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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 53, 2 March 1877, Page 4

Of Mr Curnia who has recen ly published a little pamphlet entitled "The Laws of New Z mlnnd " the Auckluod Star thus writes ; — He is ooe of the most eccentric characters iv the colony Many years ago he waa clerk of the Assembly, and according to custom was abated at the tahle in iront of the Spebker'a Chair. During an important debate in which all the graut guna of the Houae strove to eseel each other in their eloquence, a speuker from some bucolic district ventured on a quoiation from a Lain author, but unluckily he misquoted. What was the dism-iy of boo, merabsra when Mr Curnia suddenly rose to bis feet and pointing with a gesture of contempt to the speaker, exclaimed in a stage whisper "False quantities, false qunntiaee, go to school, sir, go to school." The hon. member collapsed into his seat, consternation sat on the faces of some, snd a few laughed outright. There was a " stranger in the House" this time, and no mistake. The misquotation and false quantities had jarred on the finely tuned classic ear of the scholarly clerk, and he could not restrain his annoyance, We have heard that the upshot of the affair was that the Speaker, who was himßelf a scholar, took a lenient view of the case, and that Mr Cumin was appointed to another department in which his unquestionable talents were employed with equal aJvaotage to the publio service. Occurrences of this kind are very rare in our legislative assemblies, but last session a tall {Scot in the strangers' gallery created no small excitement by interrupting one of Mr Stout's orutione, by leaning over the front of the gallery ,aud shouting with a voice of the Steotor, 11 Gie' it till 'em, Stoot ! gie' it till 'em!" There was a rash of constables, and the stranger waa incontinently hustled out of the House, to express bis admiration in a more appropriate place.