TWADDLERS AND SQUABBLERS.

Auckland Examiner, Volume 1, Issue 2, 18 December 1856, Page 3

TWADDLERS AND SQUABBLERS.

[From the Melbourne Argus.] You will see by the journals that certain members of the House of Assembly still continue, by their persevering wordiness, so to delay the real business of the session that there is little hope of much work being got through. Full half the time of the House is taken up by mere twaddle and squabbling, and a large portion of the other moiety by long-winded harangues. Never did the Legislative Council of Victoria so thoroughly merit the designation of a mere “ talkingshop” as does the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales. Last night there was a scene in the hall of the Assembly which was anything but creditable. Between two members, Mr. M'Leay and Mr. Arnold, words were bandied with such fierceness as almost to amount to a defiance. A little more and things would have come to fisticuffs — a la Yankee: but, disorderly as is our Commons House of Parliament, it was not quite disorderly enough to allow this sort of conduct to proceed, and so the honorable and quarrelsome members were compelled to withdraw such of their expressions as had given offence. 'The Upper House still exhibits signs of vitality, which promise that it will lend useful aid in the work of legislation when called upon to do so; and in both Houses the Ministers appear to have a good working strength. For the disgusting wordiness of the Assembly the press is responsible: but for the practice which has grown up of reporting this sort of chattering, the senatorial parrots would not indulge in it.