all right, but during the v.hoie 120 hours' obstruction not one word was spoken in reference to the particular business of the Committee. Now, I will tell you the way I stopped it. They were putting motions to report progress and for me to leave the chair. 1 told them to go back to the Bill, and take the clauses one by one and go through them. That was the duty of the Committee. All I did was to stop wilful obstruction, and make them go back to the Bill itself. Jn consequence of my acti.n the Bill passed in a few hours.