PARLIAMENT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3709, 8 September 1906, Page 3

PARLIAMENT.

JOTTINGS. In the House on Thursday evening the member for Ashburton, who is becoming notorious, caught the word “fish.” He at once woke up, and, catching the chairman’s eye, launched into a solemn denunciation of anglers and fish and Sabbath-breakers, and flasks and ground-bait, and—“ Are you Minister of Marine ?” he suddenly asked fiercely. “The new Minister of Marine : Who is the new Minister of Marine ?” he demanded and having announced himself as an ichthyophage (fish eater) and a Sabbatarian and an opponent of fishermen, he sat down with a jovial scowl all round the Chamber; “Mr Fisher,” said the chairman, as the member for Wellington arose. “Ho! Ho! Another one!” said Mr McLachlan, and dismissed Parliament from his mind. A Wairarapa politician and man of letters—caps and lower-case—is taking a very active part in _ the suppression of quacks, and, incidentally, patent medicines. It is .the most curious thing in the world that the gentleman’s name has been attached to a patent medicine testimonial that has been floating through the country press for many months past. To make things more quaint, this member is sending Dr Mason’s antiquackerv bill along, and be is bound to 1»e hit in the eye with the testimonial when he trots out his wholesale condemnation of patent medicines. Surely Dr Mason could not have known this ? —Free Lance. The Premier informed a deputation that the Land Bill will be brought down early next week. The measure will embody all the proposals outlined in the Financial Statement and in Mr McNab’s speech on Tuesday evening. Thursday was private members day in the House. Mr Hornsby moved the second reading of his Anti-Quackery Bill, a measure that involved a good deal of “decollete” talk. The galleries were cleared of females. The second reading of the bill was agreed to, the Government intimating that it intended to deal with the matter itself. The Totalisator Abolition Bill was killed during its second reading on Thursday.