SCENE IN THE FRENCH CHAMBER.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1182, 23 September 1885, Page 4

SCENE IN THE FRENCH CHAMBER.

There was a stormy " scene in the French Chamber on July 10, during the discussion of the Budget. The Paris correspondent of the " Standard " says : Ono of the most respected members of the House, Baron de Mackau, who belongs to the Right, but cannot be considered in any degree a fanatic, called attention to the accumulated deficits of the last five years, which he pointed out, went on increasing at a more rapid ratio than the Budget itself. He warned the majority that the people would hold them responsible for squandering the resources of the country in a variety of party jobs ; the running up of palatial buildings for primary schools in districts where the natives lived in hovels, theruinousTongkingexpedition, the creation of offices to provide the friends and relatives of the ruling party with means of exisetnee, and the scandalous endowment of rioters. This was an obvious reference to the fund created to indemnify the "patriots" who were held to have suffered for their participation in j the resistance to the Coup d' Etat in 1851, and was resented accordingly. Hardly were the words La doiiathn de I'emevte'pxxt of the speaker's mouth than there arose a tempest from the benches of the Left. Honorable members rushed from their seats and clustered in the open space in front of the tribune, shouting, screaming, gesticulating, and shaking their fists at M. de Mackau. M. Spuller, who occupied the chair, rang his bell vigoronsly, but nothing could be heard above the din. When a lull occurred M. Sputter oalled upon the t speaker, who stood out in,© storm with ' the composure of an old sailor, to withdraw the word " entente." M. de Mackau denied that he had been guilty of any impropriety, and intimated that he would not withdraw anything he had said. He attempted to go on with his speech, but the hammering of desks and the shouting rendered him quite inaudible, and, gathering up his papers, he shrugged his shoulders, left the tribune, and resumed his seat, where be was surrounded by his friends, who ostentatiously shook hands with him. The President then called him to order, and declared that the incident was closed. But the irrepressible [ M. Madier de Montjau paid no heed to | the cloture, and proceeded to attack the ; Coup <f Etat> and eulogise those who had ; resisted it, which naturally led to a | repitition of the tumult. In the course ot the uproar, M. Joliboia was called to order. M. Jolibois, who was for 10 years Secretary to the Imperial Council of State, held his ground. He maintained that whatever the origin of the Empire, it had been absolved by universal suffrage, and that the Republic had no such sanction. (Uproar.) They never dared to submit it to the test of a popular vote ; they dared not do it now. (Fearful tumult.) M. Lockroy protested against this scandalous attempt of rehabilitating the Empire. (Applause from the Left; uproar on the Bight.) M. Jolibois complained that the President did not protect him. (Cries o£ "Oh, oh," aad applause from fche Rfghfc. ) The President, M. Spuller, said he might not be perfect in his duties as President, bub he should never fail in his duty as a citizen and a Republican, and his conscience commanded him to stigmatise the crime of December. (Applause.) M. Jolibois, leaving the tribune : " Such words are not worthy of the President of this house. They are meant to win back the electors who are turning their backs upon him." (Tremendous noise.) M. Spuller once more called M. Joliboia to order, with inscription in the minutes — a formality which mulcts him of a fortnight's pay. The sitting was adjourned, but not before M. Germain, a great authority on finance,

had put on record the appalling fact that the deficit of the Budget of the present year was not less than 650,000,000 francs, or £26,000,000.