WELLINGTON NEWS

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXI, Issue 3666, 21 October 1897, Page 4

WELLINGTON NEWS

(own OOBBIOTOSDENT) THE BUSINESS OF THE COUNTS!. It mutt be admitted that the 140 legislators no* entering on the fourth week of their labours hare done very little for their pay so far. The only measures that hare gone through yet consist of an Imprest Bill for £350,000, to enable Government to pay its way, and a taxing bill to enable the Land and Income tax to be collected. Both these beneficent enactments wore hurried through with that celerity for which the Bight Honourable Dr Seddon is noted when he wants more money to spend. All the rest hare been wrangling chiefly on the question as to whether the Government shall have a majority of 9 to 1 on the sessional committees, as proposed by the Government, or only 6 to 4, as suggested by the Opposition. This occupied most of last week and no oouclusion has yet been arrived at. It is inevitable that the Government will have to give way, for if not the Opposition will prefer to fight every subject out on the floor of the House rather than stultify themselves by being over-ruled by a swamping majority of Ministerial recording machines in the committee rooms. As an instance of the determination to gain their ends by any means the question of “ pairs ” is at present the cause of some very unpleasant friction between the Whips. It is a very convenient custom, especially for members who like to get to bed early. Two members, from opposite sides of the House, agree to “ pair ” and the agreement is noted in the hooks of the Whips on both sides. If one happens to be in the House aud the other absent, he refrains from voting. 8o long as members act honorably no harm is done, but it has been reserved for the Liberal side of the House to bting discredit on the custom. Messrs B. McKenzie and P. O’liegan, two very firm supporters of the Government, hold seats on the Westport Harbour Board. They were put there by the Ministry for similar reasons that induced a discriminative Government to provide Mr Larnach with a trip to Queensland, and Messrs Fisher and Steward with a picnic costing over £BOO on the Private Benefit Society's Commission—to keep them sweet. These Harbour Board privileges aid their personal emoluments of £2O a month as members of Parliament by another £l2O each. The Hon B. H. Beeves, M.L.C., is also a Harbour Boarder, and although Messrs O’Jtegan and McKenzie were content to leave Parliament for a week to enable them to draw their precious travelling allowances, it was incumbent on them to leave their votes behind them, so they approached Messrs Lethbridge and Fraser to pair with them. The two Opposition members referred them to their Whip, Mr Massey, who said he would give no pairs on the first division, nor did he, and Messrs Lethbridge and Fraser voted. The two West Coasters raised a howl that the pairs had been broken and next morning the Times camo out with a leaderette breathing indignation at the “ deplorable aod discreditable conduct ” of the Opposition members. As there was a good deal of mock thunder going on in the lobbies as well, Mr Massey forwarded the following significant notice to the Government Whip To C. H. Mills, Esq :—Dear Sir :—I have to inform you that until an ample apology is made to the Opposition for the grossly untruthful charges that certain Opposition members had broken thei# pairs in the recent division, do Dow pairs will be given by the Opposition.—W. F. Massey.” This morning the Times, under the bead of "An Explanation ” published an apology, but that will not end the matter, for it will be brought up as soon as the House meets to-morrow afternoon and some one will have to eat the leek.