THE LOBBIES. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] The High Hand. Wellington, Last Night.

Waikato Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1432, 6 September 1881, Page 2

THE LOBBIES. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH, SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.] The High Hand. Wellington, Last Night.

Your published summary has already furnished an outline of the proceedings in Parliament up to 10 p.m. of Friday night. The sitting kept on without adjournment until the following day at 5 p.m., when, all parties bein? apparently, tired out,* they called for a'^respite. '* This was granted, and the House adjourned until 2.30 p.ml to-day (Monday). The intermediate aspect of affairs was not wanting in cross purposes and imitation, still the progress made showed conclusively that the stonewalling had been demolished, and that the Representation Bill was being carried to good purpose, although earned at the "point of the sword." About 3 o'clock on Saturday morning, after the clauses had been discussed and the new clauses disposed of, a strong effort was made to ,get an adjournment, leaving the schedules to be dealt with at the adjourned sitting •on Monday. To this, however, the Government objected, and the work was pressed on, with the result that in a few hours the bill got through Committee bodily without a single material alteration, and was in due course put upon its trial for the third rending.. At this point the opposition was again renewed,, and on the motion by Mr Sheehan that it be read that day six months, a long debate ensued. At the time the adjournment was carried as stated above, no further progress had been made. Its position is now such as to leave no doubt whatever of its being carried without material alteration: in fact I am sanguine of being able to communicate that fact to you before you go to press. Reverting to the proceedings ot Friday night, of course mixed opinions are being expressed. The Opposition speak of O'Rorke's conduct as being vulgar, boisterous, and unparliamentary ; indeed, they are very bitter on the subject, giving it unhesitatingly that he has acted the part of 'a high-handed partisan in the interest of the Government.' Their solace under the circumstance is that he will not be returned to Paihament again, or'at all events that good care will he taken to prevent him from occupying the Speaker's chair. In all probability the wish is father to the thought; but be that as it may, the position of affairs will be vastly changed before the question of his re-election as Speaker is again ripe for discussion. On the other side his action has been loudly applauded, with no end of laudation of the courage and determination displayed by O'llorke in putting a stop to a most unjustifiable state of things and asserting the right of the majority to prevail. Undoubtedly there is sound sense and understanding in the last-named opinion, and I feel quite sure the thinking portion of your readers will acquiesce in the sentiments. There certainly was a lack of calm, dignified demeanour on the part of the Speaker in the mode of enforcing his authority. That, however, is a thing of minor importance, for if ever there was a case in which the means were justified by the end this is one of them. I mention this the more particularly as the opponents of the Speaker's ruling are imputing the more boisterous aspect of his conduct to a cause which I am given on reliable authority to undei stand, did not e\ist. You can well uudei stand that there were a number of coincidents in conjunction with the affair : Grey's conduct lias provoked certain remarks: when ordered by the Speaker to sit down, he did so without making the slightest attempt at further remonstrance ; indeed he continued throughout the remainder of the night curled up in his seat without either word or motion. That fact has given rise to the not unreasonable conclusion that he is a brave man, but it is the bi a\ety which impels a man to shed the List chop of his brother's blood. Of course you will have heard that .NVlson claims the questionable honor of defraying the fine imposed on Gisborue. A Calm. There were great expectations entertained of a scene to-mght, the galleries being crowded to o\ erflowing. The idea was that Sir George Grey was going to kick over the traces. It did not eventuate, and to all appearance there is not likely to be much more bitterness than the bitterness of debate.