subs. (Australian).—1. Parliamentary obstruction: also as verb. Hence (2) verb. = to obstruct business at any meeting, chiefly by long-winded speeches; and (3) to play a slow game at cricket, blocking balls rather than making runs.
1876. Victorian Hansard, Jan., xxii. 1387. Mr. G. Paton Smith wished to ask the honourable member for Geelong West whether the six members sitting beside him (Mr. Berry) constituted the ‘STONE WALL’ that had been spoken of? Did they constitute the STONE WALL which was to oppose all progress.
1884. G. W. RUSDEN, History of Australia, iii. 405. Abusing the heroic words of STONEWALL Jackson, the Opposition applied to themselves the epithet made famous by the gallant Confederate General.
1885. CAMPBELL PRAED, The Head Station, vii. He is great at STONEWALLING tactics, and can talk against time by the hour.
1894. Argus, 26 Jan., 3, 5. The Tasmanians [sc. cricketers] do not as a rule STONEWALL.
AS ABLE TO SEE AS FAR THROUGH A STONE WALL AS ANYONE, phr. (common).—As capable of understanding—a retort on depreciation or doubt of one’s abilities.
1900. KENNARD, The Right Sort, xxii. I lay claim to no such exalted pretensions … although I flatter myself I can SEE THROUGH A STONE WALL AS CLEARLY AS MOST PEOPLE. Still that’s not saying much.
