Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JULY 20, 1882.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVII, Issue 158, 20 July 1882, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JULY 20, 1882.

The dullness that has marked the Parliamentary proceedings of late— intensified as it has been by the exciting events that have been occurring in another part of the world which have quite overshadowed the sayings and doings of our little Legislature — appears to have been relieved last night by an extempore no-confidence debate in which the House of Representatives found itself suddenly involved almost without knowing how it had come about. Sir G. Grey's Constitution Act Amendment Bill was the bone of contention, Ministers so strongly disapproving of it that they expressed their intention of treating not merely its passage, but the adjournment of the debate, as tantamount to a vote of no confidence, stating that they would not proceed with any other business until this Bill had disappeared from the Order Paper. From the time that Mr Bryce announced the intention of the Government in this respect until the division took place, the whips appear to have had a busy time of it. Members had to be hunted up from every nook and corner, some being dragged out of their beds to take their place in the lobbies, and, from our correspondent's interesting telegram, it would seem that up to the last moment the Government considered a defeat the probable result of their somewhat ill considered action, which, however, they escaped by the skin of their teeth. Of the 91 members who, exclusive of the Speaker, can take part in a division, 84 answered to their names, and of these, -44 recorded their votes in favor of the Government against 40 who desire to see them ejected without knowing who are to be their successors. On looking over the division lisfc the position occupied by two of the names appears to us to be noteworthy, if not significant. Mr Weston, who hai been regarded as a staunch supporter of the Government until Monday night when, in the course of his speech on the Land Bill, he made a powerful attack on the Ministers for not bringing down their various measures at an earlier period of the session, is to be found voting with the Opposition, while Mr Pilliet, who has always been looked upon as an opponent, cast in his lot with the Government. If our correspondent correctly estimates the strength of the Opposition when he says that all their men put in an appearance last night, it is exceedingly unlikely that another trial of strength will take place this sess'on, and now, it is to be hoped that the party skirmishing will cease and that the, representatives will set to work with a will and endeavor to make the best of what remains of the session, and strive to ensure that it shall not be so utterly barren of wise and practical legislation as there is reason to fear from the result of the first three months.