THE LONGEST SITTING ON RECORD.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1776, 19 June 1896, Page 3

THE LONGEST SITTING ON RECORD.

After the longest and possibly the most extraordinary sitting on record the Canadian House of Commons adjourned at five minutes to twelve 00, Saturday Dight. The sitting had lasted since three o'clock on the Monday—l 29 hours—and, with the exception of a brief intermission each evening for dinner, the talk had been ceaseless. The Liberal leaders had expressed willingness to further the progress of the Manitoba Schools Remedial Bill in committee, but about a dozen of their followers broke away and obstructed the measure on every possible occasion. Three or four Conservatives, headed by Mr Clarke Wallace, ex-Controller of Customs, united with them, and set the House at defiance. In order to keep up the debate they read long extracts from newspapers and discussed the affairs of other colonies. One member read and commented upon severa 1 chapters of the Bible. Another read and commented upon certain of Mr W. S. Gilbert's ' Bab Ballads' for the Bpace of an hour. There was some disorder on Friday, and two members very nearly came to blows ; but on the whole the sitting was borne with good humor by the majority of members. On Saturday the Chairman was asked to say if the Saturday rule applied to that day's sitting, and gravely decided that that day was Monday in ft parliamentary sense.