OPPOSITION TACTICS.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume II, Issue 287, 8 November 1912, Page 5

OPPOSITION TACTICS.

S TONE WALL AMJ A .ER. [B¥ TEL-EGBAFH — SPECIAL. ] Wellington. Nov. 7. The Opposition trie-i a stonewall when the Hou-*- «\ts di bating tim report, of the Public Anwiit- < ranniittee on the admini-tration <>f the State Guaranteed Advances Depart-, meat. The r.;- . how eve;:. was in-j effective, a rid in each division that : was called for ti.<- Government had a solid majority of at least ten. Ihei report of the Committee was even-: tually adopted. An aiuusiiig im.ndent occurred dimne the -tonewail, ' the- principal actor m which was he' member for \\ aimar:n<". Mr. H. A. Smith. Brandisiiing a of.

paper he said :•-Here a ciieioi' for £so. and I am willing to place i’ in j. our hands, ami these arc tbt conditions--that if the [jtrwai cover, ing this amount i- right and the committee is found to lie wrong, t her: this £5O will be paid t<. the TaiLape Hospital, if I :im wrente" then the one covering this amount cm nominate the institution to which my £5O shall go.' Mr. Herries asked whether il. w:vin order !<•:■ a member tc. make a wager in the House. We it a breach of the Gaming Act .’ Mr. Smith : He is squirming already . One of tiie' Jig guns .s

squirming. -4B'. Speaker said tie had not : 'Sn.i the exact tend it 'oris under 9 which the eager was imide. Mr. Smith (with heat): it makes my blood boil, and 1 am fit for anything. I admire a mm. even if he is wrong, if he is a man: but v. hen h> Is not a man I detest, and despise .him. My offer is this. Sir. rind this will test the method of oid. 'iiid ail of those biased members <,f tins Committee who have brought 11: an unfair fin i:i:g ram wh<>-t-hands arc tied. He wtnt on to explain that he wished to have the question of whether or not the recommendation was a fair or just one. as shown by the rceoids of the evidence. submitted to Judges of the Supreme Court. He added finaiiy : *’l do this with two motives, to clear these men, and to have them tried by an unbiassed tribunal."' Mr. Smith walked up to the ehair and laid the cheque cu Mr. Sp ak-, cr’s desk. Mr. Speaker : I i.lcss the licii. nienber moves any arm. ndment. I can't accent this (the clieque). ■ (Latig liter). Mr. Smith said lie wanted to J force the other side to admit that i they had done a mean and contemptible action. Mr. Heriies ask ed whether tinsi was Parliamentary language ' Mr. Speaker: Oh, no. (To Mr. Smith): You must withdraw it. ‘ Mr. Smith: I am sorry it :■ miparliamentary. Mr. Speaker: Von u- -. withdraw it.

Mr. Smith : I withdraw it. Sir. Mr. Speaker: You must restrain your language. Mr. Smith, with the assistance of "Mr. Laurenson. then drafted a new amendment and the Speaker having declared that the prcpcsal he I:ad made previously would be inean ngless as an amendment, finally Mr. Smith moved. •’That effect be not given to the recommendation until the question at issue has been submitted to ■'. Supreme Court Judge for his decision. Mr. Speaker : That is in order". Mr. Hunter: I should like to ask your opinion as to tiie procedure tc be adopted to get a Supreme Court Judge to decide this wager. Mr. Speaker : T do not l-ohl this ti. be a wager. It is merely -in offer made. .Mr. H< r: :<■- : !>■ - i'< it become a wager as soon as it is m-erpifd ’ Mr. Speaker: On. nr.. (Cries <•’' ■'Oh" an.l “No" from Oviposit:.,-; members. Mr. Poland: Is this the racing conference * (Laughter.) Mr. G. Whitty seconded the motion and the debate went on.. The amendment, was defeated and the incident terminated. —-■ ——— —' J - .■■“'J 1 ™ ;■£.