STONEWALL CONTINUES

New Zealand Herald, Volume L, Issue 15407, 16 September 1913, Page 8

STONEWALL CONTINUES

. ♦■' i i.... ■ DULL ROUND OF DEBATE. _ OPPOSITION OBSTINATE. GOVERNMENT KEEPS SILENT. LBT TELEGRAPH.SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT Wellington, Monday. The deliberate "stonewall" of the Opposition was resumed to-day at 2.30 p.m. with much evidence of determination upon both sides. Many members took time by the forelock, and appeared with cushions and pillows, in order to make their long attendance as comfortable as possible.

The finish on Saturday night was somewhat exciting, but no aftermath of that scene was brought up to-day. When he resumed the chair Mr. A. S. Malcolm stated the question to be that £105,972 should .be passed for the whole class of mental hospitals. " But, Mr. Malcolm," said Mr. Russell, "when we adjourned the motion before us was as to reporting progress." " That motion has lapsed," replied the chairman.

Mr. G. Witty (Riccarton) was ready with another blocking amendment. Ho moved that the vote of £10,073 for the Auckland institution be reduced by £100 as an indication that the accommodation for the inmates and staff waa insufficient, and that the salaries of various officers should be increased. White Bread or Brown. The obstructive methods for tho first half-hour showed little life. Then, however, Mr. Laurenson fastened on the item of £156 for the baker of the Auckland Mental Hospital. '' I must ask the Minister," said Mr. Laurenson, "if this baker provides white or brown bread for the inmates. This is an important point." At any rate it enabled Mr. Laurenson to fill out his time with a pseudo-medical discussion of tho merits of brown as opposed to white bread. The item now under discussion, the vote for the whole institution, gave the very widest scope for discursive discussion. Matters connected with carpenters, the supply of fish, the conduct of religious services, attendants' wages, matron's duties, Maori patients, and many other subjects were speedily touched upon. Starving the Service.

Messrs. J. C. Thomson and. G. W. Russell, with others, carried on the routine. Some points dwelt upon by many speakers had reference to alleged insufficient wages being paid many of the employees. The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher rose to controvert some of the statements made by Mr. Russell, because, he said," it was difficult to listen to them with patience. These items, to which they took exception, were their own Estimates, those framed by the Mackenzie Government last year. The member for Avon complained of a man being paid only £200 a year, whereas last year the Mackenzie Government proposed to pay a similar man only £150 a year.

Mr. Russell: That was a very young man.

Mr. Fisher: I am afraid you are still a young man, in spite of your years. He pointed out that medical officers were cow better paid than in the past. This was .necessary because after 21 years of Liberalism the whole service was being starved.

A few facetious touches from Mr. Poland were the only remaining points of interest in a very dull afternoon. Mr. Polandy however, was concerned for the time being in engineers' salaries, and not securing satisfaction from the Minister, said he would move* "That the salary should be reduced, as an indication that it should be increased." A Side-tracking Motion. Just before the adjournment for dinner was taken Mr. T. M. WOford was checked by the. chairman for irrelevancy/ and immediately moved that the Speaker's ruling be taken on the point. This interfered with the Opposition plan of . campaign, and the Hon. A T. Ngata, senior Opposition Whip, immediately rose to ask Mr. Wilford not to press the point.. The dinner adjournment intervened, and on resumption at 7.50 p.m. Mr. Ngata intimated that Mt. Wilford would not be present then, and had asked him to request leave to withdraw the motion. The Prime Minister called " No" on the request being put with the idea of forcing a vote if possible. The Opposition were a little disconcerted at tins, and promptly gave in on the question being put "That progress ,be reported." The Government* members so]todry called "No." The Opposition were silent, and the discussion came back to the original motion, to reduce the Auckland vote by £100. Dull and Discursive. The debate throughout the evening was mere stonewall. Member after member wandered through the items on the section concerned and' multiplied words about the butcher and the baker. There was no attempt at consistency. One man would declare that the salaries weTe too low and ought to be reduced so as to give an indication that they ought to be increased, and the next would dilate upon certain evidences of extravagance On the part of the Government. The' salary of the assistant medical officer (£300) received a great deal of attention because the salary last year was £325, This was not a reduction because last year's officer had retired, and a new man'had been appointed. Only occasionally was a little glimpse of life or humour imparted'Xo the scene. All the ladies ' departed shortly after ten o'clock, and the' ranks of the other spectators were considerably lessened. i The Salary of a Cook. • The only Oppositionist who seemed able to even suggest humour was Mr. Laurenson. After his concern about white and brown bread, he turned his attention to the salary of the cook, because he' discovered that that gentleman at Avondale was going to suffer a reduction of 25s in his salary, a loss of 1 per cent. Sir. Laurenson asserted that- the cook was of Scotch extraction, and drew a doleful picture of the effect this loss would have upon his nature. He would turn out diabolical dinners, the baleful effects of which Would be of the most disastrous description for all in the institution. Mr. Laurenson wondered at the calmness of Auckland members in the face of this situation. Auckland's Champion. Mr. A E. Glover made a brief speech! Three times within three minutes he was called to order, and then he retired, but he retired defiantly. He was prepared, he said, . to be suspended, and let his good people of Auckland know what was going on in that House. But the chairman was ■ inexorable, and Mr. Glover perforce rei tired. The Midnight Scene. At midnight the stonewall was as stubborn as ever. Members were becoming increasingly haggard and tired. Those cushions, rugs and pillows which had been, introduced as a measure of precaution inj the afternoon were now in full use. Fully ; half a dozen members were stretched ah full length on their benches wrapped vi rugs and immersed in slumber. The Ministers on. view were the Hon. W. H. Hemes, the Hon. James Allen, and the Hon. F. M. B. Fisher, who was relieving! the Hon. R. H. Rhodes in charge of the Estimates. At about this time the chairman, Mr. Malcolm, sought relief, and installed Mr. E. P. Lee m his stead. Am attempt at a count-out was, made a little before midnight, but was unsuccessful, as a/ quorum was present. It was tho dread of this which made the task of the Government whips a responsible one. Constantly they kept guard on the chamber and tallied their members to maintain sufficient strength. At about 8.30 p.m. Sir Joseph Ward had appeared in the Chamber, after having been away in the country during the

-■' ■-••■• ■ •■•■• • • •'.■^a^ day. He was in the Chamber for gem. ">* time, ■ but at 'midnight was not ' visible --'£ nor; had ho spoken up till then/The ; i Opposition ' front benches were varan* $p| and the fight was being maintained - Messrs. J. C. Thomson (Wallace and L!" ■ R. W. Smith (Waimarino). ' Mr. Wilford dropped into the ' Hodso shortly after midnight, and with his fi~*' ; speech a little later created the heartiest laughter of the evening. Fastening upon the salary of the assistant medical officer "' he dwelt upon the difficult and diverge "' '" nature of his duties. What was he to do he asked, with the man who thought ha// was a poached egg and wanted some toast '' to lie on? With other remarks Mr.-Wil. j ford had some members of the House m I almost hysterical laughter. /•■ At ten minutes to one Mr. Isitt entered,' ; * a protest against interruptions being made 1 by the Minister for Finance, and asked the chairman's ruling. After some lively '0 and heated remarks from Mr. Isitt, who &$ said Mr. Allen was usurping the faac- 1 : tions of the chair, the chairman asked 13 members nob to interrupt bo much, "so 8 that the business of the country could he '■-■: gone on with." The House was still sitting when, tho W telegraph office closed. S| . EFFECT ON OOVERKMEHT | MEMBEES. LOYALTY AND CONSOLIDATION. J [BY TELEGRAPH.— COEKESPONDHsr,] J-l -I Wellington, Monday. 1 The Opposition Party held a meeting to- .••• day in connection With the obstruction now going on in the House. The Leader \ ■ of the Opposition (Sir Joseph Ward) wag not present, as he did not return from Napier until this evening. No official announcement was made aa to the result of the meeting, but it. jg > understood that the decision arrived at was to maintain the present state of *? affairs until the reports were presents! -\ A factor ...counted upon, it is said, is that' ) tho. repreentatives of the farming com- I munity belonging to the Reform Party will S\ force the hands of the Government, and insist on some composition being arrived at. ". ' 'i

Any such hope, the Chief Government Whip (Mr. D. H. Guthrie) said this even, ing, was absolutely without foundation. The representatives of the farming community on the Government side, ha said, are prepared to stay here ag .. '. long as it is necessary to carry : '■' ■ through the legislation that'is proposed by * the Government during the present ses- > sion. To show that they are absolutely - <: in earnest in their decision, they ha\a ad- '£&< dressed a letter on the subject to the _-,' Prime Minister. Ii is signed by all the Si country representatives who are present to-day. The others who are not present 5 are each individually vouched for, and will ; sign the letter on their arrival in Welling'- 51 ton. If it were necessary to get a da- i claration from the. representatives of other ; f than farming communities, there would" ■'■'■ be no other answer than a decision to J go on with the business of the session undl .".'•' it was completed. The party was solid W. and enthusiastic before, but "the stone- ■ ,1 wall that has been geing on during-..; the past day or two has made them more '■ solid and more enthusiastic than ever; r

A Definite Promise.

Mr. Guthrie produced the letter, which'' 9 reads as "Wellington, Septem- || ber 15, 1913.— Hon. the Prime Minis- jj§| ter.SirWe, the undersigned members WM of the party representing or engaged in •/•: farming pursuits, beg to assure you as -; Leader of the House that in view of the, " recent obstructive tactics adopted by tfltW; Opposition we are willing to remain in session until such time as you are enabled ' t4 to place in the Statute Book those mea- : ':\-2 sures which you have indicated to us would 0* be brought forward this session in u the interests of the country.(Signed) '•-■■■■ Frank H. Smith, D. H. Guthrie, *-H Richard F. Bollard, J. B. Hine, J. Gordon - - ;i Coates, R. Scott, C. A. Wilkinson,-D ,? Buick, W. C. Buchanan, W. Noswortky, 'S Francis Mander, Vernon H. Reed, Jobs' ' Bollard, H. Okey, J. A. Young, J. H. # Escott, G. J. 'Anderson, Geo. R. Sykes. %. The following ' members representing §| country constituencies werefabsent. bet ■■'' 4 were vouched for by" the Party 'Whip in : - ; connection with ■ the assurance contained i; in the foregoing —Messrs. G. T. S : Pearce, H. M. Campbell. G. Hunter, E. " Newman, T. W. Rhodes, and C. K. Wil- ' son. • ' i*M