REPRESENTATION BILL.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 179, 30 July 1889, Page 5

REPRESENTATION BILL.

STONEWALL CONTINUES.

THE GOVERNMENT WEAKENING.

ADJOURNMENT AGREED TO.

REST FOR THE STONEWALLERS.

(BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL REPORTER.)

Wellington, this day. The Representation debate was agairj begun, or, in other words, the stonewall was again raised yesterday afternoon, when Mr Withy resumed his interrupted speech of Saturday night. He began wifch some goodhumoured remarks, expressive of regret that no arrangement had been come to since the House adjourned on Wednesday night, and thafc no overtures had been made to the city party for settlement of the difficulty—a way of putting it that raised a general laugh. Mr Withy spoke until almost 3 o'clock, and was followed by

Mr Tanner. This gentleman defended the Bill from the country members' point of view, his speech being avowedly an answer to that made by Mr Allen last week. His contention was that a distribution of representatives in the country districts on the basis of populabion alone would be very unfair.

Mr Moss, who held the floor from 3.20 to 8 o'clock (out of which must be taken two hours' adjournment for dinner) argued thafc the present position of affairs waa not broughb aboub by the town party, but by the Government, who endeavoured to force the Bill through ab all hazards, He claimed thab the question was nob one of figures, bub was rather thab of independence for tbe towns and of preserving the constitution fromanewelement which would separate town from country, and create ill-feeling where good feeling now reigned. Mr Moss's suggestion as to the best way of overcoming the presenb difficulby was bhat the Government should withdraw the Bill. Failing that, there should be an immediate dissolution to enable the people to say whether they would have 70 members with the Bill now introduced by the Government as a new condition, or adhere to the old number and quota. The Government had no right to introduce a new element, but having done so the question ought tb be referred back to the people. After the dinner adjournment Mr Moss raised a laugh by a reply to the Speaker, who warned "him that he had already spoken two hours, and hoped he would condense his remark. Mr Moss took this as a permission from the Speaker to continue for another two hours and thanked the Speaker for his kindness, bub bhoughb he would be finished in a far shorter period. Mr W. P. Reeves followed Mr Moss, and spoke for three-quarters of an hour, and succeeded in drawing Sir John Hall, who rose with some warmth to contradict an implication in-the hon. gentleman's speech, that he (Sir John) had spoken disparagingly of the townspeople. He challenged Mr Reeves to prove that he had ever, in public or in private, said anything that would bear such a construction.

The only other speaker of the evening was Mr Perceval, who sailed along pleasantly from 9 o'clock to 10 in a somewhat bantering strain. In concluding his remarks, he took pains to emphasise the fact that tho proposed adjournment until next morning was not sought by the town party, who were perfectly ready to continue the debate without an adjournment if the Government desired it. The struggle was not of their seeking, but they would certainly not shrink from it in any. way. The Speaker intimated at this stage that he would vacate the chair.

The Hon. Mr Mitchelson said the Government would have no objection to the House rising till 10.30 next morning, and this suggeat}iomsFja*a__ionce acted upon.-

REASONS FOR ADJOURNMENT.. each evening I believe is to be kept up throughout the stonewall; and the reason, I believe, is to prevent the danger of a count out. One night last weet in the " wee sma' hours ayant the twa," attention was drawn to the state of the House, and it was only by five seconds that the country party missed a count out, which would have meant the Bill being: dropped. It devolves on the country party to maintain a quorum, that is, twenty members present; and they at times find considerable difficulty in doing bhis. _ The determination of Government to adjourn the debate each evening means prolonging the stonewall considerably, as the city party have still 15 or 16 speakers who can deal with the adjournment of bhe House.

CONFLICTING TELEGRAM.

Mr Joyce, who spoke for eight hours and is one of themost active of the stonewallers, has received the following complimentary telegram from a resident in Christchurch. " Sorry I am not one of your constituents. You are a brick.—Signed, Henry W. Toomer."

Another telegram from a Lyttelton resident read as follows : " Pray accept congratulations from the larger portion of your constituents on the ability displayed by you in breaking the record this session in your speech on theßepresentationßill.— Signed, W. Barnes." The country party say these and similar telegramsihave been inspired, and that the meetings neld in the cities have been in response to telegrams from the city party ; and affect to treat them as of no importance. In reply to the Dunedin congratulatory telegrams, they flaunt the following message received by Mr Valentine from a prominent Dunedin merchant and member of the Chamber of Commerce :— "All bunkum aboub the excitement here, excepb amongsb bhe supporters of Messrs Fish and Fitchett. Outside them, people are unanimously in favour of amalgamation of ciby electorates, and of insistance on the reduction of members to 71. Traitors to the latter need not seek re-election. Outside of the agitators no one cares a damn about the quota."

GOVERNMENT'S POSITION.

The Premier assured Messrs J. B. Why te, Buchanan, McKenzie, and Valentine, who waited upon him yesterday, that the Government would adhere firmly to their position, which he announced to tho House last Wednesday evening ; viz, that they would agree to neither more nor less than 25 per cent, being placed on the Bill.

APPEAL TO MR MONK,

The "Post" this evening attacks Mr Fitzherbert (Hutt), whose constituency will be considerably affected by the Bill, for assisting the country party; and shows how his district will suffer. It then goes on thus, making a direct apoeal to Messrs Monk and Mills (Port Chalmers) :—" We have dealt with the case at our own doors, but around each of the other cities there are suburbs which, under this uniquitous Bill, will suffer equally. The Devonport Borough, in the electoral district of Waitemata, is a case in point; and the greatest indignation is felt there, we learn, regarding the action of its member in supporting the Bill. In all probability Port Chalmers also will be absorbed in the Dunedin electorate if the Bill passes. We hope that members representing constituencies, large portions of which will or may be so injuriously affected, w ill pause to consider their position before doing anything more to partially disfranchise a portion of their constituents. If they do not do so, the task of determining the fittest seventy to survive out of the present ninety-one win probably be a good deal simplified.'

A PIECE OF MR MOSS,

The member for Parnell in bis speech last night said : Wo were going along oalwly and smoothly when the Government

erected this stonewall (" Oh," "Oh," and laughter). Yes, the Government raised this stonewall. ("How?") Why, the Premier when asked a reasonable question as to preparing maps and letting us consult our constituents, kicked our shins with his heavy hob-nailed boots ; so then we commenced to use bricks and entrench ourselves (laughter). Mr Moss: Oh, it's no laughing matter.