SCENES IN THE VICTORIAN PARLIAMENT.

Press, Volume XLIII, Issue 6629, 21 December 1886, Page 3

SCENES IN THE VICTORIAN PARLIAMENT.

m DISGRACEFUL EXHIBITION. [PRESS ASSOCIATION TSL-QBAM.] [Per b.b. Manapouri, at the Bin- _ MELBOURNE, December 15. A scene of dißorder and obstruction almost rivalling some of the finest efforts of the New South Wales Legislature took place in the Victorian Legislative Assembly during Thursday and Friday, the Chamber sitting continuously for twenty? i five hours. The question under discussion was an agreement made by Government ' with Messrs Chaffey Bros., the American firm, under which the latter was to obtain possession of some 250,000 acres of land in North - west Victoria, fronting the River Murray, on condition .that they carried out extensive irrigation works and settled the country, establishing industries, such as fruit canning, &c. A certain section of the Opposition determined that the agreement should hot receive the sanction of the House, while the Government were equally deter- ■ mined to pass a measure legalising [ the agreement. About two o'clock on i Friday morning determined stonewalling set in, members speaking against time, and i as the House was in Committee speaking over and over again. Mr Bent was tie fiis's ; member to transgress, statiDgthat members ■ were being kept out of bed to promote a i swindle, and declared that members were i rushing the scheme through from interested motives. Mr Dow, Minister far i Lands, made a sotio voe« reference to cir- . cumstancea in past politics in reference ' to what is known as _w " Kennington Hill Job," in regard to which much was said at I the time to the detriment of Mr Bent. > The latter was urged to fury by the taunt, r and called Mr Dow a rogue and liar. Thereupon a scene of indescribable uproar - ensued. Bent walked across the house to > Mr Burrows, who said, " It yon touch mc i yon must take the consequences." The' I Chairman tried to keep order, and the ■ tumult subsided temporarily, bus soon - re-arose, Messrs L. L. Smith and Gaunson . . I of corruption against the Ministerial party, • I Mr Deakin, Chief Secretary, in pari_c_lar -1 being singled ont for attack. During the -Itemporary absence of the Chairman Mr] _f eLell*n was voted to the chair, when a

scene of the wildest disorder ensued, members defying* his ruling and throwing- balls of paper, books, Ac, at each other, and bid-Long In horseplay of the wildest description. Eventually Mr McLellan waa forced to leave the chair, and Mr Cooper came back. The House adjourned from 8 till 9 on Friday for breakfast, and sat till 3 in tJia afternoon, when a compromise was arrived at. Before separating something like good feeling was restored, several members apologising for words uttered in the heat of the debate. The Press oomment very severely on the wordy exhibition, and the general feeling of the colony ia tha"; the whole incident was such as to bring disgrace upon the Legislature. Mr Gillies preserved a dignified attitude, and made a very powerful speech. H* deplored the mudthrowing tendencies of an irresponsible section of the Opposition, and possibly, but for his influence, a still greater scandal might have occurred.