PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10836, 20 August 1898, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[HT TELEGRAPH.— CORRESPONDENT.] Wkmjngton, Friday night. MUNICIPAL FRANCHISE. The Hon. E. C, -I. Stevens presented a petition to the Legislative Council from Sydenham, praying that the Chamber should pievent the passage of tho Municipal Franchise Reform Bill in its present shape. Exception was taken to any proposal that would give non-ratepayera the opportunity of voting on monetary proposals; otherwise a majority of property-owners might possibly be outvoted by those who made no contribution to municipal revenue.

A SCENE IN THE HOUSE. One of those small scenes, so full of dangerous possiblilites, occurred in tho House this afternoon. Mr. Taylor was the originator of tho trouble, he charging the Premier with having intercfored with the chairman of the Police Commission, and made that gentlemar, break a promise and act like a rdioolboy. Mr. Seddon said this was a base fabrication, and an absolutely untruthful statement. Nil one was surprised to see the Leader of "(Tie Opposition rise in his place to call the attention of the Speaker to the seemingly unparliamentary language used by the Premier. Captain Russoll, however, went a step further than usual, and moved that the words be taken down, a serious matter_ in Parliamentary procedure. To the astonishment of members, Sir Maurice O'Rorko did not regard the words as unparliamentary, as they referred, he said, not to Mr. Taylor, but to the statement he had made, and were not applied in that extremely offensive way sometimes used in the House, and calling for his interference. Captain Russell argued this point for a few minutes, but the Speaker declined to take the words down. Then Captain Russell again roes, and with an air of mingled astonishment and indignation asked in a determined way, "Do you, then, Bu', refuse my motion?" An unpleasant pause followed, and dread possibilities were thought of. Sit .Maurice O'Rorke, however, was equal to the occasion, and cleverly escaped from his awkward position. "I? it the pleasure of tho House that the words bo taken down?" lie asked, and a weak chorus of Opposition "Ayes," drowned in a full volume of Government " Noes," removed the responsibility of the situation from the shoulders of Mr. Speaker to those of hon. members.