THE ESTIMATES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 9306, 15 September 1893, Page 5

THE ESTIMATES.

A PROLONGED STONEWALL

AN ALL-NIGHT SITTING. V [BY TELEGRAPH.-SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. J Wellington, Thursday. ~»;, The House looked dingy and debauched j upon my return to it at half-past ten tins morning. The Minister for Lands seemed sleeping bo peacefully as to suggest that he had been rocked to slumber by the thought that his Cheviot Disposition Bill at last was safe. The Premier was. in his place, bub looked jaded and yawned copiously. Incepting the Ministor for Labour, Whoso watch it was below, all the Ministers were on deck, while the leaders of the Opposition looked as comfortable and as free from concern as saloon passengers of a mail steamer a fortnight out. Only the raucous voice of Hogg disturbed the quiet air. The chosen of Mastorton in resounding periods was pounding the atmosphere with his resentment of this obstruction. "Sir, we will not submit," says Mr. Hogg, "for the country is behind us." Then Captain Russell took a little expostulatory turn. He and his friends had stayed throughout the night in numbers equal to those opposite, in | order that they might do their duty to the country. They had observed respect for the constitutional law of the country which was being violated and destroyed by those opposite. I had by this time been in the House holf-an-hour, and had heard nothing of the political lady whose welfare U know was matter or concern to certain gentlemen of the left. She appealed a little later, however, under the wing of the member for Waitotara, who in his impressive cultured way reminded those present that they were being driven into the last ditch of the Estimates at a time when a Bill of the very first importance was awaiting the signature of His Excellency. It was their duty to resist further Estimates until that Bill had been assented to. The Premier's excuses for the delay in the return of that Bill were trivial and unworthy. The person responsible for that dolay was the Premier, From Monday bo Thursday had been ample tim< to comply with the wish of the Legislature as to the Electoral Bill. "Sir," said Waitotara, " let us retain oar hold of these Estimates until we know that the will of the people has been assented to by the deputy of the Sovereign." "Yes," cries the knighb who is the champion of the lady, " we aro entitled to resist these Estimates until we know th&b the Governmonb have recommended His. Excellency to assent to the Electoral Bill." Then Mr. Buckland, in his bluff way, told members that the truth was thuii certain champions of the woman's suffrage upon his side of the House would nob consent to the passage of another item until ib was known that His Excellency had assented to the Electoral Bill. Under thesecircumstances he thought they might as well adjourn for a week. Mr. McLean, tho "cocksure" mannered member for Wellington, then projected himsolf into notice, declaring that he was quite ready for another 24 hours' sitting, and that in his opinion the other fellows were stonewallers. Here Mr. Fish was ready with some good advice he desired to tender to tho Premier. Let the Opposition do the talking, and if they persisted in their obstruction to gratify tho member for Ellosmoco in his fad of women's franchise, lob them have the picnic to themselves. After Mr. Duthie had in his serious way reviewed the situation for the space of half-an-hour, at twenty minutes to twelve a.m., Mr. Scobie Mackenzie appeared, fresh as a bridegroom. He was "amazed." He had corao to the i House and was astonished beyond measure, and had asked a gentleman opposite why it was sitting, aud had apparently gob the information. Tho lion. Mount Ida proceeded to denounce Ministers for failure in their promise to deal with Colonel "Fox's report, and bliab of tho Privileges Committee. It was not only a breach of faith, bub a public scandal. Ab half-past 112 p.m. Mr. Rolleston walked across the floor, and ovidontly renewed the offer of a truce that ho knew had been mado earlier in the day, and presently the Premier said ho would consent to tho privileges report as to tho officers of Parliament being taken on Monday week, though when this day was first suggested he said, "Why, the week after next we may all be at home," whereupon a fervent amen went up from tho press gallery. Bub though the stonewall was beginning to totter ere it foil, Mr. G. Hutchison in his blandest tones desired to ask the Premier to tell him the position of tho Eloctoral Bill, and Mr. Seddon made answer that tho fateful document had been carefully examined and compared by the Clerk of Parliaments and forwarded to the Government Printer with necessary corrections, and that tho fears expressed as to its progress were entirely unfounded. And then the stonewall crumbled quite away, and the Legislative Estimates became the order of the day. The discussion this afternoon upon the railway estimates was of a sufficiently sultry kind to indicate tho cyclonic disturbance that will take place when tho Railway Management Bill comes before the House. The Premier was understood to deny any responsibility for the estimate of the Commissioners, and to imply that the only information in Ins possession was that contained in the Estimates in chief. Then it transpired that a return of all items was in print, and in possession of the Premier though it had nob been distributed among members. Hon. members immediately jumped to the conclusion thab the Minister in charge of the vote was attempting to deceive the House, and for a time hot words were freely interchanged. Mr. Fergus declared the Premier meanb to " hoodwink" the committee and his conduct was denounced as subterfuge." After two hours of contention and wrangle, during which Mr. Seddon kept his temper under great provocation, his action on the whole matter was thoroughly vindicated. The jaded House 6,it on until 10.30 tonight, when the Premier agreed bo adjourn the prolonged sitting of 32 hours, one of the longest ever known. It was particularly hard on tho press men, some of whom were in tho gallery for over 24 hours at a stretch.