“IRON SHARPENETH IRON.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2029, 16 September 1919, Page 3

“IRON SHARPENETH IRON.”

POLITICAL LEADERS’ RECORDS. A few reminiscences of earlier days in Parliament were given by Air At; issey in an after-dinner .-'peeeh at the Commercial Travellers’ Chib, Wellington, on Saturday evening. Air Massey was responding to the toast of Parliament. “I feel quitg competent to respond to liie toast of Parliament,” he said, “'and I will toll you why—(wo or three months ago I completed my twenty-fifth year as a member of the New Zealand Parliament. When I (mine into Parliament 1 was a very innocent politician. (Langliler.) It may interest you to know that Sir William Eraser, who is here to-night, took the oath on the same day with me. There is a proverb something like this —I think it is one of Solomon's—‘lron sharpened! iron, so a man sharpened! the countenance of his friend.’ I have been for twenty-five years associated with gentlemen like Sir’James Carroll, Sir Joseph Ward, and others of die same sort, and I don’t feel nearly so innocent as I did twenty? five years ago.” (Laughter.) Sir Joseph Ward, referring to Mr Alassey’s remark] said: “If Air Massey and Sir William Fraser have had their wits sharpened, then mine must.be very sharp indeed, because I am in my thirty-third year as a member of Parliament. Twentyfive from thirty-three leaves eight, so I must he eight times better, In any case it shows at least what a very tine combination we are. There are a whole lot of people anxious at the present moment to get into Parliament to have their wits sharpened, but they are very likely to remain out of it, without sharpened.” (Applause.) —Dominion.