WHO PUT BACK THE CLOCK?

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3124, 15 February 1871, Page 3

WHO PUT BACK THE CLOCK?

[Nelaon Colonist.] There has been some talk outside — it has never been whispered in the newspapers — that the story of Sir David Monro's tampering with the clock of the House of Representatives, to serve the party purposes of the Ministry, is not correct. Unfortunately for the Speaker's idea of what is due to himself, and to ths office of the Speaker, to say nothing of the members, the story is literally and exactly true. It happened thus : About the month of August, 1802, the Fox Ministry was turned out of olfice by the casting vote of the Speaker, such a casting vote being an unusual thing to be given against a Ministry. r Jhe Stafford Ministry came into power, ancl they produced a Native Lands Bill, which they were most anxious to pass through the House. The story is thus narrated in the " New Zealand Spectator" of 13th September, 1862 :— The end of the seseion approached, and a Ministerial bill was in difficulty. Ministers wanted to gefc (he bill sent to tbe Upper Houso before the afternoon adjournment, (on Friday, sfch September.) Dr Monro (the Speaker) thereupon sent a messenger into the gallery, unknozun to Ike House, and pul the clock back ten minutes. Ec then forwarded the bill a a stage, and gofc it through. But for this unworthy and unprecedented trick, the bill would not then have got through. However, on the next sitting day, Mr Fox tabled a motion, and on Tuesday, Dili September, he moved : — That a select committee be appointed to enquire into the circumstancea under which, and by whoae authority fche clock was put back on Friday laat, after the arrival of the usual hour for Mr Speaker to leave fche ohair ; euch committee to conaiat of Mr Carloton, Mr Jollie, Mr O'Rorke and Mr Saundera. (Vide I Journals of ihe Mouse of Representatives, 1862, page 159.) Mr Fox pointed out how serious this seemingly trivial question really was. A highly important measure had been passed through its first stages after the tune had expired, when, accoiding to the Stauding Q rders of the House, no business could be done; and when honorable members had lelt their seats in the confidence that tliese rules would be carried out. In consequence of this proceeding, continued Mr Fox, the Native Lands Bill had loft the House in a state different from what it might have done; i and he believed one of its clauses, upon I whioh mony members at the time placed j a great deal of faith, would be found by no moans so great a protection to the provinces as was at first sight supposed. He then referred to the serious mischief and injustice that would probably follow such tamperings with the clock, as members could never leave the House with any assurance that business would not be transacted at any hours ; and measures might be brought forward and passed during hours at which members supposed they could with safety leave their seats. The Speaker thereupon admitted the soft impeachment. He understood it was the wish of many members that the bill should be passed on to the Legislative Council at once ; and, therefore, he had ordered the clock to be stopped, and put back, to allow time to put the necessary forms. He apologised to the House for having adopted a course which he must admit was altogether irregular and unjustifiable. On this apology being made, Mr Fox withdrew the motion. We are not surprised that many people, who hear for the first time of this disregard of the high honor that attaches to tho Speaker's office, should be disposed to receive it with incredulity. But we should not have dared to publish a statement ofthe kind had it been untrue, for it would then have been a case of defamation and libel of the gravest nature. But it is a matter of colouial history, and was performed in the service of the then new Ministry which Sir David Monro's own casting-vote had put into power. He sacrificed the honor of the Speaker's office for party purposes. The bill, thus indecently and dishonestly pushed through the Lower House, was as we have suid, the Naiive Lands Purchase

Bill, which has proved very injurious to the North Island, and such injury may, not unfairly, be traced to the honorable gentleman who stopped the clock. Perhaps some clever penman who accuses this journal of " castigating" (it is his own word,) Sir David Monro because "he refuses to bow the knee to Yogel," will strive to • learn somewhat of truth, and say what punishment •uch a rare but flagrant offence merits.