Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. Wednesday, April 18, 1882.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1062, 18 April 1882, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. Wednesday, April 18, 1882.

All the London dailies comment on the proposd new rules of procedure. The Tinies is inclined to think that other measures ought to be tried before the cloture is resorted to, and says the point upon which its political importance turns is the power given to a bare majority to vote that the debate on a measure shall cease. Substantially it appears that this is conceded in such a manner that no strong Government would have any difficulty in enforcing it against the hostile party. It is for the House of Commons to decide whether measures designed to put down obstruction ought to be so framed that they may be used —by-and-by, if not now —for putting down opposition. The Standard says the project is too preposterous to be seriously entertained, and that unless the Prime Minister abandons the cloture upon the lines on which he has now presented it, he will find that he has taken up a position at once untenable and disastrous. The Daily Nines argues that it is even more a private members’ question than a Government question, and gives a general support to the proposals. The Telegraph says the cloture rule if it could be carried as it stands—which it regards as impossible —would prove absolutely fatal to the established character of the British House of Commons, and furnish the tombstone for the freedom of its debates.

The Standard says that a large number of Members on the Liberal side of the House object to the Huie regarding the closing of Debate, and are privately exerting themselves to induce the Government to make it less stringent in its character.

In connection with the new rules the Daily News learns that Mr Ashton Dilke intends to move that the number of Standing Committees proposed shall be increased from two to five, and that, the new committees shall deal respectively with Irish and Scotch questions, and with the Budget. As many of our readers must necessarily be considerably in the dark regarding the Cloture proposals, we give as fully as space permits the text of the New Bules of Procedure which were laid on the Table of the House of Commons by Mr G ladstone. L—PROCEDURE. Putting the Question.

1. That when it. shall appear to Mr Speaker, or to the ('hairman of a Committee of the whole House, during any debate, to be the evident sense of the House, or of the Committee, that the question be now put, he mav so inform the House ; and if a Motion be made

“That the question be now put,” Mr. Speaker or the Chairman shall forthwith put such question ; ami, if the same be decided in the affirmative, the question under discussion shall be put forthwith: provided that the question shall not be decided in the affirmative, if a division be taken, unless it shall appear to have been supported by more than two hundred members, or to have been opposed by less than forty metnMotions for . Adjournment before Public Business. 2 That no Motion for the Adjournment of the House shall he made, except by leave of the House, before the Orders of the Day, or Notices of Motion have been entered upon. Debate on Motions for Adjournment. 3. That when a Motion is made for the adjournment of a debate, or of the House, during any debate, or that the Chaiaman of a Committee do report progress, or do leave the chair, the debate thereupon shall be strictly eonfined to the matter of such Motion ; and no member having spoken to any such Motion shall be entitled to move or second any similar Motion during the same debate, or during the same sitting of the Committee. Divisions. 4. That when, before a Division, the decision of Mr Speaker, or of the Chairman of a Committee, that the “ Ayes” or “ Noes ” have it, is challenged, Mr Speaker, or Chairman, may call upon the Members challenging it to rise in their places ; and if they do not exceed twenty, he may forthwith declare the determination of the House, or of the Committee. Irrelevance on Repetition. 5. That Mr Speaker, or the Chairman of Committee, may call the attention I of the House, or of the Committee, to I continued irrelavenee, or tedious rope- 1

titiuii on the part of a Member; and i may direct the Member to discontinue ■ his speech. Postponement of Preamble. 6. That in Committee on a Bill the 1 Preamble do stand postponed until after the consideration of the Clauses, without Question put. Chairman to Leave the Chair without Question. 7. That when the Chairman of a Committee has been ordered to make a report to the House, lie shall leave the Chair without Question put. Half-past Twelve o’clock Rule. 8. To add to the Standing Order of Ist It Feb., 1579, the following words : —“ But this Rule shall not apply to the Motion for leave to bring in a Bill nor to any Bill which has passed through Committee.” Order in Debate. 9. To amend the Standing Order of 28 Feb., 1880, as follows: —That whenever any member shall have been named by the Speaker, or by the Chairman of a Committee of the whole House, as disregarding the authority of the Chair, orabusing the Rules of the House by persistently and wilfully obstructing the business of the House, or otherwise, then, if the offence has been committed in the House, the Speaker shall forthwith put the Question, on a Motion being made, no amendment; adjournment, or debate being allowed, “ That such member be suspended from theserviceofthe House;” and, if the offence has been committed in a Committee of the whole House, the Chairman shall, on a Motion being made, put the same Question ill a similar wav, and if the motion is carried shall forthwith suspend (lie proceedings of the Committee, and report the circumstances to the House, and the Speaker shall thereupon put the same Question, without amendment, adjournment, or debate, as if the offence had been committed in the House itself. If any Member be suspended under this order, his suspension on the first occasion shall continue for a week, on the second occasion for a month, and on the third occasion for the remainder of the Session, provided always that nothing in the Resolutions shall be taken to deprive the House of the power of proceeding against any Member according to ancient usages. Debates on Motions fob Adjournment. 10. That if Mr Speaker, or the i Chairman of a Committee of the whole i House, shall be of opinion that a : Motion for the adjournment of a debate, or of the House, during any debate, or that the Chairman do report ■ progress, or do leave the Chair, is made for the purpose of Obstruction, he may ■ forthwith put the question thereupon ■ from the Chair. 1 Consideration of a Bill as Amended. 11. That on reading the Order of ! the Day for the consideration of a Bill as amended, the House do proceed ■ to consider the same without question put, unless the member in charge ■ thereof shall desire to postpone its ■ consideration, or notice has been given ■ to re-commit the Bill. Motions on going into Committee of Supply. 12. That whenever the Committee ‘ of Supply appointed for the consideration of the Ordinary Army, Navy, and Civil Service Estimates, stands as ■ the first Order of the Day on a Monday, Mr Speaker shall leave the Chair without putting any question, unless an Amendment be moved or question . raised relating to tho Estimates pro- . posed to betaken in Supply, on first • going into Committee on the Army, Navy, and Civil Services respectively. ■ 11.—STANDING COMMITTEES. 1 Standing Committees on Law and ' Courts of Justice, Trade, &e. 1. That two Standing Committees ■ be appointed for the consideration of ! all Bills relating to Law and Courts ! of Justice, and to Trade, Shipping, - and Manufactures which may be com--1 niitted to them respectively. : Nomination by Committee of Selection. 2. That the said Standing Connnit- " tee do consist of not less than sixty nor more than eighty members, to be ■ nominated by the Committee of Selection, who shall have regard to the classes of Bills committed to such Committees, to the composition of the House, and to the qualifications of the members selected, and shall have power to add and discharge members from time to time provided the number of eighty be not exceeded. Commitment and Report op Bills. 3. That all Bills comprised in each of the said classes shall be committed to one of the said Standing Committees, unless the House shall otherwise order; and when reported to the House shall be proceeded with as if they had been reported from a Committee of the whole House.