Parliament Day by Day.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXIII, Issue 7323, 26 September 1898, Page 1

Parliament Day by Day.

® —, NOTES FROM THE GALLERY. (by telegraph.) (from our own correspondent.) Wellington, September 24. A motion to report progress on clause 8 of the Old Aoe Pensions Bill waa moved at 7.30 on Saturday morning, and waa discussed till 9.15, when an adjournment for half an hour for breakfast was taken. When the House met again the momentous question was again discussed. The Chamber looked most dilapidated, and numbers of members were stretched on their benches sleeping soundly, sometimes too soundly. The few who remained awake were inclined to be irritable, and so frequently interrupted that the Chairman had to threaten that unless they ceased he would have to report them to the Speaker. The Opposition members urged the Premier to have a conference with Captain Russell for the purpose of effecting a compromise.

The Premier was anxious for business to be proceeded with. During the long sitting no progress had been made. Five lines had been passed, and at that rate the Bill would probably be on the Statute Book in two years time. He was quite prepared to report progress if the subclauses to sub-clause 7 were passed. These sub - clauses were merely machinery clauses, and would not take long to get through. The Opposition then protested againsb the hours which they were compelled to keep, and so the discussion proceeded till one o'clock, when an adjournment for lunch was taken.

At two o'clock the weary debate was resumed. A slight diversion was provided abont 3 o'clock. Messrs Bollard and Smith rose to their feet and the Chairman named Mr Billard to speak, whereupon Mr G. Hutchison moved that Mr Smith be now heard, and a division was called for. As was to bo expected on such a momentous question a full division ensued, and the motion was negatived by 43 to 19, and Mr Bollard, amidst applause, proceeded with his oration, to give reasons why they should adjourn. Mr Bollard's delivery was rather indistinct, and it was an effort to hear him. Mr Carncross rose to a point of order. He said that the result of the division was that Mr Bollard should be heard, and he was not heard. The Chairman ordered members to cease from conversation so that the speakev could be heard. After several members of his party had spoken Captain Russell again explained why ha and his party had taken up this attitude. They objected to the fcima they h*d been compelled to stop in the House, and, if he could get anyone to help him, Captain Russell aaid he was prepared to take up that attitude every night after 1 o'clock. He was not In favor of the Bill as it at present stood.

The Premier said that the last sentence of Captain Russell's speech explained the whole matter. The Opposition did nob like the Bill, and they were determined to block it. The Premier said, farther, thab he required this week end to enable him to keep faith with the House in raspecb to the agreement arrived at in the Estimates. The Opposition were prictically breaking faith with him, but he would keep his promise, although he would be practioally justified in breaking it. He was determined to do no other business till the Old Age Pensions Bill was settled, If the blocking continued all next week. He was determined to maintain his position, even If he had to eat, drink, and sleep ki the House. Messrs Taylor and Crowther appealed to the Premier and Leader of the Opposition to come to terms, and put an end to the dead lock. Mr Guinness left the Chair ab 5.30, and the House adjourned till 7.30. The debate was resumed at 7.30 with renewed vigor, if not with renewed wit. Mr Fraser in the course of his remarks blamed the Government members for baking no part in the debate, and for being bo frequently absent from the House. This brought Mr Carncross to his feeb. He said that for some time during the early morning there were only two mem> bers In charge of the Opposition Benohes. These members had been called ont so that a count-out naighb be effected on the Bill. He was againsr this Bill, and Intended to vote against the third reading, bub his was a straight oat issue, whUab the Opposition were jusb blocking the Bill In an underhand manner. The debate was continued till 9.30» chiefly by the Opposition. At thab time a division was taken as to which one out) of two persons who had risen ab same time should apeak, and after this diversion the debate was resumed to rather empty benches. September 25. After the telegraph office closed on Safe urday night the discussion on the motion to report progress was continued without a division being come to. At midnight the chairman lefb the ohalc till 7.30 p.m. on Monday.