BLIND SUPPORT,

Otago Witness, Issue 2323, 8 September 1898, Page 24

BLIND SUPPORT,

During the debate on the Hansard question, .Mr Pirani drew the attention of the DeputySpeaker to the fact that Mr Meredith had slept through the last three divisions without being approached by anyone, yet his vote was lecorded with the x Government. Mr Meredith, on being roused, stated that he voted with the Government. THE BUSINESS DONE. The month of September has now been, entered on, and the only measures of import-

ance which have been disposed of are the "Municipal Franchise Bill and the Banking Bill. Some 66 bills still remain on the Order Paper, of Avhich about 46 are Government h Erasures, and besides these the House will, of course, haA'e to discuss the Estimates, the Public Works Statement, and other important matters. Members, howeA'er, are in no humour for business, especially after the occurrences of the last fortnight, and the general opinion seems to be that the session will be a • somewhat barren one. ILLEJSTRATIXG HANSARD. The extraordinary debate provoked by the •unprecedented demand of the Minister for Lands to have a map of Sir John Hall's estate circulated Avith Hansard came to an end shortly before 5 o'clock this morning after having occupied the attention of the House for neirly a week. The victory is certainly not one concerning -Hindi Ministers have any jreason to congratulate themselves, for after haA'ing .'trained the loyalty of the party almost to breaking- point they could only, and that Avith the help of the three Maori votes, secure a majority of four votes. Even such strong Ministerialists as Messrs M'Nab and Tanner voled against their party, and the Left Wing AA'ent solidly Avith the Opposition. The only I wo members not accounted for Avere ' Messrs Jno. Hutcheson, of Wellington, and 'R. Thompson, of Marsden. Both of these . gentlemen Avere, it is understood, opposed to . the insertion of the map, but apparently as a . sort of compromise the Premier succeeded in persuading them to refrain from A'oting. Unfortunately, the Opposition haA'e two men away in the persons of Messrs J. Allen and Hono Heke. The outecme of the debate really means that the Minister for Lands is io receive exceptional tieatmcnt, as the Goa eminent majority deliberately rejected an amendment to the Premier's motion wiih the objoct of granting similar privileges to other m ambers. Never perhaps in the whole history of Parliament has the majority of the dominant party been used in such a tyrannical Avay. Hitherto it had been recognised that e^ual treatment Avas guaranteed to all • alike by (he power of the Speaker, the provisions of the Standing- Orders, and the immenrtCiial usages of Parliament. But noAV all these safeguards have been rudely brushed aside, and a party majority may at any time only insert a map to gratify the whim of *a Minister, but also refuse to allow unpalatable truths uttared by their opponents to be recorded in Hansard. If a majority can do the one it can do the other.