Parliamentary Debates; Senate and House of Representatives Volume 29 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 Excerpt: ...otherwise have been the case. Very frequently it has caused lack of interest in the measure under discussion, and legislation has been conducted in a manner which cannot be regarded as satisfactory. I look upon it as a two-edged weapon. Mr. Joseph Cook.--Were not the improvement lease clauses "gagged" through the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales? Mr. WEBSTER.--I have not a distinct recollection on the point. But I remember that honorable members were "gagged" when they sought to discuss some consolidating Bills which came down from the Legislative Council. Mr. Speaker ruled that the Assembly had no power to amend those Bills, and their discussion being considered useless, the closure was applied to prevent it. I think that it was a wrong ruling to say that the House should not discuss whether they were proper consolidating Bills, but that was the ruling given, and as it was not dissented from, the closure was applied to prevent debate. Mr. Sydney Smjth.--Was it not afterwards found that the observations of the members who were commenting on one of the Bills, and to whom the closure was applied, were fullv justified? Mr. WEBSTER.--Yes; but that does not appear to afford any ground for declining to apply the closure in this House. As I have said before, the closure is likely to recoil upon any party that introduces it; but there are circumstances in which we have to depart from what we may regard as proper principles, and apply drastic renied'es in order to insure the reasonable transaction of public business. From what I havd learned as to the events of last week, I have come to the conclusion that the Opposition are responsible for bringing about the present action on the part of the Government. The honorable member for New Englan...