PEARLS FROM PARLIAMENT

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 166, 5 September 1903, Page 22

PEARLS FROM PARLIAMENT

THE love of gambling was so strong that they feared the businessmen would in lime be degraded to the level of lot tery -house keepers — Mr. Heaton Rhodes. * - * I undertake to say that there are< infinitely more w recks of vessels m charge of certificated men in the Hauraki Gulf than of vessels m charge of men with low-grade certificates. — Mr. Harding. I belong to this infernal Committee (Bush and Sw amp Crown Lands Settlement Bill)— that is not an unparliamentary expression, I hope — which has incurred all the odium of the Opposition. — Mr. McLachlan. * * * I said I would expose these men as I went over my district, and that before I had done with them I should snuff them out , and I did snuff them out. I was at one meeting which lasted from eight o'clock until halfpast eleven p.m., and I fought like a Russian tiger. I simply swept the floor with them. — Mr. New Plymouth Smith fights his election battles o'er again. * * * My heart is aching , lam waiting for this little Bill to come back once more to be -pressed to the Ministerial bosom and .to be with its brethren on the Order Paper.. _ Look at mv friend the Minister of Lands going; about paJe and Van and weary, and this little Bill in the hands of the stepmother, or the Committee. lam not sure whether there were not a eood few stepmothers there. — Mr. Seddon. on the Bush and Swamp Crown Lands Settlement Bill * * * Frequently in this House the Premier treats us to oratorical efforts , and he expresses solicitude for the younger members of the House. What a splendid example we have had tonight' This is the Gamaliel at whose feet we have to sit and learn. What happens P He rises in his place and says. "I am Sir Oracle, and when I speak let no dog bark." That is the attitude he takes up invariably. — Mr Herdman.

It was nothing less than Government ' sweating" to work men from 5 o'clock in the morning tall 10 o'clock at naght, which was about seventeen hours for the day, before they could claim overtime. — Mi\ Baume, on post-office officials. Towels used in the lavatories cost less than Id per towel per member a day, but if members thought the item was too large they could move to reduce it or strike it out altogether, and say that members w ere not to w ash themselves. — Sir J. G. Ward. * * * On the previous afternoon the. Premier had appeared — he was sure he would not be offended when he said it, for it bore out what he was referring to I—the1 — the Premier appeared without his* hair having been combed, and he was sure his face had not made acquaintance with the lavatory towel. He protested against these late 1 sittings, which were prejudicial to the health. He blamed the Premier entirely for

them, because he had only to say that they should cease, and they would cease. If the Premier had any doubt about the ill effects of late sittings hemight obtain a report from Dr. Mason or some other sanitary expert. — Mr. Rutherford, the Parliamentary jester. * * * It is the most cruel thing that can be inflicted on any man to send him out, as we do, in terms of our liberal land laws bound to reside 1 in the silent, dismal bush, where it seems ever to rain, and before there are roads to give him connection with civilisation ; and this useless punishment lasts for nrobably the w hole winter, and for many succeeding winters, to satisfy the ghosts of imaginary dummies who of old are supposed to have dodged useless residence before improvement on bush, and other lands. — Mr. Duthie. # * * Mr. R. McKenzie — The most pliable sycophants to the Government are alwpvs to be found on the Opposition side of the House.

Mr. Massey.- — I ask whether the honourable member is in order m using the term "sycophants" to any member of the House? Mr. Speaker. — I think that the word is unparliamentary. Mr. R. McKenzie.— Well, if the honourable member has any objection, I will withdraw that word and substitute "jelly-fish." » * ♦ After a person has served a given punishment — if a person has broken the laws of the country — I do not believe he should be dogged for all time. I believe he should have another chance. — The Premier. * * # Whatever effect a long session might have on the consumption of gas, he did not see that the length of the session could account, for the extra £15 asked for winding clocks. — Mr. Duthie. * * I have received a letter to-night from a settler in the back country, and; in that letter he gives one of the bitter experiences that settlers have to undergo when they go to settle on bush land. He says • — "On the 1 28th ultimo my son, in crossing from Te Kuiti to reach our place, had to leave the formed road near this block, and tried to reach the old track. Hisi horse got stuck in the fallen bush, and he had to get the assistance of the roadmen to relieve him. It took three of them an hour and a-half, the horse having worked into a bad place. When my son got along 1 further to the riverorossmg, the horse, as usual, went in, but found no bottom, the rider being thrown off. Horse and rider eventually returned to the place where they entered, minus a» parcel valued at £3 10s, which was lost in the river. Two days were spent trying to recover the parcel, but without success. Do try and get us a better road and crossing at the river." That is a typical case of what goes on in the back country. — Mr. Jennings. "Go on the land, young man '"