"AN OLD WOMAN!"

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14844, 9 December 1913, Page 9

"AN OLD WOMAN!"

(special to "the pbess. ,, ) WELLINGTON, December 8.

Sir Ell was effectively christened by vlr G. M. Thomson this evening.' It happened upon tho second reading of the Temporary Employees' Bill, which brings many temporary employees in the Civil Service under the control of the Commissioners in a permanent situation. Tho opportunity was seized by Mr Ell to indulge in a very vitriolic and bitter attack upon the Government and its action in placing the Civil Service under Commissioners. In the course of this diatribe Mr G.. Al. Thomson chanced to laugh, which incident was "immediately fastened upon by the speaker, who asked if mt Thomson did not sympatnise with the lot of those people to whom he was referring. , Air Thomson did not reply at the time, but subsequently rose and gavo tho member for Christchurch East something of a mild dressing down. "1 laughed," ho said, "not at what the member was saying, but at the member himself. Ho assumes the role of an old woman and scolds this 6ide of the Houso in an unmerciful manner. I shall not apologise, but ahall always laugh at him for his indulgence in these little scolds."