Personalities in and out of Parliament.

Manawatu Herald, 1 September 1898, Page 3

Personalities in and out of Parliament.

The present session has probably been a record one for personal ro criminations. So acute has feeling become that the strained relations! existing between some members is carried away from the House itself into the lobbies. Whether it was the strain of the dis cordant Financial debate just con eluding, or the strong feeling goner- j ated by the two •• scenes " which j disturbed the week's proceeding*, is i not clear, bat early on Saturday morning warm passages at arm? occurred, much hotter than those which upset the order of business in the House. In one case a burly perBonage fiercely ordered another, whom bo described as an (adjective) rat, to pet to the other side of the lobby, or j dire consequences wnnld ensue. In ! another case, just after the House rose (5.45 a.m.), two leading mem j berg, who had just before bad hot words in the Douse, renewed their dialogue in the lobby, the language I nsed being reported as even beyond aH Parliamentary lobby precedent. Two lesser lights got yet a stage i farther, and rumour has it thar, j coats were of, and an adjournment: j wss made to the open, and nothing | but the kindly publicity of day-light , and a consequent accession of specta | tors prevented a rough-and-tumble encounter. Other episodes of a somewhat similar nature are whip, pered of, and altogether a most un> pleasant and undesirable state of affairs seems to have been arrived at. The late sittings threatened on the Estimates may be expected to add to the feeling of irritation— to put it mildly— that appears to exist in several quarters. — Post.