POLITICAL NOTES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144198, 15 September 1913, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

LONG STONEWALL, STUBBORN OPPOSITION. WEARY AND JADED HOUSE. BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. WELLINGTON, Sept. 15. The Opposition successfully stonewalled the estimates right through to midnight on Saturday. It was a-wdary and jaded House towards the finish, although tho last ten minutes were electrically exciting. At 11.20 Mr. Herries challenged the Opposition ’ to take a division:

“Ah, ha I” chuckled Mr. Isitt, “The voice of the charmer.” At 1T.30 the committee was fiat and exhausted. The greater number of the members were stretched out upon their benches in slumber. _ There were about a dozen Oppositionists on view who kept the ball rolling with platitudinous reiterations of fanciful reasons for reporting progress. With ten minutes to go the Prime Minister rose and referred l to the day as having been “The silliest and most unreasonable waste of time:” At once there was disorder. Mr. Massey said he wanted to review the day’s proceedings, •. but at this there was a point of order from Mr, Wiiford. “Was the hon. gentleman entitled,” he asked, “to review the past 24 hours P Should ho not confine * himself merely to the motion to report progress?” Mr. Massey said ho proposed to review tho day to give reasons why progress should not be, reported, -j Mr. Malcolm ruled, that the Prime Minister was in order. Mr. Wilford moved at once that the committee report progress, bo that the Speaker’s ruling could'be taken on the chairman’s ruling. The Chairman was on the point of putting this motion when Mr. Massey desired to speak. There had been far too much waste of time he said.

“Point of order,” called Mr.' Wilford, amidst further confusion. Mr. Massey, ho claimed, must'not introduce contentious matter.

With the time slipping away, and his say. urisaid, Mr. ‘Massey started again at five minutes to twelve. Ho wished to compare what had been done on those estimates with those' of last year. . " ‘ Four, minutes to go. , ■ . Mr. Laurenson claimed a point of order and after, considerable confusion the Chairman, at two minutes to twelve,,said “Under the circumstances, although it is not quite twelve o’clock I shall leave the chair and return to it at 2.30 o’clock on. Monday.”. On resuming bn Monday the.* same tactics must bo pursued as? reports which the Opposition want ordinarily cannot be tabled till' the , House meets on Tuesday. ,An interesting time lies ahead.