THE COUNTRY PARTY'S REAL OBJECT.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 180, 31 July 1889, Page 5

THE COUNTRY PARTY'S REAL OBJECT.

(BY TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

Wellington, this day. Refreshed from the lunch adjournment, Mr Taylor came up smiling at 2.30 yesterday afternoon, and in his peculiarly happy style dealt lightly with the Bill and things in general until 4 o'clock, when he gave place to Mr Blake, who discoursed for twenty minutes, being followed by Mr Loughrey, who had said all he wanted to say when 5.30 came. After an hour and a half adjournment for dinner, the House again met, when the champion stonewaller cf last session, Mr R. H. Reeves, took the floor of the Houte, and kept the attention of tho Speaker until the nightly adjournment at 10.30. EFFECT OF THE NIGHTLY ADJOURNMENT. The " Post" last evening, speaking of the arrangement for a nightly adjournment, says: "There is something quite unique about a stonewall being carried on by arrangement with twelve hours' intervals. Wei do nob remember any precedent for such a , proceeding. Under ib the struggle promises to be an absolutely interminable one, because the night's rest will enable each side to turn up fresh and smiling each morning. It will be a kind of political siege of Troy. The only redeeming feature of the nightly armistice arrangement is thab while ib continues there can bo no possible excuse for applying the iron hand, or any form of closure. While the discussion is proceeding on such a basis there can be no pretence thab it is purely obstructive or has exceeded its legitimate bounds. It ia well that the country should undeistand that the arrangement in question has benn made at the request and for the convenience of tho Ministerial party, that the town members do not desire to stop the continuous sittings, and only reluctantly acquiesced in doing so. That the other side should have had to ask for quarter is, however, satisfactory, and the fact should certainly encourage the stonewallers." A COMMITTEE. On the House resuming yesterday after" noon, after the lunch adjournment, formal motion by Mr Lance that the Liv c Stock Committee have leave to sit to-day, notwithstanding that the House will be in session, was agreed to without opposition, the town members taking no advantage of the legitimate opening ib gave them for obstruction. COUNTRY PARTY'S LITTLE GAME. The real struggle over tho Representation Bill in Committee will be in connection with the proposal to delay the bringing into operation of the Representation Amendment Act, 1887, till after the taking of the next census, which of course means its suspension till after the next general election. Mr Kerr has been actively whipping to that end, and claims that an absolute majority are pledged to vote for suspending the Bill for a couple of years. He further says that though the Premier will not entertain the proposal, most of the Ministers favour ib. A large number of members admit thab the only true solution of the deadlock is a dissolution, bub they wish to avert ib if possible—firsMy, on account of their fear of the "happy despatch" in a House of 71 members; and secondly, because the Southern members recognise that a general election would bo most undesirable during the Exhibition period. As I have repeatedly , indicated, the question of the quota is merely used as a stalking horse, the real fighifribeinßn ev.er.the attempt to restore the JSoiise>.tQi9s fljembers., Mr Frank Lawry having at yesterday's country caucus stated that if an organised attempt, as seemed probable, was to be made to repeal the Act of 1837, he should feel compelled to break from the party, eight of his prominent supporters wired to him yesterday afternoon, from Otahuhu, saying that this expression of opinion had been most favourably received throughout the electorate, and that feeling there was very strong against any increase in the number of the members of the House.