THE HOROWHENUA BILL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10629, 18 December 1897, Page 5

THE HOROWHENUA BILL.

THE PREMIER EVADES THE ORDER OF THE HOUSE. [BY. TELEGRAPH".— CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington, Friday. If the proceedings in connection with the Education Bill wero extraordinary, the tactics which resulted in the setting aside of an order of the House to hear Sir Walter Buller and Major Kemp, amounted to a public scandal. As the morning wore it was clearly seen that the object of the Premier was to prevent Major Kemp and Sir W. Buller from getting their side of the question before the country. The House was still in committee on the Technical Education Bill at one o'clock in the afternoon, when Mr. Rolleston asked the Premier what course he intended to take regarding the order of the House to hear Sir Walter Buller and Major Kemp at the bar of the House at half-past two today? The Premier said the Bill now before the House was a very important one, and ho was glad to hear that the deadlock on it was likely to be removed. He proposed to postpone the interpretation, and when prowas made, he would move to report progress on it. There was another very important Bill before the committee, the Native Land Laws Act Amendment Bill, which • they conld ■ get through by half-past five p.m. On resuming at half-past seven p.m. the Public Works debate would be taken. Regarding Sir Walter Buller and Major Kemp, it would be seen that they could not be heard through their counsel at the ; bar of , the House to-day. If Mr, Rolleston repeated his question next sitting day he would say what course he intended to take regarding that.

| Mr. Rolleston said that if he bad understood tbo Premier correctly, he would have to conclude his remarks with a motion. They should surely observe the ordinary rules of courtesy to the gentlemen summoned to the bar of the House. The course proposed by the Premier was grossly bad manners. l The Premier rose to a point of order, and the Chairman ordered the words to be withdrawn. Mr. Rolleston did not' know that he was a judge of manners, and therefore he withdrew the remark. He had thought it was probably the opinion of the House, . The Premier said it seemed to him that the whole business of the House was to be subordinated to Sir Walter Buller. *•■• ■■< -

Mr. Pirani : That it what the Government has been doing, ■~.'' "- Shortly 'afterwards, on the Premier's own motion, progress was reported on the Technical Education Bill a:'d the Nativo Land Laws Amendment Bill was then taken, and the Horowhenua Bill is now in all probability to be shelvedr-at all events for this session. '-.?'• aitfoP '*w < H •'•