Page:Australian views of England.djvu/75

  When Mr. Locke King moved, a member on the opposite benches forewarned him that if he persisted in so thin a House, he would count him out. Mr. King offered terms which did not meet the views of the objector, who explained that he did not wish to take advantage of the state of the House, if the second reading was postponed to a certain day. This not being assented to, he then moved that the House be counted. All this time the Speaker sat perfectly silent, listening to the two members trying to make terms, and he did not count till he was moved thereto. This is so very different to the Colonial practice, and is so much more in favour of the good order of public business, that perhaps your Parliamentarians may think it worth while to refer to the reports of what occurred, which will be found in the London papers of March 5, though those reports do not explain the occurrence in detail.

Mr. Baxter, on the 2ist instant, submitted the following resolution:—

"That the multiplication of fortified places in distant possessions involves a useless expenditure, and that the cost of maintaining fortifications at places not being great naval stations, in self-governed colonies, is not a proper cha^e on the Imperial Treasury."