ECCENTRICITIES FROM "HANSARD."

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 214, 10 September 1877, Page 4

ECCENTRICITIES FROM " HANSARD."

MR, taiaroa self-appreciative. Mr Taiaroa concluded a speech of three sentences on the Local Option Bill by saying ; — lt is not necessary for me to speak much; my vote is of greater consequence than anything I may say. MR. MACANDREW SELF-SACRIFICING. Mr Macandrew — I do not think any legislation will go to the root ot the evil unless it goes to this exteut — ■ viz., to absolutely prohibit the imports- | tion of plcholic liquors into the colony, j and to prohibit their manufacture within the colony. If the House will go in for anything of that kind, although I confess I enjoy my tumbUr of toddy as much as anyone, yet I, for one, would be prepared to dispense with that luxury in order to obtain this desirable result. MR. BUTTON SELF-GRATIFIED. Mr Button* — We can uo longer' blind ourselves with tbe sophistry which tells us that if we attempt to put a restriction on the sale of intoxicating liquor, we are interfering with the liberties of the subject — the sophistry which tells us we must not restrain the enjoyment of some men because others oannot partake of those enjoyments without overstepping the bounds of moderation. I confess, with shame, that for many years I fed on arguments aaoh as these— arguments which are so paiateable to self-gratification. A MATERNAL FRANCHISE — SUFFRAGE " SUCKLING." Mr Button— l contend that any majority which might be in favor of abolishing public-houses in any district would be greatly increased, if not doubled, if the hoa. gentleman had claimed, as I think he might fairly have claimed representation for the unadult portion of the population. Sir, in a matter which so materially, so vitally affects the well-being of the whole community — children as well as adults —I think the hon. gentleman might fairly have claimed for every mother in a distriot one additional vote for every child she had suckled. And can any one doubt iv what direction the mothers' voles would be given ? A MOTIVE POWER — WHISKT. Mr Joyce — I do not think tbat any great harm would result from allowing freedom in the matter of selling drink. 1 witl also say that, although so much has been said about the degradation and misery which are caused by drink, we hear of misery and degradation in cations that do not touch drink. There is a greater want of manhood in nations that do not take drink than in those that do. Indeed, looking at ourselves bs a race — looking at the way in which the Anglo-Saxon race has goue across the world — I should say there was an immense motive power in drink. MR JOYCE JOCOSE. Mr Joyce — With, regard lo local option altogether I may a ty that I have concerned myself with it for some years, and lam tired of getting it. lam inclined to make a similar suggestion to that which a brother made to a sister at a camp meeting in America. No doubt the hon. member for Wangnuui is acquainted with the anecdote. In a tent there were five or six brothers who wanted to go to sleep, and outside th .t tent a man was heard asking a sister to give him one parting kiss before he left. She refused, but he persisted; and presently one of the brothers inside the tent called out, "Give him that kise, and let us go to sleep." Now, I f ee | inclined to say, •*« Let them have their Local Option Bill, and let ue co to sleep." h GOOD TEMPLARS IN BAD TEMPER. Mr Joyce— l shall have to relate an anecdote, and I relate it because it shows where this kiud of spirit [the disposition to threaten member-?.] will lead the Good Templars, It whs on the occurrence of au election which was contested by two candidates. One of them held the view lhar, if the publicans were compelled to throw up their licences they should receive compensation.- The other candidate held no particular views on ti, e subject, except that he very bably wanted to get in. He wanted voUb. The Good Templar organisation hud a good many votes in tbe district, and they waited tin Tery nearly the close of the poll. They then deputatiouiaed each of the candi. dates; and one of them suid, "Now, gentlemen, if your votes depend upoa that I caunot give you my promise, for

I do not think it right to take away this man's property without giving him compensation." Then they went to the other candidate, and he aaid, "Oh, yes; local option, yes; compensation; no; I am with you entirely." The votes were accordingly. I happened to be standing at the hustings on tha declaration of the poll, when the successful candidate, the gentleman who did not tbiuk it right to give compensation, and who was for locil option and prohibition aod entirely agreed wilh the Good Templars, made this speech : *' Gentlemen, I thank you. I know you do uot expect a long speech ; I thiuk the very best thing we can do now is to go and have a drink." And away he went and the Good Templars went after him, muttering something which perhaps was not fit for ears polite. A GOVERNMENT LUNCHEOJT. Mr Thompson — I shall couclude my remarks by telliog a story. I happened this forenoon to be on Lamb-ton Q jay, I met a gentleman who asked me if I was going to luncheon that was to be provided in the Parliament House today. I said, I nevar heard of auch a thing." But he said, "It is a fact. The Government have for several days past been very busy preparing a very large humble pio. One of the members of the Government is to appear to-day in the Chamber of the House of Representatives, dressad in a white apron ; and he is to bring in this humble pie, and put it on the floor of the House." I said I thought the Government themselves would be the largest consumers of the pie. He replied that he thought they would, for humble pie seemed to agree with then. We hava seen the humble pie brought ioto tbis House to-day, and we have seen the avididity and gusto with whioh the Government have eaten it. A LA-vVTER ON LAW EXPENSES >\D OTHER RASCALITI*. Mr Travers— One Native (old me that he had to sign what he called a mortgage, but he did not know what it meant. Why, I could go into the streels of Wellington now, and pick a hundred men from tha first I mot who have never heard ofa mortgage. It is not, then, an absurdity that we should expect these Natives to understand our complicated system of laws in respect to dealing with property ? A paper is presented to a Native ; he signs it; and he does bo without the slightest knowledge that his signature places his property irretrievably- in ihe hands of other persons. I aay ■« irretrievably," for who imagines for a moment that a Nativd will ever pay the mortgage off; It is the first step towards the acquisition of the land. It swamps the Native wilh interest ; it swamps him with coat of survey ; it swamps him with law expenses; it swamps him with every rascality.