HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Inangahua Times, Volume IX, Issue 1467, 7 November 1884, Page 2

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wellington, SI. After supper last, evening, the House went into committee upon the West land Education Bill. The member for Grey moved that the words " two districts" be struck out, with the view of inserting the word " our*.," and so keeping the district as it is. This amendment was lost by fonv votes. Mr Guinness then commenced to stonewall the bill, by moving the i 'Chairman report progress. On this I being last Mi- Mcnteath moved that the Chairman do leave the chair, and used very ; strong terms in alluding to the Hold ■ tika people. j Captain Slitter urged that the whole j . question had been discussed in the. ' House years ago until hon. members j had got quite "sick of it." (Hear hear). Mr Me nt oath said he had never seen it in Hansard. Mr Guinness affirmed that the Wrstlanu Board of Education had been "a disgrace to Westland." He would divide on thq question that the word " Westlaud " lie struck oub of the bill. Mr Shriniski fiercely warned Ml' Guinness that he. (Mr Guinness) would ! not succeed in keeping the House up : all night on such paltry matters. " It. ! was all humbug, and he (Mr Guinness) ! would be paid out for it some day. ' Mr Guinness appealed to the Chair whether these words were parliamentary or not. The Chairman commanded order and a final division tool? place, scarcely ! a single hon. member besides the j West Coast ones knowing what the ! division was about, Several attempts at 'reporting progress were made, and a few count outs tried, but without success, the West Coasters still managing to stick to their text. Mr Guinness appealed to Mr Shrirnski to come to his views. Mr Shrimski would desire Mr ! Guinness to come to his. — (Laugh ter.) Mr Guinness though Mr Shrimski was a blower, a bouncer, and the most noisy member in the House, who always made a great fuss when in a minority. The House gradually, thinned when Mr Guinness declined to speak any longer to empty benches. A quorum was rung in however and the process of emptying and filling the House was resorted to several times. I Mr Guinness said that he could not J evidently convince the House that the bill should not be allowed to pass. He would therefore cease his opposition. The bill was finally reported with amendment. The House adjourned at 2.20 this morning. During one of the attempts to count out a laughable incident occurred. The member for Matauru was bolting out of the House and had got as far as the ayes lobby. Without him there was ao ' quorum. Th« member for Kumara saw the move and placing his arm within that of the member for Mataura, said, " not so fast please there's no harm intended, but you must stop." Mr Richardson seeing he could not extricate himself from the vice-like grip of the " irrepressible,' 1 was preparing to resign himself to fate when one of tile messengers, a sturdy Shetlander, rushed into the lobby with a letter in his hand, addressed to the member for Kuinara, and mark jrgent. " Cuut't be bothered with it now," said Seddon. "Ou mon, it's vera, importan,; read- it, I'll liqlcl your mon for ye." Saying this, Donald laid hold of the would be runaway. The two .members at thifi were convulsed with laughter, tho doors were locked, the bars quorum was present at the division, " and the bjll was saved." 4> Evidently the messenger enter into the spirit of the struggles which occasionally take place. The letter ,in question, was fro,m' one of the. wliips, 'wliq allied . that the debate shqulfi be kept jon, he having tak«n • a .cab to • fetcLseveral members batk so as to pratfeiit a count 'out, ■• "- ; ;. Jj '•■ " ■;■

On the motion that the Westland Education District Sub-Division Bill do pass being moved. Mr Menteath delivered a long oration, and prophesied that the House was doing its best to break down the ; education system on the Coas , and that the children would suftar. Mr Guinness followed in the same . strain and lodged his solemn protest. Tln j poor children would We deprived of the means of education. The Premier replied that with dne economy the children and teachers i would not be injured. The only ones who were likely to suffer wore those gentlemen who, for some time past, had pocketed moneys that should have been otherwise expended. The action of the late Westland Board was simply disgraceful and was nigh akin to criminality. Separation was the only thing to cure the evil. On a division the third reading was carried ; ayes, 35, noes, 24. Sir J. Yogel moved the second . reading of tho Consolidated btock Act. M.ijor Atkinson moved that the bill be read this day six months. ' The debate is proceeding, and the ) House meets to morrow.