Quip and Jest.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 May 1922, Page 4

Quip and Jest.

“MR*DOWNIE STEWART’S STORIES SYDNEY, April 2.5 ►Tlie "New* 'Zealand ‘Minister for (Jus- I toms (the HonVW. 'Downie Stewart) 1 Lhns during his stay in Australia, conic ' - to be regarded as something of a recoin * tour by audiences here. ! At, lunch at the National Glub in | i Sydney, he told how, when'lie ‘bad! f voted for a "measure to give women | j seats in Parliament, an old -Maori ‘ i member was very cross with him and 3 tobk 'ljim seriously to task. j r' ‘-‘I told ' him,” said Air Stewart, j : “that I would sooner have a beautiful s i lady sitting'beside me in Parliament n ihan'diim.” I

“-‘Very well,’ he retorted, 'if this measure goes'through I’ll-sec that an old 'Maori ‘Awahine” is elected, and that she sits alongside-you* and chews shark‘till night.’ ” ! 'Another story ooncernod -.a .visit to an Australian court. j “Tlie* judge,” he said,' “lin'd seirtcm- ' ed a mail, 75 years of -age, to■ ‘five j years’ .imprisonment. .‘l’m very old, j your i Honour,’ said the old chap, ‘I j don’t l think' I can serve that sentence, j J..won’t live.that Jong.’ ” Hist Honour replied. ‘AYell, you aim-t j ,do the best you can.’ . A lid. vet'another: — A Minister was delivering.am • iiupor- t tout speech in the New Zealand '.Lai- . liament one night, awl 'was greatly . aniioved bv a .member of the Opposi- ; lion,'who layiflat on his'haok on.one j of the benches and .persistently inter- ; mpted. I ,At '.last the Minister -could stapd it j no longer. ~ j ‘T wish you would stop-talking, ‘ he said, ‘tyoiisdo all yo.ur talking-.lying j down.” ; “And you .do .all • your■ lying standing I ii]),’’.was thei retort.