The Representation Bill. Wellington, Yesterday.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1427, 25 August 1881, Page 2

The Representation Bill. Wellington, Yesterday.

The whole of Tuesday night up to 2.30 was spent over clause 2 of the Representation Bill, the Nelson members, Messrs Secldon, Bastings, and others stonewalling the bill, and having the bell rung every five minutes to get a quorum. The nominal question was the substitution of 60 for 91 as the number of members. After 1.30 Mr Levestam spoke half-an-hour, and then the Chairman left for half-an-hour. On resuming, Mr Levestam continued reading long extracts, and, getting tired, he said something about bribery, whereupon, to give him breathing time, Mr Pitt called attention to unparliamentary language. Mr Bastings, to help further, moved that the words be taken down. Mr Speight made a long serio-comic speech as to the danger to a noble cause by the use of strong language. After some discussion, the Chairman called on Mr Levestam to withdraw the expression, which he did, and having recovered breath he went on speaking until Mr Seddon came to the rescue, complaining of the discourtesy of Ministers in reading instead of attending to what was said, and Mr Levestam then asked the ruling whether sleeping members could be counted to make up a quorum. The Chairman ruled in the affirmative. Mr Bastings raised some other point of order, and Mr Levestam leaving the chamber returned speedily with a fresh pile of books. After further speaking, he moved that the Chairman leave the chair, which was lost on a division by 23 to 10. Mr Bastings then made a long speech on the beauties and capabilities of Waikaia, which the bill proposed to wipe out. His constituents desired him to resist this in every possible way. He proceeded for a long time, when rest was afforded by attention being called to the state of the House. A quorum being run in he proceeded to read page on page from a treatise on political economy, making explanatory comments as he went on. Another diversion having been made by raising some point of order, Mr Bastings went on again. At last Major Atkinson raised the question whether the discussion should not be limited to clause 2. The Chairman ruled against him, Major Atkinson then objected that Mr Bastings was reading what purported to be his speech. Mr Bastings defended himself, when his voice failing, Mr Seddon took him to task for lisping out his words like a lady, thus giving him a rest. Mr Bastings went on again till 4.20, when Mr Pitt moved that progress be reported. Mr Seddon supported it. Mr Bastings raised a point of order about a member snoring, which he said affected his sensitive organisation. Major Atkinson said the Government would not consent to report progress. He appealed to the minority now that they had entered their protest not to persist in hopeless obstruction. Mr Pitt replied that they were determined not to allow the clause to pass that sitting. If an adjournment was wanted they could consult and possibly come to some arrangement. Major Atkinson rejoined that the Government could not allow a minority to coerce the House. Mr Hursthouse urged the Government to consent to an adjournment. They were fighting their own best friends. On a division the motion to report progress was lost by 22 to 8. Mr Gibbs said that a reasonable request for a truce being refused, they must keep up the fight. At 5.10 Major Atkinson mov.ed that Mr .Seymour be relieved from the chair, and that Mr Hamlin take it. Agreed. Mr Pitt said he would not have made the over, tares he did, had -he been, as now, informed that the Government had threatened that -the a action of ijhe' Kelson morabora would weigh with the Govern

ment when the > Estimates came on. Major Atkinson denied any such threat! Mr Wakefield said the f» elaon members had bis sympathy in the bold stand made in defence of what they deemed their rights. He said no good would be gained by adjourning ; but as they had determined to go on, he would keep up the debate till they had time to refresh themselves. He spoke till 6 o'clock, when another motion to report progress was rejected by 22 to 7. Messrs Seddon and Pitt kept things up till 6.30, when Mr Bastings suggested an half-hour's adjournment, which the Chairman declined. Another motion to report progress was then lost by 22 to 7. A quorum had several times to be rung for. The talking was kept up by Messrs Shepherd and Levestam, and at 8.30 Mr Seddon appealed to Mr Seymour, who was again in the chair, to adjourn for half-an-hour for breakfast. -There were loud cries of "No," and the Chairman refused to do so. The House is still sitting. Last Night. The discussion proceeded till a late hour in the afternoon, when the question that the word "after" in the first line of clause 2 be struck out, with the view of inserting the word • • at," was negatived on the voices. The further- amendment proposed in clause 2_ that 91 be struck out with the view of inserting 60 was next put, 91 being put as standing part of the clause. The House divided : Ayes, 40 ; noes, 24. — Mr Gisborne moved as a further amendment the addition of the folio wins: as a proviso: "Provided that 45 members shall be given to the North Island, and 46 to the South Island." Sir George Gtey moved that progress be reported. He did so in no .hostile spirit, but simply with the view of approaching the question with a calm mind. — On tie suggestion of the Premier, the motion for reporting progress was withdrawn. Mr Hall opposed the motion, contending that the alternative proposed would strike at the root of the representative principle just affirmed.— Cant. Russell supported the motion, contending that the preponderances proposed by the clause as it | stood would be most unfair to the North. So long as the Legislature comprised its characteristic of a Board of Works it was more than ever necessary to adjust the balance of power on an equitable basis — Mr Brandon thought the bill very wrong in principle, and would vote against it. — The question was put " that the words proposed be added to the clause." Ayes, 19 ; noes, 45. Mr Levestam moved as a further proviso that the words " provided that in no borough in winch the seat of Government for the colony shall have any representation." The question was put — Ayes, 14 ; noes, 40. Mr Seddon moved that progress be reported. Mr Hall said they would only consent to the adjournment on the understanding that the stonewalling process had come to an end. Mr Pitt felt constrained to give way and say it was best to offer no further obstruction. If the adjournment was agreed to the Opposition members would have an opportunity for consulting, and he had hope that an amicable understanding would be come to. Mr Seddon declined to give any such pledge. Mr Gibbs also announced his determination to deal by the bill as he might see fit. Mr Hursthouse appealed to Government to consent to progress being reported. Sir G. Grey was sorry Government had refused a reasonable request, and would accept with pleasure the challenge the Government had given, and be prepared to fight out the cause into which they had been forced by the uncompromising conduct of the Government. After some further discussion, the question for reporting progress was putAyes, 11 ; noes, 43. The Chairman then left the chair until 8 o'clock.