HAMILTON LEGISLATIVE ASSOCIATION.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1943, 18 December 1884, Page 2

HAMILTON LEGISLATIVE ASSOCIATION.

Thk last meeting of the present session was held at the Public Hall, on Tuesday evening, Mr John Knot (Acting-Speaker) in the chair. There was a fair attendance of members, and the ladies' gallery was, notwithstanding the rain, unusually well filled. The proceedings were somewhat lively throughout. The Treasurer read a short statement showing the financial position of the association, and after imdergoing home adverse criticism at the liand-^ of the Opposition members, it was adopted. The House then went into Committee on the Decimal Weights, Measures, and Coinage Bill. The member for Hautapu, (leader of the Opposition,) and the mem ber for Waitetuna .strongly opposed the passage of the bill through committee, and called for a division upon several of the clauses, but the Government secured a .substantial majority on each occasion, and the bill, though not without lepeated opposition, possed though committee, and was reported without amendment. On the motion for the third leading, the member for Hautapu protested in the strongest teams against the action of the Government in forcing a crude and ill-di-gested measure upon the House, and appealed to Ministeih not to make it a p.irty question. He claimed that the majority of the Ministerial supporters had voted for the bill fioin n feeling of loyalty to the Government, though at the same time they were doing violence to their consciences. The member for W.iitetuna .spoke in the same .strain, and urged the Government to give the House tune to fully comprehend the scope and intent of the measure. The Attorney-General and the Minister for Public Work*, (who h;id chaige of the bill) replied to the effect that it was hopeless to expect that the Opposition would ever understand the provisions of the bill. The motion for the thiid leading was then put and cairied, an amendment that it be read that day si\ months having been lost on the voices. The Governor's Commission, appointing the Acting-Speaker, Mr John Kuok, the Pi emier, Air G. Edgecumbe, and Mr S. E. G. Smith to act on his behalf in the matter of proroguing Pailiament, |baying been read by the Cleik of the House, the ActingHpeaker formally prorogued the House until the 17th day of February.