Parliamentary.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 973, 27 August 1881, Page 3

Parliamentary.

[fbom oub own correspondent]. StonewaHing the Representation Bill. Wellington, August 24. The Nelson, Westland, and one or two Auckland members stonewalled the Representation Bill. During the whole of last night and up till 5 o’clock this afternoon, the House sat debating the first clause providing for the election of 91 members to the House. Mr. Bastings moved that the number of members be 60, and pointed out that with a rapidly increasing population there would require to be a redistribution every three or four years, and went on to enlighten the House upon the growth of grass, progress of gold industry, and other subjects. It was soon seen that whatever progress gold industry was likely to make, the Representation Bill will not have much chance of progressing. All the Nelson members spoke, urging that representation as it was at present, should remain. Mr. Seddon spoke for upwards of two hours, and had to sit down several times, while the House was rung up. He spoke upon almost every conceivable subject, and no one listened to him, not even the Chairman. The Ministers absented themselves frequently, and the Premier, who was in charge of the Bill, left the Chamber altogether, except when a quorum was wanted, when he solemnly walked in, and walked out again at once. There were four or five “ count outs ” up to midnight. The members grouped about the lobbies, ready to come in as soon as the bell rang. While all this waste of time was going on inside the Senate, the Hall select group started a vocal and instrumental concert in the Whips’ room. Here Jones’ fiddle was brought into requisition, and ever and anon the chorus of some motto song was wafted into the Chamber, and added to the pleasure of the proceedings during the greater part of the sitting. The Nelson men rang changes several times, and made no secret of their intentions to stonewall the Bill; indeed, Mr. Shepherd made an attempt to explain the meaning of the term stonewalling, going back to Stonewall Jackson’s time. At 1.30 a.m., an attempt was made to report progress, but without success ; and Mr. Levistan, relieving Mr. Shepherd, kept up the agony till 2.10 a.m., when the Chairman left the chair for half-an-hour.

Mr. Bastings then spoke for over two hours, reading many pages from a work by Earl Grey. Major Atkinson entered a protest against such proceedings, and the Chairman told Mr. Bastings he ought to confine himself more to the question. Talk, however, still went on, though nearly every member present was snoring. Mr. Pitt, at 4.20 a.m., moved progress be reported. Major Atkinson thought it would not be right to agree to adjournment after what had taken place, and appealed to the House to support the Government in an endeavor to get on with the business of the country. Mr. Pitt thought the Government were to blame for obstruction, and said if they wished to go on he was prepared to sit till 2.30 p.m., when the debate might be still continued with renewed vigor. It would be be better to report progress, when, possibly, some arrangement might be arrived at before next sitting. Major Atkinson’s reply was, practically, fight it out and talk away. When the motion for reporting progress was put, only 8 voted for it, while 22 voted against it.

Mr. Gibbs then took up the running shortly before 6 a.m. The Chairman could stand it no longer, and gave place to Mr. Hamlin. Daylight began to pour its light upon the Chambers, and kissed the cheeks of slumbering Ministers, without arousing them from peaceful dreams ; it, also, glimmered on the cheeks of stonewallers, but only to arouse them to renewed energy. At 6.30, Mr. Bastings once more entered upon the scene, and requested the chairman to leave the chair, but Mr. Hamlin declined to comply with the request. Soon after this, Mr. Shepherd moved, for the 7th or Bth time, that progress be reported, but the Committee objected, and Mr. Shepherd then proceeded once more to read .from half a dozen very thick books. At 10 o’clock Mr. Seddon, who had spoken for nearly two hours, still continued, occasionally complaining, because the House would not allow him to get breakfast. A division on the question for progress was taken at 9.30 a.m., which secured only 4 votes. There were frequent counts of out, but the Government party always had a relay of men ready to make a quorum. The chair was alternately occupied by Messrs. Seymour and Hamlin. The Stonewallers appeared to be as determined as ever to go on, and the Government were equally determined to see it through. At 10.30* o’clock, Mr. Seddon said he intended to fight it out to the last, but would first take a little rest and food, and then would come back refreshed to start again. He was prepared to sit for another month, but if the majority of the House intended to carry on the spirit of tyranny they had shown, there would be a scene in the chair chamber, and the Sergeant at Arms would be called in before the Bill passed. Mr. Pitt followed at a quarter to 11, and spoke until a few minutes past that hour, when he was relieved by Mr. Levistan, who entered into a long discussion on the Public Works policy. At 11.30 Mr. George raised a question of privilege as to whether anybody but the regular Chairman of Committees could occupy the chair. This new point was vigorously debated, but the chairman ruled against it. Then Mr. George moved that progress be reported in order that the Chairman might take the Speaker’s opinion on the point. Mr. Bryce, however, ruled this informal, and the motion was amended to one for reporting progress. This was negatived on the voices, but a division was called for, and after the bell had been rung, Mr. Weston rose, but was promptly forced to resume his seat and put on his hat according to Parliamentary etiquette. Unfortunately he had not brought his hat, and had to borrow that of his next neighbor, which was too large, and when he put it on it dropped over his ears, covering the whole of his head and face, like an extinguisher, amid loud laughter, consequently he had to hold it over his head like a canopy, as he spoke, and disclaimed all intention of obstruction or stone walling, and politely restored the borrowed hat to its rightful owner. The division was then taken, and the motion to report progress was lost by 28 votes to 14. Mr. Levistan then resumed his speech, these proceedings were kept up till 3 p.m., when Sir George Grey asked the Government if the motion was carried, what course would they pursue. Mr. Hall declined to give a definite reply. The question was then put that the figure 91 stand as part of the Bill. This was carried by a large majority. Mr. Gisborne then moved an amendment that there should be 56 members for South Island and 45 for Middle Island, this was negatived. Sir. G. Grey again requested the Premier to allow the House to adjourn, but the Premier declined until he got an assurance from the Stonewallers that they would not have recourse to the tactics adopted last night. Mr. Seddon refused. Appeals were then made to the Premier by Colonel Trimble, Mr. Russel, and other Government supporters to grant an adjournment. Mr. Hall at length tardily acquiesced, and the House adjourned till 8 o’clock.

When the House meets, Mr. Barron will move as an amendment adopting Hare’s system of representation. The Government hope to get the Bill pushed through Committee to-night, but are assured that Westland, if not Nelson members, will again make a hard fight to thwart the passing of the Bill. Thursday, August 25. Ths House was occupied all last evening debating the Representation Bill in Committee. After 32 hours almost continuous sitting, the whole of the clauses in the Bill were got through without amendment, and a new clause added. During the trying ordeal through which the Government and Stonewallers passed, the best of good humor was maintained. No speaker had to be called to order for any offence more serious than wandering from the question. The schedules have yet to be considered, and there is every prospect of renewed hostilities on the part of the Nelson men, who expect reinforcements from various quarters. The addition of the new clause giving leasehold voting qualification has, it is said, turned several members from alle-

giance to the Bill, and may be found aiding the Nelson members. As the Bill is to be further considered in Committee to-morrow, there is a strong probability of the sitting extending throughout Saturday. In the House, this afternoon, Mr. Bastings asked the Premier when tlie portfolio of Minister for Public Works would be filled up. Mr. Hall sarcastically replied that the question was now under the serious consideration of the Government. The remainder of the sitting was principally occupied by private members’ Bills. Friday, August 26. Last night the House was principally engaged in discussing the Fencing Bill. It was arranged that preparations for stonewalling the Representation Bill should commence to-day. Yesterday Mr. Speight asked the Premier whether the new clause inserted in the Bill the previous night would be reconsidered, and hinting that if returned he and others could block the passage of the measure. The Premier announced that the clause would be abandoned ; nothing could be done till the Bill had passed through committee, but before it was recommitted a schedule would have to be passed. Speight and others who are opposed to the clause, thought that once the schedule passed, Government might not care about excising it, and they would not risk their only chance of blocking the measure which had become more objectionable than ever, arrangements were, therefore, made for stonewalling the business without delay. The obstructionists first consideration was how to get over Friday without tackling the Representation Bill so as to start fresh on Monday, and bring about this desideratum. Mr. Speight proposed to keep back the Bill till after 12.30 to-night, when, according to the rules of the House, no new business can be taken. The programme is this: —As soon as the usual questions are disposed of, Speight is to move the adjournment of the House, and then go into the whole question of the pensions, taking as his text the report of the Pensions Committee ; he says he will be able to keep on this for six or seven hours. Shepherd will follow with a speech upon the Public Works policy ; this will, it is expected, end the first day’s proceedings.