THE STANDING ORDERS.

North Otago Times, Volume XIV, Issue 542, 26 July 1870, Page 8 (Supplement)

THE STANDING ORDERS.

It ifl, perhaps, not generally known that there is in the House of CommonB at least one way by which a determined minority oau defeat a large majority. It consists of moving the adjournment of the debate alternately with the adjournment of the KonBe, and the consequence is that as each diyisioa takes twenty minutes, time ia rapidly wasted. This was threatened by the Government in the Conventual Inspection Committee, and was only prevented by the Conservatives threatening to use the same means to defeat the obnoxious olauees of the Irish Land Bill. The first real inatanoe of this median of defeating a bill dating the present Session teok place on Friday last, when Mr. Hibbert moved that the House do go into committee on the Clerical Disabilities Bill. Mr. Cross objeofced to proceeding with the bill at that late hoar (five minutes past one) and moved the adjournment of the debate. The House divided. The numbers were — for the adjournment, 47; against, 99 ; majority, 52. Mr. B. Hope then moved that the bill be referred to a select committee. Mr. A. Quest moved that the debate be adjourned. The House divided on the question that the debate be now adjourned — ayes, 30 ; noes 74 ; majority, 44. Mr. Fell moved the adjournment of the House — for the adjournment, 28 ; against, 73 ; majority, 45. Mr. Bailees moved the adjournment of the debate —ayes, 24 ; noes, 69 ; majority 45. Mr. Hodgson moved the adjournment of the House — ayes, 24 ; noes, 68 ; majority, 44. Mr. Hoy gate mored the adjournment oE the debate — ayes, 24 ; noes, 68 ; majority, 44. An hos. member moved the adjournment of the House — ayes, 24 j noes, 68 ; majority, 44. An hon. member moved the adjournment of the debate — ayes, 24; noes, 66; majority, 42. Colonel Lindsay moved the adjournment of the Honse — ayes, 24 ; noes, 66 ; majority, 42. An hon. member moved the adjournment of the debate — ayeB, 21 ; noes, 66 ; majority, 45. The House then divided on Mr. Hope's amendment — For referring the bill to a select committee, 15 ; againBt, 70; majority, 55. The bill was then committed pro forma, Sir C. O'Loghlan in the ohair, and on the motion of Mr. Collins the ohairznan left the ohair, and the House resumed and adjourned (immediately) at four o'cloolc. Thus it will be seen that although the adjourn, ments were ultimately defeated, and the House did go into committee, yet three hours were wasted ; eleven divisions were taken, and in tbe end it w*s too late to go on with the bill, which will now be probably referred to a committee-