POLITICAL PLEASANTRIES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 894, 20 September 1910, Page 4

POLITICAL PLEASANTRIES.

“TOM, DICK, AND HARRY.” A somewhat heated exchange took place in the House of Representatives on Friday, between Mr Herd man and Mr Stall worthy. The latter had taken exception to what he regarded an undue loquacity on the part of members in discussing the Hutt Railway and Road Improvement Bill, which provides for the expenditure on that work of an additional /35,000, Resenting this, Mr Herd man contended that men like Mr Stallworthy were responsible for the voting of the money of the country without giving full consideration to the question of where it came from or how it was to be spent. His blood boiled, he said, when he contemplated a member who took up such an attitude. Mr Eaurenson gave Mr Stallworthy a first-class corticate for his regularity of attendance in the House, and then Mr Stallworlhy himself had a few words to say by way of retort. The work had to be done, and the money should therefore be voted, and it was useless adding to the cost by spending a great many more pounds in talking about it. But that was not the worst. On one occasion he had heard Mr Herdman refer to his constituents as “ Tom, Dick and Harry,” and yet, when Hansard was published, that phrase did not appear in Mr Herdman’s speech. Evidently Mr Herdman was ashamed to let his remarks go belore his constituents. Such a mau could not be depended upon. “If I was praised by such a man as that I should feel ashamed of myself,” added Mr Stallworthy. “Amusing,” was Mr Herdman’s comment on the above remarks. “Evidently I struck the bull’s-eye.” He had never, he went on to say, referred to any of his constituents as “Tom, Dick, and Harry.” in committee on 'one occasion, he used that expression in a general sense about people at large, but never about any constituents of his. —Post.