The Longest Sitting on Record.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7652, 10 June 1896, Page 3

The Longest Sitting on Record.

After the longest and possibly the most extraordinary sitting on record the Canadian House of Commons adjourned at fi\e minutes to twelve on Saturday night, says a recent English paper. Tho sitting had lasted since threo o'clock oa the Monday — 129 hours— and, with the exception of a brief intermission each evening for dinner, the talk had been ceaseless. The Liberal leaders had expressed willingness to further the progress of the Manitoba Schools Remedial Bill in committee, but about a dozen of their followers broke away and obstructed the measure on every possible occasion. Threo or four Conservatives, headed by Mr Clarke Wallace, ex-Controller of Customs, united with them, and sot the House at defiance. In order to keep up the debate they read long extracts from newspapers and discussed the affairs of other colonies. One member read and commented upon several chapters of tho Bible. Anothor rond and commented upon certain of Mr W. S. Gilbert's "Bab Ballads" for the space of an hour. Thero was some disordor on Friday, and two members very nearly came to blows ; but on the whole the sitting was borne with good humor by the majority of members. On Saturday Ihe Chairman was asked to say if tho Saturday rule applied to that day's sitting, and gravely decided that that day was Monday in a parliamentary sense.