PARLIAMENTARY INCIDENTS.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 996, 4 September 1877, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY INCIDENTS.

[FROM THE CORRESPONDENT OP THE PRESS.] Welling ton, Sept. 3, 8 p.m. Mr Macandrew has given notice that he will move shortly for the next session of Parliament to be held at Dunedin. The House has been engaged the whole day over the Education Bill. The religious clauses are being roughly handled. It is •xpected that little will como of the Bill this

session, unless some amendment be made while in committee. It was rumored to-day that the great middle party were to hold a caucus, but it did not eventuate. G-eorge .Tones, jun., appeared in answer to the charge of libel at the Resident Magistrate's Court this morning. Messrs Roes and Hislop appeared for the defendant; Mr Izard for the prosecution. The case is adjourned until Thursday. [From the " Evening Post."] " Everything in the house smelt of rum — even the women," said Mr Fox. "The lion, member must have approached suspiciously close to their lips " commented Dr. Wallis. The Doctor scored one, and the House roared. No more genuine roar of laughter has this session made the walls of the House resound again than that raised last night by Mr Fox, at the expense of tho hon. member for Wakatipu. Mr Manders objects to females having the right to vote under the Local Option Bill, and upon that peg Mr Fox hung a tale. A certain Welsh minister—a clever fellow, and with a good deal of dry humor in his composition—was once discoursing of Heaven. " There is no marriage, nor giving in marriage, in said the preacher. "Amen," fervently responded an old ;;:m below the pulpit. Pushing his spectacles a little higher on his nose, tin <jod minister regarded the old man with pitying eye, as he said, " Ah, John, you've had enough of it." Mr Manders sat with folded arms, his hat pressed over his manly brow, contemplatively examining the tale to find out where the joke was. He was the only man in jjtho House who couldn't find it. " The hon. member for Wakatipu seem 3 afraid of the grey mare," continued Mr Fox. Those unfeeling legislators laughed again. It was about this time (hat Mr Manders found the debate wearisome, and left the House.

Mr Fox and Dr Wallis fought, a wordy duel last night. It will be remembered that in the first debate upon the Local Option ."Bill Dr Wallis maintained that, under the Bill, chemists' shops would become simple drinking establishments. People would go into these shops, and, feigning all sorts of aches and pains, be ordered to take a good allopathic dose of brandy, whisky, gin, or rum, as their several constitutional tastes inclined. Mr Fox, in the adjourned debate last night, used some very strong expressions. He painted Dr Wallis in " an allopathic establishment," prescribing for the ailments of his congregation. "In fact," concluded Mr Fox, " the lion, member for City West was cut out by nature for a sly grogseller." This was only one of many hard things. When an opportunity for reply came, Dr Wallis administered a scathing castigation to Mr Fox. He completely vindicated himself from the charge of having "sold" his constituents, and then lie told a tale. A thief entered a church, and when engaged in abstracting the communion plate, the doors were locked. He made his way to the belfry, and when it was dark lie let himself and his booty down by the bellrope. But his weight caused the bell to toll, and this aroused the villagers, who soon captured the sacrilegious thief. He looked upwards and said, "Ah, bell, if it had not been for your long tongue and empty head I should not have been caught." "So," said Dr Wallis, "I say to the lion, member for Wanganui, " Ah, Bill, if it had not been for your short tongue and able head I should not have been caught'—speaking to-night." For hard knocks in soft language commend us to the preacher.