A Sunday Morning Scene in the House.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4575, 3 September 1883, Page 2

A Sunday Morning Scene in the House.

During the debate on a motion by the Colonial Secretary that the Otago Harbor Board Bill be discharged from the Order

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Mr M. W. Green said that in the face of the avowal that members were determined to keep on through Sunday he would not feel justified in offering further opposition.—Mr Fish felt much in the same position: he threw all the blame on Mr Green for having allowed the bill to become law, a circumstance he expressed his regret for.—Amid some disorder, Mr Bracken got up snd said he would not be put down. He was not a religious man, still he wes determined to speak out. He profe sed his respect for the Sabbath, and in token thereof he recited a poem on " Sunday;"—-Mr Barron moved the ad» jouroment of tbe debate amidst cries of "Oh ! " and uproar.—A division was called for: Ayes, 11; noes, 47.

On the question being again put, Mr Barron rose, but the Speaker refused to allow him .to speak. Iv response to the challenge that tne report be agreed to, he (Mr Barrron) alone gave his voice with the noes, and claimed that the noes had it. A division was again called for ; ayes 39, noes 7.—The Speaker then announced that the question was canned, without allowing time for remarks.—On the question being put that the bill be read a third time, Mr Barron said it was now five minutes into Sunday morning. In' the early part of the night the Colonial Secretary had promised that these proceedings should not be carried into Sunday morning; he askgd ty£ inisters now, to redeem their promise.—Mr Dick denied tha^t it Was a Government bilk ?;A grievous wrong-had been done to Duneidin, led on k by Mr Maeandrew. A few sessions ago Mr Maeandrew' would not remain after 12 on "Sunday morning. He wished the would follow that plan now, and go away.—Mr Fish charged the Canterbury members with banding together for the purpose of advancing Canterbury interests to the prejudice of Otago.--Mr Levestam said that as it was n0w42.30 he would more the adjournment of the debate.— 'She motion for the third reading was tfien puti and carried on the voices.

On the question that the bill do now pass, Mr Fish rose to reply to the remarks make by Mr Wright, whom he described as a political weather-cock, who was always putting his finger intoother people's affairs. He asked them to look at Mr Wright's head and his^ paw I and say if he was a man of talent.—The Speaker called him to order, and after Mr Fish had made a few more remarks in the same strain, he sat down.—Mr Wright replied, saying he understood members were re> turned to look after the interests of the colony, and not after its Eoad Board interests. He went on to criticise the Otago Board's balance-sheet, which he charged with being cooked; adding that when (c?j3h was the case it wss high time that the Board was removed from office.-*-Mr Feldwick maintained that a Canterbury block rote had been feoorded against Otago.-«Mr O'Oallaghan defended the Canterbury members' vote, and asked if it was because they were not found in the ranks of the miserable minority that they were to be blamed ?—-He was called to order by the Speaker and sat down.—Mr J, C. Brown spoke from an Otago view, and Mr Holmes in defence of the aelion of the Canterbury members 5 the latter, amid mt^chapplause and uproar, described Mr Macandrew as a giant amidst a lot of Otago pigmies sitthig around him. That was why he and so many members of the Opposition adhered to him.—Mr Holieston appealed to the members to bring the discussion, at that hour of Suaday morning, to an end.—rMr Braoken took exception to Mr O'Callaghan's remarks about a small miserable minority. It came ill from one who represented a small trifling constituency to speak in that way about men who represented Danedin, the capital city of New Zealand.—Mr Macandrew regretted the turn matters had taken, aqd hoped at that houf on Sunday morning it would not be prolonged,—^r- Redden said he was glad to see Of ago. and Canterbury at each other's throats. The day was when they walked hand in band to deprive the more sparseJy-populated districts of theiy representative rights. The troubles of Parliament principally emanated from Otago.—Mr Harris felt ashamed at being there on Suuday morning, and was sure that in going home they would be mis* taken for a branch of the Salvation Army in a boisterous state of devotional exercise.—Amidst great uproar and disorder, several members essaying to speak, the Speaker declared the bill carried, and the Houte rose at 12;$$ aim, .