SCENE IN THE HOUSE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 41, 4 November 1871, Page 3

SCENE IN THE HOUSE.

[lndependent, November I.]

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 purpose of opposing the passage of a bill. We have to-day to announce that this has 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 Reynolds last evening by the hon member for Mount Ida, Mr Mervyn, during the discussion on the Payments to Provinces Bill. Mrßeynolds 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 miners were taxed to support the expenses of the whole colony. Mr Mervyn 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 Reynolds, and if the fact wore 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 the moment Mr Mervyn was quiet. The Chairman, thinking he had worked off the froth, called on Mr Peeves, who had made several attempts 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 thpre 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 his own way, a grim of triumph accompanied the admission that he had been laboring under slight irritation. Then, of course, it was supposed that the business would proceed, but Mr Mervyn suddenly discovered that the interests of his constitutency were at stake, and under pretence of advocating their views he continued, in the most dogged and objectionable manner,! to impede the business by calling for divisions, which always found Mr Mervyn alone, and consequently no division could take place. After calling for six divisions, the Chairman stated that after the inconvenience the committee had been put to, unless ho were satisfied that there were two members of Mr Mervyn’s opinion no more divisions should take place. So the bill dragged its slow length 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. There are forms ot the House which permit a member to oppose the plassage of a bill, of which Mr G. M‘Lean availed himself on the previous evening in a perfectly legitimate way. This course was open to Mr Mervyn, but he has an infirmity of temper which blows, not kindness, could only remove. It is to be regretted that there are no forms of the House to prevent the occurrence of so lamentable, or it would be more correct to say, so contemptible an exhibition. This comes of taking it as a matter of course that none but gentlemen would be returned to the House to represent the people of the colony. This, and one or two other examples of recent occurrence, prove this commonly accepted idea to be erroneous, and the time has come when the standing orders should be remodelled to meet a contingency such as occurred last evening. "We repeat the fact with, regret that the proceedings of our Parliament have been disgraced by an unseemly exhibition of temper under the pretence of 1 advocating a public cause.