BRAWLING M.P.'S

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 10, 6 October 1917, Page 10

BRAWLING M.P.'S

COLONEL ARCIIER-SHEE AND MR. PEHBERION BILLING

A SINGLE-STICK DUEL

As the result of a personal altercation in the House of Commons recently beMr. Pemberton Billing, M.P., ai.tl I Lient.-Colonel Archer-Shoe, 5.1 , ., en the' subject of the information given by the Army authorities as to tho escort of aeio-1 planes for Princess Mary on her visit to, Southend, a personal encounter subsequently took place between the two μ-imu- \ bers in Palace Yard. Air. Pemberton : Billing (states tho "Daily News") challenged Colonel Archer-Sheo to make his caustic romarks outside the House, so that ho could then "deal" with tl.ein. Tho lion, and gallant member, nothing loth, appears shortly afterwards to have left the House, and met Mr. Pemberton Billing in Palace Yard. Tho juarrel was then renewed, Mows were exchanged, and after a scuffle, which resulted in both M.P.'s measuring their length on the ground, the police intervened and separated the combatants. Mr. Billing subsequently made to an evening paper a statement of his ; rcount of the affair. To this Lieut-Col, ArcherSheo replies that Mr. Billing did ret have to wait for him for half an bour, but only about three minutes; that In accordance with Mr. Billing's request bo repeated in Palace Yard ichat he had said in the House; that Mr. Billing adopted a menacing attitude, and ho (Col. Archer-Shee) struck him in selfdefence. He denies that he struck Mr. Billing as ho walked away, that he knocked him down, or that he kicked him. "He wrestled with me," he adds, "and we both fell to the ground, where' wo exchanged a few more blows before wo were separated. I acted entirely in self-defence. The affair had a sequel in a Utter written by Mr. Pemberton Billing and communicated to the Press, challenging Colonel Archer-Shoo to a 20-ronnd glove contest under Queensberry Rules fit tee National , Sporting Club, the loser to pay 100 guineas to the Red Cross Fund. Mr. Billing further suggested that a chcrge be made for admission. «id that tho proceeds' T)o devoted to the fund for providing boxing-gloves and btTicr articles of eport to the men in the trenches. Inquiries made as to whether tlio J'fight" was likely to take plnco excited the following statement from one <f the lieut.-colonel's personal friends: "Colonel' Archer-Shee returns to France f\t once to rejoin his regiment after short leave. When ho has finished fighting Germans he will, no doubt, find an opportunity oj dealing with Mr. Billing's challenge. Colonel Archer-Sheo is ii yeare of nge, and Mr. Billing 37. Later on, Colonel Archer-Shee stated:— "I havo told Mr. Billing [in a letter! that I am prepared to fight him at 6ingloetick—twenty rounds without head or body protection. As the challenged party I am entitled to stipulate as to the frim the combat shall take, and this is what I have chosen." Mr. Billing replied to Colonel ArcherSheo accepting the single-stick form of combat, but stipulating that it must bo in public and in tho last week of October.