Extraordinary Scene in the House over the Supplementary Estimates.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3642, 28 August 1880, Page 2

Extraordinary Scene in the House over the Supplementary Estimates.

CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES TIRED OUT.

VINCENT PYKE REFUSES TO APOLOGISE.

ORDERED OUT OF THE HOUSE:

SHEEHAN TO THE RESCUE.

DEBATE RESUMED TO-NIGHT.

At 4.40 a.m., Mr Seymour left the chair, and it was Saken by Mr Kelly.

. Mr Pyke, on the vote Public Buildings, clause 11, objected to the item Furniture and Fittings for Wellington Hospital. Mr George said it was very plain from the state of affairs that it would be quite impossible to go on with the work; he, tbreefore, moved they report progress. The House divided—Ayes 8, noes 39. Sir G. Grey moved that the Chairman leave the chair, as it was evident that at least one member was not fit to be there. It was a disgrace to the New Zealand Legislature that large sums should be voted in this way. Mr Reeves was surprised to hear such remarks. The hon. gentleman could not be aware of what he was talking about. Sir George Grey said that the fact of such conduct going on showed that members were not in a fit state to vote away large sums of money. They had worked enough for eighteen hours, Mr Hall said one member certainly was not in a fit state, but that was no reason for saying the House was not in a fit state to go on. He objected to adjourn. Mr Pyke said he had not obstructed the business, but he was inclined to say that the Premier had been guilty of impudence, tie asked a question honestly, and he had a right to ask the question. He had waited there the whole night, and he intended to remain until this vote had been struck out. He would not be* told by the Premier that he was trifling with or obstructing the House. The motion for leaving the chair was put and negatived on the voices. Mr Pyke moved that the item £1,500 for the Wellington hospital be struck out. Ayes, 17 ; noes, 28. Sir G. Grey said that it was now absolutely necessary to report progress, as it was evident there were members who were not in a fit state to go on.

j* T. Fisher hoped they would not meet again till Monday. Mr Lundon said- there was every* prospect of a quarrel if they attempted to go on. Mr Hall said that it was disgraceful that nine-tenths of the members should be kept there simply to please one or two. These two or three members were simply there to obstruct the business.

The motion for reporting progress was pat and negatived on the voices, and after some further discussion the vote was .put and passed. A number of other rotes were, discussed and passed, after which Sir GeoGrey, insisting that the House was not in a fit state to proceed with business, moved that they report progress. A division resulted in the motion being negatived by a large majority. . Mr Pyke called the attention of the Speaker to the fact that the member for Hokitika (Mr Seddon) who was present in the House tad not recorded his vote.

On being awakenrd up and challenged, Mr Seddon aaid that he had voted against Fyke. Mr Fyke howeyer, insisted that the rote had been irregularly recorded, and in defiance of repeated orders from the Chair to resume his seat, he persisted in protesting against the manner in which the rote had been recorded. A scene of great disorder now ensued, amidst which the remarks of the actingchairman aad Mr Pyke were totally inaudible in the gallery. Mr Pyke was understood to say that he insisted on the Chairman leaving the chair, and reporting what had transpired to the Speaker, and amidst the utmost possible confusion and disorder the chairman'left the chair, and on the House resuming he reported to the Speaker that the hon. member for Dunstan had b en guilty of disorderly conduct and insubordination, inasmuch as that he had refused to resume his seat in committee after having been repeatedly called upon to do so. The Speaker siid he would take cognisance of the report, and called on the memter for Dunstan to afford the House an explanation and apology. Mr Pyke—who was indistinctly heard amidst the confusion and uproar thajt ensued—was understood to offer 'some explanation or justification of his conduct. The Speaker, interrupting him—" It has been reported to me by the Chairman of Committees that the hon. member for Dunstan has been guilty of disorderly conduct, he being a member of this House, while ihe Hove was sitting ; and I now call upon him to make explanation and apology for so doing." Mr Pyke a»?ain essayed to speak, and although he appeared to speak veheui ntly, hi 9 voice was drowned amidst cries of " apologise," " withdraw," and the uproar and general confusion. The Speaker: "I have again to ask the hon. member for Dunstan, Mr Vincent Pyke. if lie is prepared to offer an apology for the conduct of which he has been guilty in Committee, and which has been reported to me by the Chairman of Comraittee." Mr Pyke, " Then I say no, I do not apologise. I have got nothing to apologise for." . . . Mr Speaker—"Then in that case the member having been duly challenged, and having refused to apologise for bis conduct in Committee, I direct that he will at once leave the Chamber." Mr Pyk9 then rose, aud on withdraw* ing, ejaculated in a loud voice something which sounded like a note of defiance. After he had withdrawn, Mr Hall aaid that they all must regret and deplore the { painful scene which had just been enacted ; the conduct of the House had been outraged, and its authority set at defiance. To him it was a matter for the deepest regret, and he had not the least doubt but that all fTresent shared with him in that regret. They must however bear in mind that they had a duty to discharge, both to themselves and to the country/ and that duty oould not be discharged unless they took cognisance of the conduct which bad just now been euaoted,!

He would move—" That this Hoese having taken into consideration the insulting and disorderly conduct manifested by the member for Dunstan toward a Committee of the whole House and its Chair* man, and.the fact that when challenged by Mr in pursuance of his authority, he refused to apologise, therefore this Mouse expresses its disapprobation, and censures Mr Pyke for the same." . »

I In the course of a very animated discussion which ensued on the motion, the attention of the Speaker was called to ' the fnvt that Mr Pjke bad taken up his position in the Reporters gallery. „ Mr Speaker : "Do I understand that the lion, member for Duns tan; who hat just been ordered to leave the Chamber, is still present in some portion of it ? " Mr Andrews : " He is, sir, present in ■ the Reporters Gallery." Mr Speaker: " §ergt.-at>Arms, you will proceed to the gallery of this House, land if you find the hon. member for 1 Duustan there, you will direct htm to ; leave by directions from the Speaker.*' In due course that functionary made his appearance in the Press gallery, tod proceeding to the extreme end of it where Mr Fyke was. seated busily employed tracing hieoglyphics on a sheet of foolscap, he tapped Mr Pyke gently on the I shoulder. The latter looking up I witu some surprise and indignation, ! demanded to know what he meant by 1 assaulting him, while he (Mr Pyke) was lin the execution of' bis duty. The Sergt. ' having delivered the message given him by the Speaker, Mr Pyke* replied as . follows.:—" I'll not go, keep your hands off me, sir, or I'll hare you brought up before the Court for an assault—stand oat | of this, I am reporting fora newspaper, I am a reporter for the Association ; get out of this or I'll have you up for assault* , ing me." The Sergeant having withdrawn, and reported to the bpeaker the state of affairs in the Gallery, he was directed by the Speaker to proceed to the Gallery, and if needs have Mr Pyke removed by force. The Sergeant paid a second visit to the Gallery with, on this occasion, his dress coat buttoned to the throat, his wrist* bands turned, and two attendants at his heels. The aspect of affairs was so very alarming that the only other occupants of the Gallery, two drowsy-looking news- - paper reporters, deemed it prudent to take back seats. On being again challenged, .Vtr. Pyke, who was still busily employed tracing what appeared to be a * serio-comic sketch of Mr speaker in his ' robes, with an equally '. whimsical representation of Cabinet Ministers in dishabille, protested that his was an unwarrantable interference with the libertit* of the Press; that he was a newspaper reporter, oir this occasion reporting for the Otago Daily Times. Sergeant: " Come away, Mr Pyke, and do not make a damned fool of yourself." Mr Pyke: " Take your, hands off, sir!; How dare yon come here and interfere - with me ? I'll have you punished with. the utmost rigor of the law for assaulting me in the execution of my duty." At this juncture. the Sergeait applied some slight force, when Mr Pyke rose to his feet, and facing his antagonist, took a ' working survey of him from head to foot. When his eye lighted on the buttoned up coat and wristbands, he appeared- to take in, the situation at a glance, and without further resistance followed the Sergeant and attendants downstairs. On again making his appearance on the floor of the House, the. Sergeant reported tb Jt be had at last succeeded in ejecting Mr Pyke from the gallery. An animated debate then ensued on the., motion tabled by the Hon. Mr Hall, s which resulted in Mr Pyke being called in, when Mr Speaker again cillrd on kirn., to apologise for his . conduct in .com« mittee. ' .„.-: . Mr Pyke replied that he did not know what he had to apologise for. In calling . the attention of the Chairman to the fact . that Mr Seddon had not voted he had , simply discharged a duty he owed to. the House and thn constituency by whom he had been sent there. If there was anyone tc be blamed it was not him. It was the Chairman, who persistently called upon him to sit down when he was calling at* tention to the above- Laamed fact V I The Speaker: " I find that you are still unwilling to apologise for your conduct. 'i I have power, if you remain refractory, 1' either to order youjnto the custody of the Sergeant•at*ar<ns or else to impose, a fine upon you to the extent of £50." Mr Pyke: " I decline to apologise for an offence of which I am perfectly innocent." . . ■ The Speaker: " Then you will rdtire." Mr Pyke then left the Chamber. Mr Sheehan said he blamed the Government very much for what had taken place. They had kept members sitting there for close on 21 hoars, and it was not to be wondered at that disorder and ir- .., regularity arose. Mr Tole said that Mr Pyke told them he did not mean any dlsrespeot to the House, and all he intended to do was to assert what he considered to be his privilege. He thought they shoild be satisfied with that and allow the subject to drop. He tabled a motion to the effect that the House take no further notice of the matter. The Hon. Mr Hall said that he had listened with the utmost attention' to what had been said by Mr Pyke^and . he bad not heard a single word that Could poLflibly be construed into an expression of regret or apology. He regretted the % > circumstances as much as anyone could* '*- do, but he had no alternative left but to insist upon' the vote of censure. Mr Seddon, after detailing the circumstances under which he recorded his vote, raid that when the hon. member for Don* stan was ordered to sit down, there was a great noise in the House, members calling out " cbair," " sit down," and making all manner of noises. It was quite possible that the member for the Dnnstan did not hear the orders given to him by the Chairman. \ - Mr Beeves said the member for Danstan was quite right not to apologise, and he was glad to see he was determined to fight it out to the bitter end. It was not the member for Dunstan that was to blame, but the Chairman. He was the - : ;{ only man to be blamed uMertbe circnm* instances. He had: oc^ajMMt Jhe^j||iole -'"' The Speaker: "IciDodiil|HKiyto, , censure the Chairman of You must confine Jovne^^SMKj^Kffff^^ Mr Beeves: "Then Eventually it - motion should be ■Uow3pypMli2§% and that the debateiiftpt; fa^*sMpM * The H^um rwatj^SOthiim«itt^^ '-*. ->■ '" ■-■-•■ ■