AN UNEXPECTED DIVISION.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 3263, 21 October 1897, Page 3

AN UNEXPECTED DIVISION.

Unexpectedly, a crisis occurred in the House at midnight. The Premier moved that the dfbvte on ihe Rudget bo postponed till 230 the following day. Captain Russell at once rose and asked if private members business could not come up on the following day. Mr Rolleaton took up the refrain* and aatced the Speaker to rule as to whether the Standing Oiders of the House should beset aside by simply a motion in this way. The Speaker said it was the invariable practice that important debates were carried on from day to day without interruption. Notices of motion always took precedence unless the House should otherwise direct. Air Hutchison said the debate should bead journed till Friday. Mr c>cobie Mackenzie complained that nowadays the adjournment could not be moved till _ questions were disposed of, and _ said as the Premier made it a practice never to allow all tho questions to be swept off the Order Paper the effect was to prevent members exercising their privilege of moving the adjournment, a privilege that they very much prized. Sir Robert Stout said notices of motion took precedence on Wednesday, unless the House otherwise directed. There was no “ otherwise directed * about Thursday. It was provided that on Thursdays local Bills should have precedence until disposed of. At this stage it was realised that the Government was at a disadvantage, a large number of its supporters having taken time by the forelock and gone to bed, while the Opposition was present in full numbers, so when, presently, Mr Lethbridge moved that the debate on th© Budget be adjourned till Friday at 7.30, th© Government Whips were seen to belvery busy, and as member after member got up to air his views on the matter the members who had been stirred out of their beds rolled up sleepily and took their seats, until at 2.20 a.m. everything waa ready for the division. In the meantime the Premier had offered if members would let the matter come oh at 2.30 tho following day that it could be adjourned till 7.30 p.m., but the proposal waa not accepted. At 2.20 a.m. the division on the motion was taken, with the following result: — Ayes, 37—Syraos* Gilfedder, T. Thompson, J. McKenzie, Morrison, Mills, McGowan, Guinness, Hall-Jonoa, K> Thompson, Duncan, Joyce, Houston, Montgomery, Field, Fisher, O’Meara, John Hutcheson, Holland, Lawry, Saddon, Millar, Graham, Stevens, Cadman, Fere, O’Regan, Wilson, Hogg, Flatman, E. G. Allen, Carncross, Parata, Kaihau, Tanner, Oarroil, _ , . , , Nors, 29.—Rolleston, Buchanan, Wright, Lethbridge. G: Hutchison, Massey, Heke, Bollard, Smith, M. J. S. Mackenzie, Monk, Kelly, McGuire, Lang, Lewis, Thompson, Brown, Stout, McLean, Hunter, Crowther, Harries, Taylot, Pirani, Fraser, J. Allen, Wason, Russell, Carson.