GAGGING THE BLETHERSKITES.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 74, 1 December 1887, Page 2

GAGGING THE BLETHERSKITES.

Our Wellington correspondent a few days ago commented on a motion that was brought forward in the House to limit the time allowed to speakers. Of course the verbose word-spouts whose conduct gave rise to the proposition were immediately up in arms to prevent the unrestricted liberty of debate being restricted, etc. It is absurd to see the way in which the colony is to put to expense to gratify the boundless vanity of a class that plagues our colonial institutions. " Words, words—nothing but words” is always applicable when they are seen rising !o their feet, and the epithets that are applied to the ceaseless bores would make any-but the most thick-skinned and glib-tongued talkers come to . reason. There are other members who do not talk so much for the sake of talking as to have their words recorded in Hansard, so that their constituents might know they were not silent. The proposal of Mr Samuel was not to restrict members—that is certainly what is wanted—but to have their speeches unreported after a certain time, and thus put a stop to the waste of labor that is necessary in connection with the production of Hansard. The extra cost entailed in that work is bad enough, but the waste of time and annoyance to others is worse. A reform is much needed, but how it .is to be managed is a question more easily asked than answered. It has been suggested that Hansard should be abolished, but t’ ere aie two sides to this question, and many very good arguments could be g'ven against such a course. If the word-spouts could be treated by the Hanstrd reporters as they are by the newspaper staffs the matter would be solved at once. The present session is a good proof of what can be done in the way of business. During the first few weeks members might as well have been at home, but now that they are in danger of losing their Christmas comforts a determine ! push is being made to get through with the work.