FIFTY-THREE HOURS,

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 3438, 16 September 1913, Page 5

FIFTY-THREE HOURS,

SNORES IN THE HOUSE. - ;; n'll CHEAT STONEWALL STILL PROCEEDING. STUBBORN OPPOSITION TACTICS KEPT UP."

GOVERNMENT REMAINS P.A-

TIENTLY SILENT

CBT TEEEGBAFH—PARLIAMENTAET COBBESPONDENT]

WELLINGTON, Sept. I*s. The Committee resumed at 2.30 this afternoon. Argument adduced was on lines similar to that of Saturday. This afternoon no new ground was Broken. Mr Wilford moved to get the Speaker's ruling on a ruling of the CfiaTman, but not being present when the question was put, it was ! >st < n the voices, no one apparently desiring the presence of the Speaker, and the debate continued.

At 11.30 p.m. the procedure wag similar to that which has prevailed throughout the extended proceedings. Ail sorts of peculiar arguments have been advocated in support of the contention that the House should be supplied with Departmental reports before going on with the Estimates. In the meantime the Government sit silent.

Later (2 a.m.). —The stonewall is still proceeding with unaltered vigor on the part of the Opposition, being met with undiminished patience on the part of the Government party. Many of the latter have brought rugs and pillows and are “keeping House" while they slumber on the benches. The Opposition attack is mainly devoted to a comparison of the salaries paid to officers at the Auckland Mental Hospital with those paid at similar institutions in other parts of the Dominion.

Speakers are repeatedly checked by the Chairman on digression from- the question before the Committee, but the flow of talk goes on, occasionally punctuated by points of order and an audible snore.—-(Left sitting).

OPPOSITION HOPES

The Opposition party held a meeting to-day in connection with the obstruction now going on in the House. The Leader of the Opposition (Sir Jos. Ward) was not nresent, as he did not return from Napier until this evening. No official announcement was made as to the result of the meeting, but it is understood that the decision arrived at was to maintain the present state of affairs until the reports were presented. A factor counted upon, it is said, is that the representatives of the farming community belonging to the Reform party will force the hands of the Government and insist on some composition being arrived at-. Any such hope, the chief Government Whip (Mr D. H. Guthrie) said this evening, was absolutely without foundation. “The representatives cf the farming community on the Government side”, he said, “are prepared to stay here as long as it is. necessary to carry through tfle legislation that is proposed by the Government during the‘present session and to show that they are absolutely in earnest in theirdecision they have addressed a letter on the subject to the Prime Minister. It is signed by all the country representatives who 3re present to-day. The others who are not present are each individually vouched for and will sign the letter on their arrival in Wellington. If it- were necessary to get a declaration from the representatives cf other than farming communities there would be no other answer than a decision to go on with the business cf the session until it is completed. The party was .solid and enthusiastic before* but- the stonewall that has been going on. during the past day or two has made them more solid and more* enthusiastic than ever.” A DEFINITE PROMISE. Mr Guthrie produced the letter, which reads as follows: Wellington, Sept. 15. 1913. The Hon. the Prime Minister— Sir, —We, the undersigned members of the party representing or engaged, in farming pursuits, peg to assure you as Leader of the House, that in view of the evident obstructive tactics adopted by the Opposition, we are willing to remain in session until such time as yon are entitled to place- on the Statute 800k_ those measures which you have indicated to us would be brought forward this session in the interests of the country. We are, etc., Frank H. Smith, D. H. Guthrie, Prichard F. Bollard, J. B. Hine, J. Gordon Coates. R. Scott, C. A. Wilkinson, D. Buick,’ W. C. _ Buchanan. __ W. Nosworthy, Francis Mander, Vernon ti. Reed, John Bollard, H. Okey, J. A.'' Young, J. H. Escott; G. J. Anderson, Geo. R, Sykes.

The following members representing country constituencies were absent yesterday, but were vouched for by the Party Whip in connection with the assurance contained in the foregoing letter: Messrs G. V. Pearce, H. M. Campbell, G. Hunter, E. Newman’, T. W. Rhodes, and O. K. Wilson. ‘