THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1887.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 271, 17 November 1887, Page 4

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1887.

The debate in the House of Eepresen. tatives last night on the question of privilege gave evidence of a general feeling of regret that the unfortunate contretemps had arisen, and a desire to get rid of it as quickly as possible. As .Sir Julius Yogel refused—and properly refused—to yield a single inch, the only thing to be done was to pass some general resolution of ag mild a character as possible upholding the authority of the chair, but not involving any overt act of submission on the part of tho lion, member. The motion proposed by the Minister of Education on behalf of the Government appeared to satisfy these requirements, and in the absence of any overture for settlement from Sir Julius Vogel, or manifestation of a disposition to hold out the olive branch, it was, perhaps, the best thing thatcouldhave been done. That this ridiculous affair should have wasted two precious days of the session, when the Government are actually depriving private members of the day usually devoted to their business, displays the cumbrous nature of our legislative machine. It will be an interesting subject for another question by a retrenching member to ascertain from the Government what has been the cost to the country of the question put by Mr K. Thompson, and for how long a period the sum so expended would have paid the salary of the messenger whose special attendance on Sir "Julius Vogel was objected to. As we stated yesterday, if Ministers of the Grown cannot be trusted to protect the interests of the colony in a trivial matter of this sort, a motion of want of confidence, and not a question, is the proper method of dealing with them. The public servants could not be improperly employed by Sir Julius Vogel or any other private member without the knowledge and assent of the Executive.