ALL ABOUT WAITOTARA.

Evening Post, Volume XLIV, Issue 44, 20 August 1892, Page 4

ALL ABOUT WAITOTARA.

? MR. G. HUTCHISON REPORTED AS DISORDERLY. Members were in a somewhat excited condition after tho Minister for Lands' motion respecting tho stock tax had been defeated yesterday in Committee, and the Minister having declared that tho throwing out of the motion meant the throwing out of the Bill, members were asking the Chairman of Committees what wero tho terms of tbe resolution they had voted upon ? Mn Rees read a formal resolution, wluah contained no reference to > thG tax. Mr. G. Hutchison thereupon eaid that he had heard tho Chairman state, as a part of tho resolution, that tho proposal was to imposo a tax of two ponce per head on cattlo, and it was upon this that they had voted. Mr. Rees said he had not done so, and asked Mr. Hutchison to withdraw his statement. Mr. Hutchison declined to do so. Mr. Rees gave him a furthor opportunity, otherwiso he must roport tho matter to tho Speaker. Mr. Hutchison, Bpoaking deliberately, and amid somo sensation in the House, said that ho could not withdraw his statement, because it was truo. Mr. Reos said that then ho must ask tho Speaker to resume tho chair. Mr. Hamlin protested that the Chairman could not leavo tho chair unless he was asked by the Committeo to do so, but Mfi Rees immodiatoly left the chair, aiid tho Speakor was sent for, amidst grbat excitement. On Ilia arrival, Mr. Kees stated tho position to him, concluding, " I have to state that tho honourablo member was guilty of disorderly conduct." Mr. Scobio Mackenzie and Mr. Hamlin contended that Mr. Rees should not havo loft tho chair on his own motion, and, amid cries of " Order," held that Mr. Hutchison was justified in stating that the clause of tho Act had been road which showed that tho Committeo know what thoy were dividing mi. The trouble was caused by the hastiness ot Mr. Roes. Tho speakers wovo interrupted by ones of " Order," but Mr. Spoakor ruled that thoy wero in ordor. Then the Minister tor Public Workß and the Minister for Labour quoted authorities to show that Mr. Rees was right in his courßO. but the Speaker ruled that none of these precedents applied. Then ho went into an elaborato history of how the mattor Btruck him, and there, he said, his duty ended, and it was for tho Leader of tho Houso to take such stops as he considered necessary after the hon. member had been heard in explanation. Meantime, ho would ask Mr. Rees to put his statement in writing. Thoro wns a gonoral murmur at this, and ono member suggested that they should adjourn till the writing was doho. Tho Premier said that in tho case of Mr. Gisborne tho hon. member had been asked to make an explanation, and then withdraw to allow the House to consider what punishment was nocessary. Mr. Rees wont on writing his statement while there was a goneral buzz of conversation, and Mr. Hutchison was seen to bo filling all the foolscnp within roach also. Presently the statement was ready, and Mr. Roes read it. It was that, on his reading, at the request of Mr. Palmor, the formal resolution put, Mr. Hutchison had then stated that tho resolution submitted was to impose a tax of twopenco per hoad of cattle, and had refused to withdraw when called upon to do so. Tho Speaker having also read this statement, called upon Mr. Hutchison for his, and that gentleman modestly submitted that ho too had put his statement in writing. It was that, the Chairman having read tho formal resolution, ho (Mr. Hutchison) roso, and said that the question put to tho meeting was for leave to introduco a clause to put a tax of two-penco por head upon cattlo, and, tbe Chairman having said he had not doco so, ho (Mr. Hutchison) refused to withdraw. " As," concluded Mr. Hutchison, while the Houso listened in silenco, " I dcclinod to withdraw, as I refused to state what was contrary to fact — I Btill refuse to withdraw, and thoro Ileavo the matter," and, with an elaborate bow to tho Speaker, he preparod to withdraw, his friends delaying his exit for a moment. Tho !-pcakor asked tho Honso whother thoy wonld like to havo his opinion of tho matter, but the Houso responded with many " Noes." The Speaker having read Mr. Hntchison's statement, an excited discussion began, mombers following tho speakors with "Oh's"_and "Hear, hears," and cries of "Order "in every key. In tho midst of it all, tho Premier hoped the matter would bo settled. It might be that tho member for Waitotara had tho clause of tho Bill in his mind, and ho should bo given an opportunity of explaining this, as it was a grave matter, and it was necessary to uphold tho authority of the Chair. Mr. Fergus having warmly interposed, Mr. Rees said ho would resign if his ruling wore not supported. Tho Minister for Public Works moved that Mr. Hutchison be asked to conio in and explain. Mr. Hamlin seconded this pro forma, and said tho niembor had no desiro to dofy the Chair. It was all a misunderstanding. Mr. Soddon then withdrew his motion at tho request of tho Promior, who said it was not a question of tho words used, bnt of tho fact that tho mombor had ropcatodly refused to obey the Chair. Ho moved, " That this House regrots that tho member for Waitotara has been pnilty of disorderly conduct in rofusing to obey the Chairman of Committees." He did not wish to press this till Mr. Hutchison should bo given an opportunity of explaining, but it was certainly his duty to apologise to the House. It was tho duty of every member to obey tho Chair, whether the Chair was right or wrong. The Minister for Lands seconded tho motion. Tho House was now thoroughly quietened, as members realised that matters had taken a grave turn, and oven Mr. Buckland got somo " hear, hears " as he accused tho Chairman of Committees of attempting to coerce the House by his throat to resign. Mr. Fisher considered the whole thing a miserable, wretched, petty business to waste the time of the great and grand Parliament of the colony. But here Captam Russell interposed, and his remarks wero listened to with tho utmost attention, and applauded throughout. Ho considered that Mr. Kees was right in saying that ho put tho motion as ho stated, bnt as he immediately before read a clauso from tho Bill, it was quite possible for Mr. Hutchison to arrive at an opposite conclusion. It was not a trivial mattor, and the question they had to decide was whether the Speaker aud the Chairman of Committees wero to be absolute. It was overyonc's duty to submit to them, and though ho did not impute blame to cither Mr. Hutchison or Mr. Recs, he must givo his vote for tho Premier's motion. The member for Hawkcs Bay was warmly applauded, and brought opinion in the House to a focus. Tho Minister for Labour said that after hearing those remarks they had better adjourn till 7.30, to allow a settlement, and ho would move that. Mr. O'Conor and Mr. R. Thompson thought tho member might be mistaken, but he must submit. Mr. J. Mills explained how the misunderstanding occurred through the conjunction of the clause from tho Bill with the resolution. The excitement rose again as Dr. Newman defended Mr. Hutchison, and failed to see how he could deny what ho believed to bo the trutii. Then Mr. C. H. Mills suggested that Mr. Hutchison should be asked to say that he didn't wish to defy the chair. Messrs. Allen, S. Mackenzie, and Taylor occupied tho Houso till the 5.30 adjournment, and then members trooped out and gathered in knots to discuss tho situation. There was a full Houso and full galleries at 7.30, and a general air of expectancy. Sir George Grey rose, and before ho had uttered two words it became evident that he had mediated for his friend tho member for Auckland. He said that Mr. Hutchison had authorised him to state that he had no intention of defying tho chair, and Mr. Rees was willing to accept this. The Premier asked Mr. Rees if this was so. and on slr. Rees confirming the statement iho motions were withdrawn amid applause, and the Sergeant-at-Arms was despatched for the member for Waitotara, who bowed low as he once more faced the Speaker and was informed of the settlement come to. Another round of applause, and the incident was over, and one more precedent was added to tho Parliamentary records.