PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4494, 11 August 1893, Page 2

P ARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

;THE SHELVING- OE THE LIOEHBINGBILL. jkv • Wheri the 'Hou'sb" metQipKvening, the' galleries were fullj anTthere was unexceptional muster of Legislative Councillors, to watch,, events.,- Sir Robejrt Stout; was .very direct) and. very st'ro'ng'iri his speech in' moving ihajt be committed, and he warned Ministers with much emphasis, rand amid many .'.'Hear, hoars," that they would not be allowed to burko the question.' The Premier was out of the House,' 1 bo there was no. response, and.the member for Manukau,''in,the absence of tho Premier," said ho' thought he would speak. This from' Mr Buokland, who always speaks on everything, was a sally highly appreciated, but to hear tha man who uses tha strongest language in the House proceeding to;chide Good Templars for using strong language, oiting Mr Ninian. Melville's reference to" raking the floor of Hell was a small tooth comb," was too much for' members' self-possession. The inexpressibly shooked Mr Buokl»nd tickled the House. He. went on to dosoribo .Good individuals "ofindifferent physique,' 1 who, finding themselves nogcooVfor anything else, became temperance agitators. From two great foolscap sheets he quoted 'figures to show that' if the Bill passed, Auckland and its surroundings would be a parohed land in which the thirsty'legislator could not get: wherewithal; to' nioisten<hiß : throat.' "Itis an Attempt to Close Public Houses : Bill," shrieked the. indignant member for Manukau, and before his shriek died away, a mildeyed messenger tendered the presumably .thirsty man with a glaßsof we ter on a trayr But with a magnificent wave of his hand ho was bidden avaunt: " I want no water," cried thomember, and the messenger retired in confusion, while the House iauglied so long and so loud that the orator had to stop: "I'm not one of your thirsty Good Templars;" said he; "I don't want a stimulant," But he thought otter men did." Why," he said, "agreat many people would not care to live if these people had the:! way." " They want.men to chastise their flesh, and part their hair in the middle,, and sit all;day in churoh. Well, that's not my idea of life,"— and ho shook his head defiantly. " Next thing they will want to' stop uh smoking, and then we mustn't have football, and finally we'll be brought down to living like the animals of the field—on- bread and water!" This was too much—and there was another' explosion. Now the Premier was in his place, and ~. he spoke after the member' for Manukau, advised Sir Bbtert to withdraw his Bill, or to commit it and. immediately report progress. While ho stated the .position Sir Robert oorreoted him repeatedly, and there was- a regular crossfire of interjections and retorts. Ah the Premier spoke be unconsciously toyed with the glass of water on his desk, and as he raised his voice he nervously closed bis hand, crushing tho glass. to atoms, and flooding his foolscap sheet of notes. For tho second. time Water retired orushod, The member for New Plymouth was a very indignant man. • when he rose, next. If no one elsewould board the member for Inangahua he would, That member wanted 10 make political capital out of this business and he, Edward . Metcalfe Smith, was going to see whother the papers were right or wrong, and whether the member for Inangahua or the Government was going to rule* the. House," and here he twirled his coat-tails as if to invite the 'elect of Inangahua to tread on them, Then he dealt with the peculiarities of temperance agitators, ■ "These, temperance reformers, Sir," he eiaculated—but here words failed him—" Are a bad lot " suggested the junior memberfoMolling-' ton. "Well," responded ho of Taranaki, " there's room for improvement.' 1 And he told how the Rev. Mr Walker,, a Salvation Army captain, and Mr Tennyson Smith, had Mod to capture him. " But I never] wavered, Sir,"he added. "Aman" who has been 54 years in this world," and most of it in this progressive l country, is not going to bo bamboozled. When the laugh subsided ho told how Mr Isitt and Mr Walker wero about tho country "denouncing the 'moder* atom' Sir," and hearing the laugh which the picture of olerica denouncing" the moderators" had called up; repeated, " yes, Sir,- denouncing 1 the moderators, they jw^'ho meant ■'• moderates." Hutchison made much quotation, anent the oase of Canada, which, first drew applause from the tern-. ' perance advocates, as it.appeared to sail tbem j but in its conclusion delighted Mr Fish and his friends* and caused them to chuckle and Ifw',]! consumedly, There w«b a brief'- J* while MrM'Gowan, the »e.»' ™i,«. ior the Thames, wau^jS fl suggestions. After TO«toW) got into committee, J»»»otfiw^ gi V Emm, objected {p W on with a Bill which they no more, oh) bat its pro\™*i told him •{'■'ithe\vasmistaken;' Tlef f woMd near" more of it both now and hereafter. The Prettier had evidently been feeling the pulse of metmW during sapper time, for he took up a very emphatic stand, and, in moving . that progress be reported, told the #), House plainly tbsidS must choose under which king/'lt must vote to go on and accept this Bill, or it must vote to stop and throw' the responsibility on the Government. The House waa veryifull when/the; division ea'me, and both sides were evidently confident. JH"r Scobie'j Mackenzie, always "spoiling ior a fight," opined that they had two Premiersids juraanil the Premier defaoto, /Which would rule ? As a rebel, he. would : , support -the> " usurper.'!, But the.Premier defacto , ■■ wori' v though only by two votes, and > so the Bill which has caused so much v - tribulation was virtually sbelred.-ri ?yeiiipg : ip!!Bb,; : "i^