IN THE LOBBY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 1023, 16 August 1883, Page 3

IN THE LOBBY.

,", 1 [from our parliamentary corrkspon--1 " dent] Wellington, To-day. - The proceedings of the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon were en- ; livened by a practical joke perpetrated by, of all persons in the world, the Hon Mr 1( Chamberlin. It seems th t a retorted ■ cake of gold, forming the result of the

. ,first crushing of Terawhiti stone, was de.,posited on the table of the Council under .ji glass shade for the inspection of the t .members. Hardly able to contain himself ./ [ , ; «tithe prospect of the stupendous joke he was about to play, Mr Chamberlin anxiously awaited: till the conclusion of prayers,: and no sooner had the word ‘‘afeefi”been confidently promulgated j : , than ha rose to enquire of Mr Speaker if ;.; tfie gold had not become the property of t ,Councillors through having been “laid ft r, ’Qtt the table” of the Chamber. For some , moments the Council stood aghast at this I 'i . remarkable display of wit, and then Sir r: j :Gj ; .Whitmore, who eviden ly feels that i jha country expects him to express his n opinions on every point raised, ventured to observe, by way of keeping 't f. tup. the < joke, that probably the cake of " igold had been presented to the Coun- . : cillors as a solatium in view of the possible .cessation of their honorarium. Members’ heads.,were turned giddy at the prospect

of possessing .so much wealth, but forInnately for the progress of public business i=: Owners of the cake deemed it prudent . . to. forthwith- remove it from their gaze, >t |aad the Council thereupon settled down ~v , tp tlite consideration of a certain grievance set forth in the petition of a number of Ksettlanin Tolago Bay, wherever that may

•dyfcfciiJ ' -.1. e-Tho Ministerial party indulged in a bit ibt«l atonewalling last nights at the expense i: .ofcertaiu Opposition members, who were i' , desirous of bringing on some private bills, Such as Private Heads through Lands Bill, Drainage of Mines Bill, and Bailway Employees: Bill. This was no doubt done )i to: pay the Opposition out for their ob,H,akuwtk>n of the Public Works Estimates ii om« 'previous day, and probably the Op:,cS jpoaition will retaliate at the next oppori,*)tnnity in.;a aimi}ar manner, bliiio The (report - of the’Direct Steam Service nOompuittee is to be presented to Parliat- moot torday. I understand the Committee . .will report- as follows We request the ... Government to overlook all previous .. .negotiations in, this matter, to make the . best terms they can for a direct steam ser!,.,jVice contract, and recommend the claim of the-New. Zealand Phippng Company . .fas considered in any such negotiations.