THE LICENSING BILL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2120, 11 October 1894, Page 21

THE LICENSING BILL.

AN ALL-NIGHT SITTING.

ELECTIVE COMMITTEES

KESTORED.

A CONSPIRACY OF SILENCE.

INCIDENTS OF THE SITTING. (From Oub Own Correspondent.)

Wellington, October 6.

A specimen of what one member termed legislation under extraordinary conditions was witnessed to-day, commencing shortly after midnight, when a start was made with the long and anxiously expected diicuision upon the Government Liquor Bill. It was soon seen from the uncompromising attitude of tke opposing parties that the House had been launched upon a struggle the end of whioh could not easily be seen. According to their own statement of the case, "the temperance members — that is the Government supporters who wish to see the Government pass a Government policy bill— have entered into a conspiracy of silence to facilitate business." They were determined to make progress, and progress also the Premier deolared he was resolved to make. Then there was a third party, who, though not expressly opposing the bill, contended that the disoussion could come to nothing, and that the Premier on the one hand and the Temperance party on the other were simply playing a game of " bluff" for the edification of the country, each party trying to pose as eaten up with anxiety to pass the bill. As a matter of fact no one in the House has the slightest anticipation that the measure will be passed this session. At the outset of the strugggle members upon both sides of the House outside the ranks of the two parties indicated, made strenuous protests against entering upon the consideration of suoh a measure at euch an hour, but threats and entreaties were alike in vain. After the talk had proceeded for a time, the Premier warned members that if .there was obstruction they would not go home till daylight. It was no use for members to be afraid of the bill, for they would have to tackle it. " Who's afraid P " indignantly asked Mr Buchanan, and the Premier answered, " Those who want to go home." Mr T. Mackenzie contended there was a great deal of humbug that night. There was a force of teetotallers wanting to make out they desired to go on with the work. The Premier was not going to go home and be done by the teetotallers. They ought to devote a speoial day to the bill. "A special week," suggested a member, and Mr R. M'Kenzie then said that neither the Premier nor the teetotallers really wanted to go on with the bill. It was a question of "bluff" on both sides. Other members followed in protest at the late hours, pointing out that it was very inconsistent for the temperance people to insist on proceeding on this occasion when they had again and again opposed late sittings that session. After a warm and rather personal discussion the motion that the Chairman leave the chair was lost on the voices, and one to report progress was substituted. The Chairman 'declared, " The noes have it." Sir Robert Stout demanded that five members should rise in support of the " Ayes " before a division was taken. When they rose he asked that their names should be reoorded, whereupon members rose in numbers and all their names were taken. The motion was then lost by 29 to 26.

Mr Lawry began to make things sultry by denouncing the way in which the Temperance party remained dumb in accordance with the decision of the caucus. Points of order beoanae frequent, and murmurs of "stonewall" went round.

Another motion to report progress was moved by Mr Buchanan at half-pait 2. Important measures, he said, should not be discussed at such an hour. He would oppose the House being driven night after night and morning after morning into such houn. Parcels of important bills had already been dealt with under most undesirable circumstances. Work of this kind would not raise the House in the estimation of the country. Mr Crowther said the challenge for members to stand up was a sort of intimidation. Sir R. Stout assured him that it was according to the Standing Orders, but Mr Crowther said thera were different ways of applying the Standing Orders, and added, " I don't like this sort of intimidation." Sir Robert here made another interjection, whereupon Mr Ccowther, turning to him sharply, said : " I hope Sir Robert Stout will keep his tongue quiet until I get down. I never interrupted him while he was talking." This evoked loud cries of " Oh," and Sir Robert Stout mildly interjected "Go on." Still more angry, Mr Crowther retorted, " Hold your " But here he checked himself, and added, " Until I sit down." The Auckland member asked what was the reason for going on at that time of night. "To get it out ol the way," explained tha Premier. "We could get it out of the way just as well by putting it in the pigeon holes until next year," was Mr Crowther's response.

REIGN OF SILENCE.

Mr Mackenzie protested against the attitude of the Temperance party in refusing to explain or discuss the measure and in resolving to do nothing but vote. They sat perfectly dumb. He then went on to accuse Sir Robert Stout of endeavouring to intimidate his opponents. He (Mr Macker.zie) was a representative of a temperance c-jnsliluency, but he was not going to be bro-ft beaten either in the House or out of it. He reiterated his protest against this reign of silence. Here Mr Lawry took up the running again and denounced what he called the secret compact of the Temperance party, by means of which they hoped to be enabled to rule tha roost. As ft appeared that very little progress would be made, judging by the temper of the House; the Premier suggested they should go on till 3 o'clock and then Jt&oorji (jiU half-DMt 2 or Mondaj _ ftitct-

noon, when he promised' that the Liquof <J&ill would be placed first on the Order Paper. Still the Temperance party sab dumb, and left all the talk to their opponents, in spite of the taunts of Mr Lawry, who said that he had never seen so much discipline in his life. At length half-past 4 arrived, and the House still sat, though Mr T. Maokenzie thought they had had enough of this "tomfoolery." Things went on until, at a quarter to b, Mr Pirani explained the amendment, stating that was the first time, to be in order, anyone had a chance of affording information.

AN EABLT BISSB.

At half-past 6 Mr Duncan walked in, looking quite refreshed. He proceeded to address the House, tantalisingly informing his fellowmembers that he had been in bed since 12. He said he was taking his morning walk before breakfast, and was surprised to find that the House was sitting, and therefore dropped in to advise members to go home and have a little sleep. But it was no use, and even such good advice was ignored. At 9 o'clock Major Harris appealed for an adjournment, stating that he was in want of food ; but the unrelenting Committee still said no, and the sitting wentoa. Mr Lawry here turned upon the unfortunate Premier and rated him for allowing members to play fast and loose with his bill ; and the Premier said, "I said I would let you go as yon pleaie." Mr Seddon replied, and then the. member for Parnell anxiously inquired, " Will you, then, accept the 121 amendments ?"

THE SILENCE BHOKEN.

At 10 o'clock the Temperanoe party burst up their conspiracy of silence, Mr Pirani declaring that as the motion to report progress seemed at length likely to be carried it was time the temperance members had their say aud showed reasons why progress should not be reported. At half-past 10 the motion to report progress was put and carried by 23 to 22. The House then adjourned.

October 9, When the House went into Committee upon the Licensing Bill to-night they started off with clause 12— certainly one of the " knottiest " of the Premier's "few knotty points" of the meaiure. The olause dealt with the constitution of the committees, Mr M'Nab moving an amendment to strike out the olause, with the object of inserting elective committees as v at present. The Premier said, " I oannot accept the amendment," and then added after a slight pause, "unless it is carried." He went on to state that if it was carried all ohance of passing the bill this session would be gone. Th« whole bill would have to be recast.— (Cries of " No.") He (aid he knew the bill as well as Sir R. Stout, and he knew the temper of the House. The proper course would be to postpone this clauie and one or two others, and pass the rest of the measure. This would leave three or four debatable points, and after they were settled the bill would be through this session. — (A Voice: "No; you will never get it through this session.") If the olause was altered they might abandon all hope of passing the measure this session, and the responsibility would rest with the Temperance party. In reply to this, Mr Saunders, on behalf of the teetotallers, stated that if the olause was not altered he for one did not want the bill at all. The Premier's "Beware!" was, however, ignored, and the teetotallers, no longer numb, were soon in the midst of an animated discussion on the advantages of the amendment and the viciousness of the clause as it stood. Dr Newman said the question seemed to be who was going to kill the bill, and went od to suggest that the olause had been put in for that purpose. Mr Seddon replied very warmly to this, saying he oould not sit still and hear such insinuations. He was not seeking an opportunity of throwing the responsibility of killing the bill upon the Temperance party. He did not want the opportunity ; he wanted the bill to go through, and thus get rid of * disturbing element that was being made use of by his opponents. He did not mean that the carrying of the clause would actually kill the bill, but that it would make so many amendments necessary that its passage would be endangered. The discussion then proceeded quietly enough until Mr Tanner said he thought thtre would be no necessity for dropping the bill. " We," he went on, " will take charge of it, dress it up, and make it the sweetest little William he ever saw." To this the Premier replied with dignity that he would not permib Mr Tanner or anyone else to take charge of the bill. It was the Premier's bill, and the Premier was well able to look after it. Clause IS was then struck out on the voices, and the Committee proceeded to disouis the elective licensing committee, proposed bj the teetotallers.