POLITICAL NOTES.

Waikato Argus, Volume I, Issue 1, 11 July 1896, Page 6

POLITICAL NOTES.

(I;Y TKLKGBAPH.—SPECIAL CORUE.SPOSDENT); Wellington, Last Night. A CURIOUS TANGLE.

is Thk Huns-) drifted into a most "xtrv 'i ordinary position last night ov\r Mr G. W, i I Russell's Bill, which was intended ti> ! popularise the selection of a Board of i I Governors for Canterbury College. It> tj ! happens that the Minister for Public 11 Works, who represents Timarn, hns also a ; ' Bill on the Order Paper, dealing with the ' same institution, but providing for s f n nominated Board. The whole of the '"' Glutei bury members, however, with the '■ exception of Mr Hall-Jones and Mr Lewis ;' (Christchurch), supported Mr Russell's "' Bill. Mr Hall-Jones made an early appeal " to Mr Russell to postpone his Bill till his 0 (the Minister's) measure was before the '" House, but the membsr for Riccarton declined to do so, unless the Minister for s Public Works agreed to refer both Bills to a .. Select Committee of Canterbury members. This Mr Hall-Jones declined to do, and it „ was then seen that Mr Russell's Bill would u make very little progress. All sorts of e amendments were proposed in the Bill, and t the discussion went on till near half-past' 12 before Clause 2 was passed. The Pre- „ mier and the Minister for Public Works . were evidently working hard against the e Bill, much t> the chagrin of the Canter- ., bury members, and after the motion foi 1 reporting progress was carried it was , apparent that the Canterbury supporters f of the Government were very much incensed against Ministers. Mr McL.ehlau made two attempts to protest against the action 2 of the Premier in working with Mr Lewis' f and the Opposition generally to kill Mr i Russell's Bill, and the member for Ashburs I ton afterwards declared intside that he : should support the other 11 Canterbury raem- , bers in defeating everything brought down • thin session by Mr Seddon. Mr Russell . also attempted to get r slop at the Premier i before the House rose, cut the Speaker i ruled him out of order. The Premier moved the adjournment of the House in the usual way about half-past 12, but the motion was defeated. Before the division was taken the Premier, with about half-a-do/.en of his supporters, left the chamber and did not return. There was, therefore, a most peculiar deadlock. The House had not adjourned, but as it was past midnight no new business could be proceeded with. Mr G. W. Russell again rose, but the Speaker peremptorily ruled him out of order, as there was nothing before the chair. Members gazed at one another in a curious manner, and Capt. Russell eventually came to the rescue by moving that the House do now adjourn, when there was again a storm, and Mr " Riccarton " Knss ( >ll challenged the Speaker's decisionwith the usual formula, " The Noes have it." Sir Maurice, however, in a loud voice said he declined to allow another division to be taken, and he was much surprised at a member trifling with the dignity of the House in that manner. This rebuke had the desired effect, and the House rose without a single Minister being: on the benches, a circumstance almost without parallel at any rate for many years A CONTRA DICTION. Captain Russell, this afternoon, emphatically contradicted the report that the Opposition, in walking out of the Chamber when the Rank Committee was proposed, wished to put any slight whatever on Mr Ceo. Hutchison He said they desired to protest against the setting up of the committee, as they considered the order of | reference would be injurious to the colony, I and also because a valued member of the I party (Mr Duthie) had been debarred froju ! sitting on the committee. JOLTINGS. During the debate to-day on the motion to allow the proceedings of the Banking Committee to be reported, the Premier said he was cjuite willing to allow the solectinn of two reporters to b-> made by the President of the Press Gallery, as he was perfectly satisti id with him. Mr Collins, the member for Christchurch, is credited with saynn: he does not now belong to the Ministerial party, but simply supports Liberal principles. According t i the Premier, Mr Ball is the sensitive member of the House, ami says win u interrupted he generally appeals to the Chair. Mr Pirani tins afternoon strongly r? sented .Mr Hogg's charg?, that the .Press reporters of the colony were generally manipulated by the edit irs and sub-editors of newspapers.