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 House refused to accept the Bill the responsibility would rest with it.

Sir William Russell endeavoured to suppress the party feeling of his supporters, saying that there should be no attempt to gain party advantages or to discuss the question in any manner but the gravest and most impartial that could be adopted. He did not like being called upon to come to a decision at a moment’s notice, and he suggested that the Bill should be considered by a Special Committee, but he saw that the crisis called for determined action or none at all, and he thought it was less dangerous to meet the liability than to face the appalling disaster which would take place if Parliament did not come to the rescue. His principal objection to the course proposed was that it went a long way in the direction of a State Bank, of which he was a strong opponent, but he waived that objection, and offered no opposition to the passage of the Bill.

One member of the Opposition suggested that the House should continue to sit until the morning in order that a committee could inquire into the position, but Sir Joseph said that if the Bill was delayed until the morning, the House would not be asked to put it through at all. The events that took place a few hours later show that his surmise was correct.

The second reading was carried by 52 votes to 9, and the Bill went into committee. The House refused to adjourn for supper. By 11.30 the Bill was through committee, and at midnight it was sent on to the Legislative Council, which had been sitting in readiness for the measure. The Council was more deliberative than the House in its discussion. It appointed a Select Committee, which briefly took the evidence of Mr. Seddon, Sir Joseph Ward, and Mr. Murray. Having satisfied itself as far as it was able to do so, it recommended that the Bill should be allowed to pass.

At 4 o’clock on Saturday morning, the Bill had passed both branches of the Legislature. Shortly afterwards it received the assent of the Governor, who had also been waiting in order that there should be no delay.