POLITICAL NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2645, 29 October 1909, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

PRIVATE MEMBERS’ DAY

(Special to “Times.”) WELLINGTON, Oct. 28. To-day’s sittings oMihe House was a field for the private member. Iho whole of the afternoon was devoted to traversing Ministerial replies to questions, the discussion being based on the recognised abortive motion, “lbat the House do now adjourn.” Of course, no one expects or desires the motion to be carried; it is simply moved as means to an end, without any definiLO end in view beyond embalming in Hansard tho corpses of members’ eloquence upon which might oppositely be placed the inscription “His jaeet.” The discussion on the replies having terminated by 5 o’clock, a further loss of time took place by the House acceding to Air. Hogg’s "suggestion that the second reading of his Flour Duty Abolition Bill, which was next on the Order Paper, should be deferred until 7.30 p.m. Evidently he desired to speak under the stimulus of the electric light as most members do. It was futile, however, in his case, for as soon as lie had completed his moving speech there was a dead silence until the Speaker put* the question that the Bill be read o second time. Tho voices preponderated in favor of the noes, and a division resulted in casting out- the Bill by a substantial majority. The 1 debate on the second reading of Mr. Fisher’s Legislature Amendment Bill, which "had occupied part of a previous sitting, was resumed, and brought forth diverse opinions from members of both sides of the House,on the merits and demerits of the Second Ballot Bill. Mr. Forbes, as tho debate was flagging, revived interest, b\x moving that the Bill bo read a second, time that day six months, and so the debate was prolong ed. No one expected to see the Bui reach the Statute Book.