THE CLOTURE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VIII, Issue 1300, 20 April 1881, Page 2

THE CLOTURE.

A uoon deal has been heard lately, in connection with the proceedings of our Houso of Commons, of a foreign word which must be unfamiliar to a large portion of our readers. The French word Cloture literally means an enclosing, and almost as literally a finishiug or ending. In its theatrical use it refers to the last night of a particular performance, and in its special Parliamentary sense it means the artificial or arranged conclusion of a debate. In almost all the great Parliamentary assemblages of the world it has been found necessary to place some restrictions upon the liberty of prolonging debate. It ib perfectly obvious that in every large legislative assembly, such restrictions are absolutely necessary, and the question as to their existence is whether they arise, without the necessity of formal rule, from the moderation and good sense of the members of the|assembly, or from the formal rules which the assembly has enacted for its own protection. Theoretically every member has a right to speak at any length on every subject introduced ; but practically this liberty must be reduced to a fair and full representation of the arguments on the various Bides of the sub-

ject ; for otherwise legislation, which is constantly required, would become impossible, especially when any body of members, however small, persistently use it for purposes of obstruction. With experience of obstruction, or in dread of it. most of the great legislative assemblies of the the world have in some form or other adopted the Cloture— that is to say, a fornnl method of closing debates and brinj;ini»the question in hand to a vote, despite the wish of certain members to continue to speak upon it. In France, from whence the word, conies, the President of either House has large powers in Uuß respect, and can put a proposal to £he House for closing a debate, allowing only one speaker to contend against it. But an important exception is made with regard to the Ministers of rhe Government and reporters of committees, who are not bound by the Cloture, and can claim a right to speak whenever they please. This, however, is modified by an oppoi sing member having always a lig'it to spenk after the Minister. Thus the closing of a debate is practically left in the hands of the Ministry after a majority of the House has determined to support the President in closing a debate. The British Government has lately published details, which it has obtained through its diplomatic agents from which it appears that the Cloture exiats, in various forma, in Fi'auce, Germany, Austria, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Holland, Portugal, Spain, and the United States of America. In the latter country, where every public maD, except a successful general, is expected to be able to make a good speech, it exists in a very simple and complete shape ; for, if a motion for the previous question is put and carried by a simple majority of the members present, all debate ceases on the question before the House and a vote is immediately taken. The only country of any importance, besides our own, where there is no formal means of putting an end to a debate is Sweden and Norway ; but that is not a country troubled with burning questions, and the deputies are mostly quiet farmers and country gentlemen, not much troubled with the cacoellws hquendi. In the Hungarian Diet also there is no Cloture ; but,- ttpjjill lately, the proceedings of that body were conducted in Latin which put a considerable check upon the loquacity of the members. — European Mail.