A GIGANTIC OTAGO JOB.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 175, 28 July 1888, Page 3

A GIGANTIC OTAGO JOB.

GALLANT ATTEMPT TO FRUSTRATE A NOTORIOUS IMPOSITION. POLITICIANS PLAYING AT SILLY BOYS. NOTHING BUT WASTE. [standard special correspondent I Wellington, yesterday. The proceedings in connection with the Otago Central Railway Bill are o£ the most remarkable kind, though it would not be stretching a point to say they are disgraceful. The House was sitting all night, and the debate is still proceeding at noon. Mr Goldie (Auckland) had spoken for two hours and a half last night, and was still on the preliminary canter of his speech when he was brought up by a point of order. He then ’ postponed the main part of his speech till a

later period of the debate. Mr Robert Thompson took up the running, and spoke for four Hours and forty-seven minutes. His discourse was full of reasoning and argument, and was far above the average of stonewall speeches. He annoyed Mr Pyke very seriously by suggesting that the names of the syndicate should be struck out and those of Stout and Ballance inserted in their places. Several times he complained that members were snoring instead of listening, and the Chairman had each time to send round a messenger to awaken members, Sir George followed Mr Thompson, with an eloquent speech lasting an hour and a half. It was then about seven o’clock in the morning.

Major Steward relieved Mr Hamlin as Chairman, while during the night Messrs Pyke, Barron, and Hutebisom had taken charge of the Bill in turns. Mr Duncan followed Sir George Grey, and the earlier part of the speech was interrupted by the breakfast adjournment of an hour. At nine o’clock, when the galleries were again opened, and Mr Duncan was speaking, and continued till eleven, when he stopped for refreshment. After a discourse of three hours Sir G. Grey, who, like the others was up all night, entered the chamber, while Mr Duncan was speaking, and was cheered by the House.

Mr Fish, looking as fresh as a daisy, continned the debate, and was frequently interrupted by the ringing of the bell for a quorum (five times Messrs Joyce, Scobie McKenzie and Fitchett had to leave breakfast to make up the quorum). He argued a compromise between parties. Mr Fish was still speaking at noon, and was saying that the Otago Central should be constructed out of the unexpended balance of the North Island Trunk loan.

There is every prospect of the sitting continuing until midnight on Saturday, when the House must adjourn. Mr Fish continued his speech until one o'clock this afternoon, when be had been speaking two hours. He urged that the debate should then be adjourned till another day, to allow the Government business to proceed. At one o’clock Mr Hamlin adjourned the debate till 2.30 p.m., when the debate was again re. Burned.