PROLONGED TRIFLING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 662, 12 November 1909, Page 5

PROLONGED TRIFLING.

SOME FACETIOUS MEMBERS

: Stonewall tactics.were employed in the; House last eVening ; to-, prevent the resumption of the discussion ■■ on ■ Mr. Herdman's: Public Service •Bill. There would have'.been no difficulty in reaching this : ni<vsure ■ had not a number of tioverninent memqers set. themselves to talk to the limit of -their capacity on Mr. Sidey*s Musicians , Bill. The debate on the second reading of this measure was commenced at'7.3o p.m.,'and continued till 12.25 a.m., when progress was reported. The Native Land Bill was then received by Governor's Message, and 12.30 a.m. , having passed it'was impossible for Mr. Herdman's-Bill, being "new business," to come. - forward." Constant divisions in conned tion with the Musicians Bill wero called for ol trifling pretexts, and tho usual methods of a stonewall , wore resorted to by several of the Government members. The discussion , - 'was much more monotonous and foolish than diverting., •■:'. / ■ : • • ■;.. :;'••■./ '••■ ;• •■■' ■ •; The stonewall" was not, however, entirely humourless. -When Mr. Poland (Ohinemuri) referred'.to Clauses ,o,'d, e.'and.f in the Musicians' Bill, a member. asked if those were the notes of ; the musical scale. Mr. Poland state that •he proposed, to extracts from a work'.on -music and musicians by a learned authority. Hβ intended-to deal with the trom-' bone : and other musical- instruments which were known to the. Chinese 2700 years before Christ. He would take the history of- musip m , its '.earliest stages ; and. lead .them to ■ % present : day. ..' .. ... '.. . ' (( Mr.j'Golvin. wished- to know if.'"he"" meant "she" in the Bill. Hβ owed his education in singing largely to a young ■ lady, and except' that he was feeling hoarse; he would give the House a'sample of, his powers. .' -.■•"• Dr. Buck ( wished to know the meaning, of the word ("music.".; It was proposed under the-Bill that , those,,entitled: ,tp have their names- inserted,in the register as members of tie ; societj; • should • include persons who satisfied the. council''that they,had been, engaged in composing, teaching:or_perfbrining- music for of five years. He would like to know whether .anyone who had; been engaged ,performing im tho tin-whistle for five years would .be' ' .entitled. , : 'to ./'membership.- (Laughter.) Then, .again- he", wished -to ascertain; - how , members, -of . the Native race would stand under the proposals. ■ His people were very musical, ana performed; , on a-variety of instruments some. of which were quite different from : thosb. in use among Europeans. : One instrument that was very, dear to the Maoris was: the.nose flute, which 'was made from an arm bone of an opponent. (Laughter.) Hβ' would like to know whether any Maori who-had .taught, or performed oh that instnimentrfor ■;the requisite period would be made a'member of the society. Dr." Buck also ■ declared that .'numbers' of. Natives would be entitled; to membership on .acconnt of ;tho' fact .that, they; , were .composers. .■-.-' ■-. ; . , ; '■ '. Buick:.(Palmerston North) asked,if the Maoris; knew-.of an'instrumerit'.'called thelyre. (Laughter.) ■".;'-. ''-~.• ... ..-,_ . .: .-

■ P r ,- B °= k - replied tiiat. '.this was an instrument with which the Maori people had never had anything to 'do. -Jt had reached ita highest state of perfection, among .civilised races, and in-this country it had been chiefly used by; Europeans in .their dealings with the Maori race: .. .V" ••- .;:/,- ■■■ ! :.'•■,:.■,/■•. ■■■'..y- , ..••-. •■■-.• . ' .'

"deferring; to,'the'-, "stonewall,"' 'at an'" early T ,l T ' l y lo r..' member for Christ-church--North,; said:,'"l suppose this. Bill (booiety -,of•• Musicians Bill) •'must continue' to be dealt-with^iu:.this', way.■ For ■ myself, I woulflvsooner,.see the , discussion;-on this' Bill ended. .vltAis being debit ,\with in ■ this way merely, to block; the.Public,Service Bill from I V he ''RH I : P 'ES"lr to waste time'. I'can't believe.that therHouse.is going to pass it; and I don t know,.-.who-on earth- wants it.' It ; is a jery .great pity,;that: discission l upon it must >,■ espqciaUy, when, such :an imiportant -Bill as. t£e. Public' Service -Bill f-is being; blocked; fl,suppose this kind of discussion is inevitable, under existing conditions ■of partv warfare:, , The- House .would,, in mj op&io£ oCCqlHed; in : Iff.