The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men. Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. TUESDAY, SEPT. 13, 1892.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3155, 13 September 1892, Page 2

The Waikato Times AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. Equal and exact justice to all men. Of whatsoever state or persuasion, religious or political. TUESDAY, SEPT. 13, 1892.

It is well known that although Parliamentary debates frequently modify opinions, they very seldom influence votes, more particularly when the question under debate is ruled by the Ministry to be taken on party lines. When a Bill is in committee a minority can, as a protest against the measure obstruct its passage, but they know when they have entered their protest against 1 the passing of a clause and given their reasons, that further resistance is futile, and ofFering it inevicably leads to a " stonewall " which is certainly the least edifying feature in Parliamentary government. The majority will not allow adjournment and a trial of physical endurance ensues, with the inevitable result that the greater number gains the point. The present Opposition have' most certainly right on their side when they protest against Ministers forcing clauses through committee when the House is both physically and mentally exhausted. The gross errors which have been rectified in several measures sent up to the Council are evidence of slip shod work or legislative incapacity. It is well known to the initiated that the most valuable work performed by Parliament is by the different committees. It is manifestly impossible that members can sit in the House till all hours in the morning and be in a fit state to attend to their committee duties that day, so that the evils of late sittings are twofold, the measures before the Houses are imperfectly considered and the work in committee is indifferent, if not altogether bad and only a bare quorum being usually present. The " stonewall " on the Land Bill last week ended as all others have before it; the majority conquered. That it took place is unquestionably due in a great measure to Sir G. Grey who stated that he would use all the forms of tho House to prevent the residential clause passing. This was the excuse the acting Premier gave for coercing the House, by refusing adjournment. Sir George's threat meant of course delaying business which all Ministers are anxious to expedite, in fact amounted to an attempt to coerce Ministers, and Mr Seddon's retaliatory measure was the natural sequence. The constituencies of course expect their members to guard their interests by watching every clause of every measure brought before Parliament, and raising their voices against those which they consider injurious. They do not, however expect them to go so far as to promote a " stonewall," which as we have pointed out always results in the defeat of the minority, and lowers Parliament in the estimation of the people, who have depicted to them by the J newspapers the absurdity of a number of men talking an indefinite number of hours without the slightest hope of influencing a single vote, with tho full knowledge that nobody is listening to them, and no wonder, as the speeches of stonewallers are usually about as coherent as the story told by the Mrs Brown who once went to the play.