PARLIAMENTARY LUNCHEON.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 697, 23 December 1909, Page 5

PARLIAMENTARY LUNCHEON.

; ' -■ - THE PBEMIBE. AND ME.: MASSET;/ /;' ■' '- The members.of the House assembled yesterday.atj ot a compUmenta,ry lunohoon given by tho Prime Minister. There was alargo attendance. Sir Joseph Ward, who presided, had on, his right the Speaker of-the rS?« ( ° Hon -A. It. Guinness), and on his left the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. W. F. Massey). : r ~ .... ■/." . -..-_■■.-,

After tho toast of "The King" had been ■ ■ 1 1? o ' Sir , Joseph Ward proposed the health '•: ot the bpeaker, as representing the House. Hβ'-"-'-spoko of-the present Houso-as one of the best ■'-.>" in Now Zealand's historj% ojid said that, so far H Mr. timnness/had not had -a, difficult taek' in miuniammg. order. ,-,',-:; :; - :-' ■--.. •'.'''..- .;.': Mr. Guinness, in returning, thanks, '. saidMhai ■ '. : 'i tho present. House.was second to none that , ho nod Known during his .parliamentary life of nearly twenty-six years. ' Such' gatherings ' a»' tnopresont'did much'to givo acharm to nolitical lifo.'.ln tho heat of debate members often - : lost-their tempere-rand ho rather adnured ; a v ninn irith a,temper—{laughter)— but when he '' had occasion to exorcise' tho iron hand—which' '4 was - but., eoldom—ho•-.: always .endeavoured to •■ clothe.it.with a: velvet:glove. ./ '. ..■...'.-'.•■"--'v.-.v,-;-.' ;The liealth. : of the Prime -Stinister ■β-as pro- - posed-.by, Jir..Massoy.,'."We:are uow,":Mr. -' : "approaching the ond of a stroMious. session, which has been very. trying: to th«. : tempor'and. patience of overy. ono of us, arid it must, , havo, proved■ particuhirly , so' to the -i Prime: Minister.;, (Hear, hear;). We have dealt'with a great 'uiany,: important matters, : froni-'.-natioiuJ defence to national,sport,. and' I may ' say : thore.Aos also been- a' certain ,'ainount:-of':-:■ parlianientary defence" and parliamentary sport : (Hear, hear.) /But tell it. uot in Gatli. ,A - ; . though wo have made a-certain amount .'of.'--." noise, it mu6t..bo admittcd.,that in snany : ,cas;ea "'"i the bullets have, been extracted from the:gune; ■ beforo 'the ' shots were, fired, and very .littleS' damage' has .resulted.". (Laughter!)/Mr.: Mas-.'; sey concluded' by;referring to ■ the approaching ■/ Christmas,, the season'of goodwill. towards ; mon .-'::,: and. between ineh, 'and ,said. that, whatever V might havo been their political., differences they ■,: all entertained the highest personal regard for"; ; . one" another. (Laughter.). , : :' .'■.'.,.■., -.;,':. ; ' Sir Joseph Ward, .in ' aclmowledging, -th«'>,, toast, faid: that, he ro-echoed the fine sonti-'.V 1 ments expressed by Mr.' Masse)-., "It is a good ; .;: ' thing," he said,/ "after, .'we ;have; fought> bur : : X;' battles on the'floor of tHo House that we can! ~, meet togother in.termsi-of good fellowehip, and, ! , this docs.not, , make us any the woree as poli-;\7 ticians." (Hear, hear.)- Sir Joseph then/pro- ' posed the health of Mr. Massey, andiin'doing//; so laughingly remarked: "I..have come to thefi: cpnclnsioni long ago : that hcithorllr.; Massey v : nor myself:. has-any temper ,' ( tp lose.:'/(Laugh-'.:,.; tor.). : Very often somo of'the" members on each 1 ' ■:;.; side .of. the House get into a;terrible state of/v excitement. .Mr. Massey's' friends,- howeyeiv-,: are cooled by the calm, soothing influence of ■ i their:leader—(laughtor)T-and I.,in my,turn, in::i a quieter way, . perhaps—(laughter)—have tii., exercise tho samo■ restraining, infjucncal.on tho.:.- ; young- colts on our Side of the 'House. .'/.Mr./.'', ■Massey and I havo of ten crossed '■ swords,' but ;. all the thrusts have been political ones;, : and ,', we , ' have:'never hurt , ■ each . othfer personally.: %'_ (Hear, hear.) I trust that Mr; Maesey will';; have a, long and.ihappy life. I vrill:'.nqt say.'/',: I hope,that hh will always occupy,his present'position. (Laughter.)', ' lie notnrallv, ha? am'-..," bitions-,in' another direction—(hear, hear)-r-but; : "6r colihe, -1 'do not- wish. him'ito: dispossess my-'!':; self or any of my colleagues. (Laughten) , tWitl\ that reservation, I wish him every success."•/,'■'■ (Laughter.) Sir Josopli hoped that llr.-Massey ' arid all thei other members would , be able to; sit down .at their own table;:- to partake of; their ~': Christmns dinner's, -and : .concludedYby wishing •.'••,' them:all.the cotnpliments of tho season.;■ '. i--.', r .' Mr. , M^assey-briefly returned: thanks, and kk :' ! cip.rocate"d tfie kind wishes of .the;.Primo;Mini-v>'; ~':■:"■'■"■■■ ",'•?-.■.'■'' ■'• • .- : . v^':--: : '-:'.'^'^.-.--'-'- ; The gathering concluded with the singiug /. "Auld-Lang Syne." ,: .-: '['■ ■■';."•''..A.:;;.-;!:--'..'.-:-'■-ir"