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PARLIAMENT.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Friday, September 10. (Continued from yesterday’s issue.)

At 15 minutes to two" o’clock, Mr. STOUT followed Mr. Reader Wood and talked until 25 minutes past 2 a.m., when an adjournment was taken for 15 minutes.

On resuming, Mr. STOUT again commenced, and spoke until 27 minutes to i o’clock.

Mr. HUNTER then rose, and spoke until 8 minutes to 5 o’clock.

Mr. THOMSON followed until 15 minute* past 6 o’clock.

The House adjourned until 10 o’clock that morning.

The Committee resumed at 10 o’clock. Mr. SHEEHAN rose and proceeded to ad* dress the House.

Mr. KOLLESTON inquired whether it would not he better to leave the reporting of the debate to the option of the llq usavd re* porters.

The Hon. Major ATKINSON would not consent to that. It would be well for the country to know the nature of the opposition offered to the Bill.

Mr. SHEEHAN deprecated the conduct of the Government in forcing the Opposition to take the course they were forced to take. He regretted that members of that House should be placed in such a position in order tc preserve the liberties of the people. The Parliament had been in session two months, and not a single thing had been done, though the order paper was crowded with important measures. The Government knew the Abolition Bill would not pass, and were attempt? ig to get out of the responsibilty of dealing with important measures, by attributing factious conduct to the Opposition. A number of the Opposition members here left the House. Sir GEORGE ■ GREY then called attention to the state of the House.

A quorum having been obtained, Mr. SHEEHAN continued for a few moments, and

Sir GEORGE GREY again called attention to the state of the House.

The bell was rung, and a quorum secured. Mr. SHEEHAN having complained of the interruptions, then proceeded with his speech. He characterised the Bill as a premature child, but which had been bom with a full complement of teeth. ' These teeth, by-and-bye, might fasten into the liberties ‘of the ■people, and the Opposition therefore wished to act as dentists. (A laugh.) A number of the Opposition members here left the House.

Mr. REID called attention to the state of the House. The CHAIRMAN said there was a quorum.

Several more members then left the House. Mr. MURRAY called attention to the state of the House. The CHAIRMAN said there was a quorum.

Mr. SHEEHAN proceeded, saying the Government would have to give in, for he for one was determined to continue in his course till the Assembly was dissolved by effluxion of time. He spoke till 11 o’clock, and Mr. REID then spoke, announcing his intention of opposing the Bill till the Parliament expired. At about twenty minutes to one Mr. Sheehan rose to a point of- order. The member for New Plymouth was reading a newspaper, and he thought that was against the rules of The CHAIRMAN ruled that the member could peruse Ids paper.

At one o’clock the Chairman said he would resume the chair. At two o’clock Mr. Andrew rose to a point of order, and quoted May to show that the Chairman was usurping a most important privilege in leaving the chair at his own option. Tins power might be made very dangerous as a means of impeding business if the Chairman happened to be a strong political partisan. The CHAIRMAN said hs had only been acting in accordance with what had been a long-established usage in that House ; but if upon looking into the matter, he found that he was exceeding his powers,' he- would in future avoid any such infringement of the rules of debate.

He then left the chair till 2 p.m., at which hour Mr. Reid resumed for the purpose of announcing that he would take an early opportunity of making some important remarks upon the Bill. Mr. WARD followed, by announcing that he was not speaking against time. But for this question he would have been supporting the Government, whom he did not desire to see turned out.

At 2.20 p.m. Mr. Sheehan called attention to the absence of the mace from the table, and Mr. Wood and Mr. Stout argued that it must be placed on the table ; but the Chairman ruled there was no question of order. While the question was being discussed the Speaker was announced, and entered, headed by the Sergeant-at-Arms, with the mace, and read prayers. Immediately afterwards the Speaker left the chair, and committee was resinned.

Mr. BRANDON contended that a fresh day had been commenced. Mr. STOUT, as a point of order, contended that by the Speaker having entered and taken the chair the business of the committee had lapsed. Mr. O’RORKE replied that there had been no motion to leave the chair carried, and he considered the proceedings were quite valid, and the House was now in committee. Mr. Brandon and Mr. Fitzherbebt contended that immediately after prayers a fresh day had commenced. Mr. Fitzherbert added that constitutionally_there was no Chairman of Committees.

The SPEAKER pointed out that the ruling of the Chairman of Committees should be taken; and if questioned, the Speaker and the House could bo appealed to. Mr. SHEEHAN asked the Chairman of Committees if any report had been made by him.

Mr. O’RORKE replied in the negative. He went on to state that he had no doubt upon the point. The member for bVairoa was entitled to address the committee, which was in noways affected by the entrance of the Speaker, who had very properly come in to read prayers. If his opinion were canvassed, the matter should be brought under the notice of the House.

While Mr. Stafford was addressing the committee.

Mr. O’CONOR complained of a member behind him making a noise so that he could not hear what was going on, and on being asked to desist, said he would not. The CHAIRMAN asked who was the hen. member.

Mr. O’CONOR : I name Air, Cuthbertson. The CHAIRMAN called on that hon. gentleman to keep order. Mr. TTTZHERBERT then moved that the Speaker do take the chair, with the view of obtaining his decision on the point. Mr. O’RORKE said the Speaker had no power to reverse the Chairman’s decision. The SPEAKER said the question now raised was not wholly without precedent, though no similar case had occurred in the Imperial Parliament. In the New South.

Wales Parliament very lately the committee had refused to allow the Speaker to take the chair for three days. Mr. O’RORKE again informed the committee that the Speaker could not override the Chairman of Committee’s ruling unless to do so by the House. • ' Mr. J. E. BROWN cited a precedent to show that the Speaker could revise the decision of the Chairman of Committees, and said the proper course would be to move that progress be reported, and the opinion of the House and Speaker be taken. Mr O’BORKE said that was only when the Chairman had a doubt, but in this case he had no doubt whatever. . , . . Mr. WHITE asked the Chairman to say whether it was a continuous or a fresh sitting i Sir F. D. BELL maintained that the Chairman was acting perfectly right. _ The question “That the Chairman report ■pro tress ” was put, and negatived on the voices. On a division there voted:—Ayes, 20; noes,

32. ~ATr. STOUT immediately rose and moved that the Chairman do leave the chair, saying that the Opposition were firm, and could not be moved from their present position for the next four months. The Hon. Mr. STAFFORD informed the youngest member of the House that the majority could not be coerced. The action of the minority might cause a little delay, but it would also cause irritation, and certainly a little personal inconvenience; but to the youngest member in the House, he said the majority shall prevail, (Ministerial cheers.) He wished the youngest member in the House fully to understand that when it was asserted that for four months the minority would prevent the will of the majority having its weight, it was possible under the forms of the House that the will of the majority would have its way. To the lion, member’s warning, he answered with that warning ; and there were means which he should recommend that might be brought immediately into force. Cheers.) After some remarks by Mr. Retd, The Hon. Major ATKINSON said the facts were wholly on the side of the Government, and the boasting on the side of the Opposition. The latter had told the House and the country that the Bill would not be advanced a single stage, and then that every stage would be resisted to the death, and he had no doubt that n the course of a few days, notwithstanding what hon. gentlemen might say, it would come out of committee (cheers) and shortly afterwards would pass its third reading. (Opposition noes.) However, that was his opinion, and when they went to the people it would be seen whether or not tho 23 really represented the country. The responsibility of stopping the business of the country rested with the Opposition, and the majority would be obliged to take extraordinary steps to protect themselves. ■ - • The SPEAKER said that at some time tomorrow he would feel it to be his duty to take the chair, and to take the sense of the House as to its position in the matter.^ After considerable, .discussion, the usual adjournment was taken at half-past fix e o’clock. On resuming at half-past seven, Air. SWANSON made some remarks for about ten minutes, when Mr. MURRAY addressed himself to the question, the liberties of the people, the tyranny of Government, virtue of the Opposition, and other matters calculated to throw additional light on the nature of the Abolition Bill. . .

The Hon. Major ATKINSON then rose, and at his suggestion The CHAIRMAN put the question that he report progress, and ask leave to sit again. The motion was carried unanimously. Sir DONALD McLEAN then rose and said : It is most desirable in the existing state of things that some generally satisfactory arrangement should be come to with regard to the question at issue; and I may state that certain proposals have been made by the Opposition, which may lead to a termination of the difference now existing. But time must ' be required for the consideration of those proposals. I will, therefore, move that the House adjourn until the usual hour on Tuesday next, and I hoped that when that time arrives, hon. members will be in a better temper, and more disposed to carry on the business before them. (Loud applause from both sides of the House.) Mr. SWANSON felt rather inclined for work, and hoped that the House would consent to some of the business on the order paper being cleared off. Mr. SHEEHAN thought any opposition to the request* of the Native Minister- would come with a bad grace, after the statement he -had just made, and would support.the adjournment.

Question put,—That leave be given to sit again on Tuesday next. Carried. The House then adjourned.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18750911.2.14

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4517, 11 September 1875, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,865

PARLIAMENT. New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4517, 11 September 1875, Page 2

PARLIAMENT. New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4517, 11 September 1875, Page 2

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