The Member for Ashburton.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3709, 8 September 1906, Page 2

The Member for Ashburton.

PROVIDES AMUSEMENT FOR THE HOUSE. A TIME WASTER, During the second reading of Mr Hornsby's Quackery and other Frauds Prevention Bill in the House on Thursday. Mr McEachlan rose to continue the debate. 1 ‘ The member for Wairarapa,” he cried. “Is he here?” he asked, turning round to the seat behind-him occupied by Mr Hornsby. “He is about the last man I would respect as a moralist of high class. Is he here?’ ’ There was a grave silence. “ It’s the most filthy thing I’ve ever heard in this House, and I’ve been hers longer than the hou. member for Wairarapa. Women have heen excluded from the galleries .” An hon. member : And rightly so. -Mr McEachlan: Because Mr Hornsby was going to speak—and speak filth. Mr Hornsby: Sir, I rise to a point of order. Mr McEachlan: Well. I’ll sit down then. Mr Hornsby : Is the hon. member in order in saying that the galleries were designedly cleared so that I might speak filth? I call upon the hon. member to withdraw and apologise. The Speaker : I don’t think the expression was used in the manner in which the hon. member regards it. Mr Hornsby : To speak filth ? The Speaker : If he used it in that sense I must ask him to withdraw. Mr McEachlan: I will take back filth, and throw it over my shoulder to Mr Hornsby. (Sensation). The Speaker; Those words must be withdrawn. Mr McEachlan: I withdraw them. The Speaker : You must also£ express j r our regret at used them. J Mr McEachlan : I express taf regret at having expressed filth. The member for Ashburton here lost his uptes. Resuming, after an interval, he said: “I think the hon. member is the last to pose as a moralist. He may talk about immoral literature. It has never come into my household. I have never heard of it, never seen it, never read it. He must have a hankering after it. He has these advertisements in his own paper.” Then, after a pause, Mr McEachlan said : I never advertise' my business because I’ve got none. (Eaughter.) I’m a gentleman at large—that’s more than he’ll ever be. The Speaker : You must withdraw that expression. Mr McEachlan: Then I say that he is not a gentleman at large. The Speaker: The hon. mem ber is transgressing more than before. I must ask him to rise' and withdraw. Mr McEachlan: I absolutely withdraw, sir, and I resume my ‘ seat.