PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1638, 31 May 1887, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

THE DEBATE, THE DIVISION, AND THE DISSOLUTION.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The result of tbe attack upon tbe Government will have been published by you before this letter reaches its destination, but a few* words concerning the debate and the division and tbe probable course of events in tbe near future may not be out of place. Tbe debate was not a lively one, and thongh very few took part in it, not more than one-fourth of the members, tbe speeches we're tame. There were exceptions to tbe general dullness, but still, taken as a wbole, the discussion was not bright, and certainly ltfcked fire. Whether it was that a sense of the gravity of the condition of tbe country took tbe spirit (or •• devil," as some people put it)out of the speeches ; or whether it was that a desire to meet constituencies in a certain degree of freedom from party ties not only prevented many members from speaking but also bad a modifying influence upon tbe tone of those who did Rpeak this deponent, sayeth not, but the fact, nevertheless, is as I have stated. There was a cutting speech from Mr. Ormond and a very clever one from Mr. M. J. S. Maokenzie, who may be regarded as one of the coming men in New Zealand political iife, and these were really tbe only ones worthy of note after tbe delivery of Major Atkinson's carefully prepared indictment and Sir Eobert Stoat's brisk reply thereto. When the debate commenced, it bid fair to last a week ; before tbe first day's talk was done, it seemed- as if tbe division might come at any moment. However, the discussion dragged over Thursday and Friday, and there was talk of a sitting on Saturday and Monday to finish it, but immediately after the supper adjournment on Friday evening a change came over the aspect of affairs, and it was seen that the division was not far off. At tbe outset the Opposition claimed a majority -of' fonr, giving the Government the Maoris and all doubtful votes, but gradually the prophesy as to tbe number was modified, and at one time it was said that tbe Ministry would be saved by tbe casting vote of the Speaker, if that could be regarded as salvation. One or two. members would not say bow they would vote, and absolutely it was not known how they intended to vote until they -were seen filing into tbe lobbies. At euqh a juncture, M independent " members are the observed of all observers. Much bad depended on how two absentees, Messrs. Mills and Reid, intended to vote, and how Eatene, the new Maori member, , was disposed. But on Friday evening, word came that Mr. Mills bad paired against the Government^, Mr. Reid for them, and Katene, who bad been elected as a Government supporter (at least so it was supposed), declared that if he happened to be in tbe House, \yhen the vote was taken he would be fount! in tbe Opposition lobby. As these declarations gave the Opposition a majority,, it was thought just as well to go to the vote at once. Several who wished to give explanations insisted upon doing so amid general impatience, but at ten minutes to one tbe question was put and tbe bell rung, and a very full House went to the division. The galleries were, of course, crowded, there was a throng behind Mr. Speaker's , chair, the House refilled as the votes were recorded, and throughout the chamber suppressed excitement reigned. The tellers deposited their lists, and then Mr. Speaker read out the members, 88, for retaining the words, " The bill be read a second time-," and 42 against. But it was not yet over, so f*r as formalities went. The words of tbe amendment had to be inserted, and, on the question being put, Mr. Speaker declared that tbe ayes had it. " Tbe noes have it," quietly, said the Premier, and the House again went to division, with tbe result — ayes, 42; noes, 38. There were cheers from the more exuberant spirits in the Opposition, and ditto ditto Government party, but tbe leaders, perhaps meditating on tbe difficulties to come or unwilling to add any sting to defeat, refrained. Then the House adjourned, and everybody wanted to know, •• What now ?"

That there is to be a dissolution now appears very certain, and the colony will have to bear tbe by no means inconsiderable expense of a second session. The cost will not be much under £'20,000. Of course the Ministry might, so far as they were concerned, have avoided this by resigning ; but looking at the state of parties it is not at all clear that a new Government could have been found to stand until after several combinations bad been tried, and in the end tbe evil could hardly have been avoided. For several weeks I thought that there would be no dissolution, that all parties would have sought to avoid it, and that the votes of such men as Mr. Samuel, who, though they liked the Government little, liked tbe prospect of a second session less, might have led to a patched up peace until the elections came in due coarse. However, tbe majority against the Government proposals was very decisive, much more so than the figures would seem to indicate, for five or six men, though they voted with Ministers, were entirely opposed to their proposals. Messre Garriok, -Cowan, O'Conor, and others, rniglit be mentioned as instances. Tbe majority being so decisive, and Ministers being determined to appeal from the House to the electors, there seems no way out of the difficulty. It is understood that it will take five or six weeks to get things shipshape under the new Representation Bill (for it is to bo made a sine qud non of granting sapplies that tbe elections shall take place under tbe new Act); and then another four or five weeks to elect a House, so that Parliament may be expected to assemble again about tbe beginning of September. It will be for the people, in tbe meantime to determine what shall be the course of events then. May 30.