SCENES IN AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENTS.

Timaru Herald, Volume VII, Issue 230, 10 August 1867, Page 3

SCENES IN AUSTRALIAN PARLIAMENTS.

The Sydney Morning Harold of the 6th ult says that on the previous night Mr Dignam addressed the House, but a few moments after he had commenced to speak, attention was called to the presence of strangers m the House, and the reporters had to retire. The following is the exordium of the speech m course of delivery when the House was cleared :— Mr Speaker, the hon. member for Central Cumberland has .got bo infatuated that he barks at any bite, and shews his nose at anything like a ghost. It is a most remarkable thing. Mr Speaker, that the hon. member is not to be held. You can't get him at anything. What am Ito do? lam a Government supporter because, forsooth, I ask you, knowing the state m which you have been sweated there, m that chair, and seeing the way they are going on with him ! I respect you. I will not see you murdered. But here he is ; because, forsooth, I ask a question he turns round and says I'm one of the Government rags ; one of the G-overnment tripe coves — bullock and lights, or anything else. He wants to make a mass of muck of my name. I do not care for the Government or him. lam such a sort of infatuated fool that I don't care for myself or anybody else. In this question I was not advised nor was I requested by the G-overnment to take the question of the vacant House or the want of members, but when I see a man like that is, that wants to have his eye teeth drawn out, or cut out, or something else, and put into a state of being civilised, or something of this kind, why, any hon. member as feels his dignity hurt by the way m which this man is running down, goring and running in — fine thorough bred fellows — we are obliged to put him out — obliged to do it, and I think I'm doing my duty m just stopping his gab. The hon. member who moved the motion : there is no member m this House, Mr Speaker so fond, I believe, of himself, as he is. He knows it ; and I accuse him although he is the Government outside man. But still what does he want to do with the Governor? Leave him alone. Leave Sir John alone. Why, bless my soul! He's got a card or somebody else has to a feed. Anybody that'll give a feed, leave him alone — that's what I say. But these people who used to be, John knows where, — (its very well for him to gammon to be asleep) they never used to give a feed. You know that, Mr Speaker, as well as I do." The reporters and other " strangers" were here ordered to withdraw, and, the Noachian operation having been performed, m regard to the hon. member's oratory, his style of speaking was called m question, whereupon it is said that the remonstrant was threatened with the vigorous application of a big stick.

The following amusing picture is drawn by the Argus of the 20th ult, of the state of party feeling m the Victorian Parliament : — After the longest sitting on record, extending over thirty-one hours, the Legislative Assembly of Victoria, at 11 o'clock- hist night, adjourned until Tuesday next. This is without exception, the most determined contest that has ever taken place between the Ministerialist party and the Opposition — the majority and the minority — m the Colony. The minority, however, on this occasion had decided advantage. They could keep up the game with only two members present, the Government had to secure at all times a quorum of twenty members. The matter of dispute was ostensibly the Additional Estimates, which were brought down, amounting, exclusive of

re-votes, to over £200,000. The Opposition contended that the considers tion of the matter should not be entered on until the Treasurer had made a supplementary financial statement. The (xovernment and their supporters contended that the votes should be taken first, and the statement made afterwards. The actual reason, however, of the determined struggle was, that m the Additional Estimates appeared the sum of £20,000 for Lady Darling. It was believed that the Ministerialists wished to pass this prior to the departure of the outgoing mail, and the Opposition were determined to take advantage of the forms of the House to prevent the realization of this desire. The minority achieved the wißhed-for delay, and at ten o'clock last night a compromise was arrived at, the Opposition consenting to go on with the Estimates on the Treasurer's assurance that any vote, not a re-vote, which was objected to should be postponed. It was pretty evident that this arrangement did not cover the Lady Darling vote, since, as that had been asserted to by the House, it was a question whether, although it had never appeared on the Estimates, it was not a re-vote. Although this matter was the principal cause of the contention, it was somewhat amusing to observe how dexterously all reference to it was avoided, till at last it was alluded to by Messrs Levy and Orr, and at a later period, by the Attorney- Greneral. It seemed to be understood the mere mention of the matter would be the signal for an outbreak to which all that had proceeded it would be but a trifle. Shortly after midnight on "Wednesday strangers were ordered to withdraw from the House, and the press left the gallery. Subsequently, we are informed, some amusing scenes took place. One hon. member indulged" m brandy and water whilst luxuriating m the Speaker's chair, and doubtless mediating on the happiness it would afford him could he not only sit m the seat but draw the salary ; two other hon. members are represented as doing a little amateur theatrical business m one corner of the chamber, whilst bad recitations and stale jokes were being retailed m another. At one time an hon. member, noted for bis sonorous eloquence, was addressing the Chamber, and observed with evident gratification the nods of assent given by the Chief Secretary, the Attorney- General, and the Chairman of Committees ; but his self-conceit received a startling shock when, finishing his oration, he discovered that the hon. gentlemen alluded to were asleep, and the nods were a tribute to the god of sleep rather than to himself. A laughable occurrence took place about four o.clock on Thursday morning. Most of those present were anything but very wide-awake, when the Chairman, whose head had for some time been slightly verging from the perpendicular, suddenly appeared to think he ought to do something. He therefore hastily proposed the first vote on the Estimates, and before hon. members were well aware of what was going on, it was carried. At 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, the public were re-admitted, and business went on m the ordinary manner. Whilst on this subject, we may say that the statement which has been circulated, to the effect that on Wednesday night, whilst the reporters were present, the Legislative Chamber presented a scene such as might be witnessed "m a rat-pit or at a cockfight," is utterly without foundation. The debate was conducted throughout m an orderly and temperate manner, such as is rarely seen upon, such occasions. The only disreputable episode was a series of recriminatory * charges, indulged m by the hon. membersMessrs Jones and Gh P. Smith, which went to prove that neither is a particularly desirable member of the House. The votes ultimately agreed to before progress was reported, amounted to £99,605 ss, and included the sum of £66,800 due to New South Wales on account of the Border duties.