STRENGTHENING THE OPPOSITION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCVIII, Issue 15163, 6 October 1913, Page 9

STRENGTHENING THE OPPOSITION.

A MIDNIGHT INCIDENT.

(Feoji Oojr JSpeoiai. Cobeespondent.)

• WELLINGTON, Oct. 4. The Opposition in the House of Representatives often abandon to the Government the duty of ''keeping a house of maintaining,'' that is to say the quorum of members in the abseence of which business cannot proceed. Just before nridniyht last night when the second reading debate in the Land Bill was in progress, the Opposition side of the House presented an array of empty benches. The only Oppositionists in their places were Messrs Forbes, Witty and McCallum, the latter of whom was lying down. Attracted by the unoccupied territory "over the way," a number of Government members moved across. The Hon. F. M. B. Fisher and Mr J. B. Hine took possession of the bench usually occupied bv Messrs Russell and Hanan. Mr F.' H. Smith, after sampling the Leader of the Opposition's bench, joined Mr J. H. Bradney in a bench on the second tier, and after a time the new Opposition was joined by the Hon. W. Fraser, and- presently Mr Laurenson came in, and, after an admiring survey of the latest additions tc the Opposition, shook hands all round. Mr Hanan, who came in next was even more demonstrative. He put an arm round Mr Bradney r s neck in an. affectionate embrace.. When the "new Opposition" had melted away there were only seven,bona fido Oppositionists in their places, and the total included two Labour members.