SCENE IN THE HOUSE.

North Otago Times, Volume XVII, Issue 676, 10 November 1871, Page 2

SCENE IN THE HOUSE.

(From the ""Wellington Independent," 1st Nov.) We had occasion in our issue of yesterday to comment on the conduct of a member of the Assembly who took upon himself, because the principle of free selection was not contained in it, to use the forms of the House for the pxirpose of opposing the passage of a Bill. We have to-day to announce that this haa been repeated in a way that has, for the first time, disgraced the proceedings of the New Zealand Parliament. Personal allusions have been quite common since the opening of the new House, and by none has this kind of thing been indulged in with greater license than by the goldfields members. An attack of this kind was made on Mr Keynolds last evening by the hon. member for Moxmt Ida, Mr Mer"yn. during the discussion on the Payments to Provinces Bill. Mr Iteynolds simply remarked that it was becoming tiresome to hear day after day the harangues of the goldfields members, at the same time questioning an assertion of Mr Mervyn's that the Winers were taxed to support the whole Colony. Mr Mrrvyn immediately took the remark as a personal one, and, in a state of excitement, assured the House that he was worth quite as much money as Mr Eeynolds, and if the fact were doubted, he was quite willing to " show most take all," though these were not the exact words. The Chairman of Committees called the frenzied member to order, and for a nioment Mr Mervyn was quiet. The Chairman, thinking he had worked off the froth, called on Mr ReeveB, who had made several attempt s to speak, to address the Committee. 'This was another personal affront to Mr Mervyn, and the battle then become a warm one between him and the Chairman, who demanded, in loud tones, that Mr Mervyn should resume his seat. This the refractory member declined to do, and there arose shouts of " Sergeant-at-Arms," " Chair, chair," " Sit down, sit down," but all to no purpose ; Mr Mervyn was obdurate. Mr

O'Rorke then vacated the chair and resigned the control of the House. The Speaker having been sent for, the Chairman reported that a member had refused to obey his order, and a statement having been made by Mr Mervyn, the Speaker agreed that the Chairman had done right in reprimanding the hon. member. Mr Mervyn' still refused to apologise, but some time after, on getting a little of hio own way, a grin of triumph accompanied the admission that he had been laboring under slight irritation. Thtn, of course, it was supposed that the business' -would proceed, but Mr Mervyn suddenly discovered that the interests of his constituency were at Btake, and under pretence of advocating their views he continued, in the most dogged and objectionable manner, to impede the business by calling for division*, which always fouud Mr Mervyn alone, and consequently no division could take place. After calling for six divisions* the Chairman stated that after the inconvenience rtie Committee had been put to, unless he were satisfied that there were two meiihera of Mr Mervyn's opinion no more divisions should take pltice. So the Bill dragged its slowlength along, divisions being called for only to find that Mr Mervyn was alone. The effect of all this was that the passage of the Bill through Committee was delayed until a quarter past three o'clock this morning, having been nine hours in progress.