"Behind the Chair"

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 130, 2 June 1888, Page 3

"Behind the Chair"

One who for the first time takes his seat behind the Speaker's chair in the House of Representatives of New Zealand is surprised th.; sensations experienced are not those of religious awe. In point of fact there is a sweet simplicity in the scene which at once removes preconceived impressions of the majesty or dignity to be discovered in the House. The first thing which strikes the juvenescent observer is that the honorable gentlemen who in their persons represent the "bone, sinew, and intelligence of the colony," are very badly clad. Their apparel looks worn, threadbare, and shabby, bearing the general aspect of having been either slept in, or borrowed from men of different sizes. Each man's «uit is a glaring example of "the unfitness of things." We admit there a few exceptions — too few for a fastidious mind. The head coverings •are simply dreadful. One honorable «nd gallant member, who hails from Waimate, wears a smoking cap which bears all the appearance of having been swallowed and rejected by a bilious dog. Nearly all the other head pieces bear strong evidences of having been either sat upon or used as pillows in the: weary watches of j the night. The gold fields members j are the best provided in this respect. 4 * Him of the Grey" is resplendant in a beaver castor, while the Chief of Xumara, the wondrous Dick Seddon, wears a new hard-shell felt, which gives out a sound: like an Indian tomtom every time he dashes it on his head. .When the members begin to talk another disillusion takes place. .For fearful and wonderful examples of " English as she is spoke," we commend the student of philology to the House. Singularly enough those members who are. the most glaring offenders have the most to say. If the reporters were to give word for •word, .the utterances of men like Seddon and Sydenham Taylor, and others of the. same kidney, Hansard would excel the best comic journal in the world for fun. The better educated members do not so often endeavor to " catch the eye" of the Speaker, yet oven they " walk crookedly in the straight paths" laid down by Lindley Murray. When members read the crisp, and occasionally epigrammatical, sentences which appear in Hansard, they surely must fail, sometimes, to recognise in themselves the clever fellows who gave utterance to such clever things: Yet the Hon. Mr Richardson, the Minister for Lauds, the other day spoke somewhat contemptuously of a statement, read by . Mr Guineas, the member for the Grey, because it appeared in a newspaper report. It is not to be expected, nor is it desirable, that honorable gentlemen should be clad in gorgeous raiment, or talk in a pedantic Johnsonian style, but there is n. thing to prevent them having 'good, clothes on and speaking fair English. A man may be a. very-clever f R > •• , pos-' of useful ideas, but if he cannot give expression to these in words possessing the same meanings to h"s hearers as they have to himself, half their possible usefulness is necessarily lost. His friends believe this to be the case with Mr Seddon. The self laudated members who like to call themselves the Young New Zealand Party are, in the language of Mr Taylor, "not up to much as yet." They have a lot to learn and a little to forget. They are very young indeed, being just put of their perambulators — so to speak---and wear braces. But there is, to quote Mr Taylor again, "the makin's of men in 'em if they Aonly take after his style," whatever the dear old party may mean by that. Among the older men are to be seen some grim and war-worn "auld carles," who look crabbed and fierce, notably Mr Moat and Mr Levestam. Kerr, the visitor is told, was once a wild and untameable sort of person, but now, under the benign influence of Seddon, whose obedient and devoted admirer and follower he is, his troubled mind is smooth and mild, like a dish of sweet ; milk ; though he otherwise looks a formidable character, not unlike a badly regulated master mariner. The House owes a lot to Seddon if for this alone. If he would only take Moss in hand and reduce him— or raise, it matters not which — Dick would veritably be "a sweet boon." It is pleasant to see how Seddon has elected himself leader of the Opposition. His foUowing may be small, but he will lead them on to glory, or perish in the attempt.