PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 19 September 1901, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY JOTTINGS.

“I shall conduct the business of the House without taking any notice of members opposite,”—The Premier. “I believe no Parliament in the world can be pointed out to keep such irregular hours as were maintained by the Premier last session.”—Mr Monk. “The constituents send members here under the impression that wo have common sense. They find out afterwards that most of us are deficient in that respect —(laughter)—and the ringleader is the Premier.” —Mr Tanner 'on late sittings of the House.

“We desire to get the session through by the first week in October;”—The Premier. ‘ November,’’ said a voice, and the Premier encouragingly remarked that if they made up their minds they could do it right enough. “No wild cats have emanated from the West Coast. Men came from other places and demoralised certain people on the West Coast. The "exceptions prove the rule.”—Hon. R, Reeves. The object of appointing so many Committees, so. Mr Tanner says he was informed by a Minister, is to give members so much to do that they will not be able to go in for intriguing. Captain Russel— ‘lf I were in the Speaker’s chair, I would make the Premier do as I liked.” The Premier—“ You would have a job.” “ The Premier thinks we eomo hero to vote him nipplies of money, and then he will got rid of us as quickly as possible.” —Mr Tanner. “He would like to strap a muzzle over the month of every independent member of the House.”— Mr J. Hutcheson’s opinion of the Premier, “ The whole discussion has been carried out with a single eye to the dredging industry.’’—The Hon. W. M. Bolt on State audit of companies. (Cries of denial). Mr Bolt—“ It arose out of dredging, and has been discussed from the sidelights of that industry.” Mr A. L. D. Fraser speaks of Messrs Pirani, Hutcheson, and Atkinson as “ the trio,” and says that they are a phonograph of one another. But they constitute a phonograph that secures a good deal of the Government ear, “Whenever the Premier is outgeneralled he first of all climbs down, and then calls a caucus of the Party so as to lighten his fall.”—Mr G W Russell’s dictum. “I have been too long in this House.” —Mr G. W. Russell. “Hear, hear,” interjected Mr T. Mackenzie, and the House roared. Mr G. W. Russell went on to say that he had been too long in the House not to know what the Premier meant, and what power he had. “You could,’’says'Mr Pirani, “get as good a collection of abusive terms from the speeches of the Premier as from any slang dictionary.” “The danger of an adverse vote is of

more consequence to the right hon. gentleman than all the interests of New Zealand”—Mr J Hutcheson on the Premier. “A member who makes an incorrect statement in this House loses his dignity” said the Premier recently. And another member insinuated that the Premier’s dignity must have arrived at the vanishing point.

“I have been very pleased with the speeches in this debate,” said Mr Witherford recently. ‘‘They have been as good on one side as the other—and better,” And the House roared.

Mr Hardy wonders why the Premier’s constituents ever sent him to Parhament. He finds the explanation in the Estimates. Mr Fisher on the Premier’s “humbug” motion. “I will cut the Gordian knot by abstaining from voting.” The knot has been similarly cut before.

“I am not responsible for my opinions to the gentlemen on those benches.” Mr Fisher’s tribute to the Press Gallery. Mr Withcrford’s remedy for late sittings is that whenever the House sits after fnidnight tho Premier should be fined £SO, to be expended on refreshments.

In return for the financial warning in the Budget, Mr Fisher offers the Premier another, and it is—“ Bead the Times,”

The Hon. Geo. M’Lean thought that the Prohibitionists should leave the liquor traffic to regulation, and should apply prohibition to smoking. The Hon. G. Jones observed that in any case prohibition might be held to be an interference with that liberty of the subject which Mr. M‘Leau on other subjects held so dear. “Acigarette made of good tobacco is a clean smoko and better than a cigar.” Hon. H. Feldwick. s

“ It is a disgrace to tho colony that the Adulteration Acts are not enforced.” Hon. Mr. Feldwick.

Excitement is often the-cause of strange telegrams as well as of other manifestations. A man who had boon one of tho passengers on a shipwrecked vessel was rescued almost by a miracle. On arriving at a place from which he could send a telegraphic message, lie forwarded tho following despatch to his brother:—“l am saved. Try to break it gently to my wife,”