The anti-Bond party at the Cape have practically carried an
Additional Representation Bill, under which they will have a clear majority in the Legislature. The Bill is acknowledged to be a just one, the Dutch having hitherto, like our own Irish, returned a number of Members to which they were not entitled. They are, however, very angry, fought the Bill clause by clause, and at last resorted to obstruction to resist the second reading. After a continuous sitting of twenty- four hours, however, the Speaker, Sir Bisset Berry, intervened. He declared that the minority were rendering Parliamentary institutions valueless, and, quoting Mr. Brand's action in 1881 as a conclusive precedent, terminated discussion and took the vote. The second reading was then passed by a majority of 42 votes to 34. The Speaker's action is accepted as wise, and furnishes a curious evidence of the extent to which the British House of Commons is still regarded as the model for deliberative Assemblies. It is curious to note how much simpler and more direct, as well as more successful, Mr. Brand's device was than were the devices proposed in the Hungarian Parliament, where also business was recently stopped by obstruction. It may be assumed that the Magyar Chamber would not have borne similar action on the part of its President, and one would like to know why. Were the Deputies afraid lest the power of the President should be unfairly exercised, or did they believe, as is suggested by some recent incidents, that the right of obstruction was a reserve defence against aggression by the Crown ?
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