PEARLS FROM PARLIAMENT

Free Lance, Volume V, Issue 213, 30 July 1904, Page 19

PEARLS FROM PARLIAMENT

THE Right Hon. Mr. Seddon wanted to know why he should be required at all times to be acting the part of schoolmaster . Why should it be necessaiy? * * * I am perfectly willing to make public speaking illegal.— Mr. Lewis. * » * Tracks and summer roads are insufficient. Mud and soft papa are worse than a writ of eviction.— Mr. Hogg. * * * I do not believe in what may be called a dog-in-the manger policy, nor do 1 think Corporations should stand in the way of private enterprise.— Mr. A. Hogg It was proposed to repeat the Duke of York fiasco of a few years ago by inviting Lord Roberts to visit this colony as our guest, and entertain him at the public expense.— Mr. H. t). Bedford. * * * Our experience in this colony has been that if it had not been for private enterprise one-half of the towns hi the colony would, in all probability, be still without gas, water, and electric light. — Sir W. Russell. * * * Mr Massey said he wanted them to expend money in the proper direction, but not upon rubbishy books written by Yankee adventurers and similar objectionable purposes provided for in the general estimates. * * * We have a number of representatives of the lairge rumholder class, but I think I am right in saying that no angle member of the U^er House can be picked out as being a true up-to-date represent tative of the small-farming class.— Mr. Field. * Here in Wellington , we are continually endeavouring to make improvements in a port that is already oanmiered the best in the matter of apphajioes in Australasia, and yet at every point the Government do all they oa,n to stoo us.— Mr. Wood. * • * Whenever I have addressed my constituents and made reference to the Legislative Council there has been « eood deal of merriment and a good dead frTarcasm, expressed in such interjections as this "That it was an old man s refuge."— Mr. Kirkbnde. Reforms begin with the scorn which is the meed of the private member, who £t«£?a faddist, and who is accused of wasting time with useless discussions, and Sy g end in achievement and tots Lid cheers for the great: man who hag nens to be the Premier of the day, ana SS? carries at the last into practical effect the ideas of the private membei —Sir W. J- Steward. * * * The gaol in Whangaxei was not fit for a Chinaman to be imprisoned in, and^ although repeated -pre^Uans an the subject had been made to the De partment, nothing had been done The house the sergeant of police lived m was unfit for habitation, and, no matte. *hat requests had .been "jde, «>«£•- faction had been given.— Mr. Manicter. * * * Only the other day I™» «» din S * report of the proceedings of the London County Council, and it appears that they are so particular that they naturally will not grant themselves the right to ride free on the tramways they themselves are making. Those bodies are composed of men of the highest type— noble-minded men who devote thdnr whole time and 1 enterprise for the benefit of the public, whom they serve without fee or reward — Mr. Laurenson * * * Sir W R Russell.— l wonder if the honourable member for Taranaki knows what pre-emptive right means. I presume he does not, or he would not have interjected the words. Mr. SMITH.— I will explain it preR- Russell. — I am sure the explanation will be extremely interesting , but I shall be curious to see whether the honourable member's explanation or definition should appear in the next edition of Nuttall or in a slang dictionary In his district bicycles were not suitable for police work, owing to the northwesters that at times blew with cyclonic force and to see a stout, fatherly

policeman beating up on a bicycle against one of these gales was enough to make one's heart bleed. He theiefore appealed to the Monster to do iustioe to tihe country police of Canterbury, and he dad so with the moie confidence because it was well known that, under a somewhat rugged exterior, the honourable gentleman had a tender heait — Mr. Rutherford. • * » Within two muleo of Hastings the residents who had built a private line wene allowed to run their wire on the Government poles, but two miles out of town they were no longer allowed to do so, and so this absurdity was to be seen. A line of Government poles like ships' masts carrying one single wire alonarsade light poles of 4in by 4in heart of kauri attached to tihe fences and cairiryinor six private wires, and doinig everything wanted 1 at a much .smaller cost than the single wire carried on the huge spars of the Government. Could there he a en-eater absurdity than that ° — Sir W. R. Russell. I am sorry to say that it would appear that there are no big guns to be presented to the colony by the Imperial Government as trophies from tb© South African war. Corresmondenoe between the New Zealand Government and tihe Impetial authorities has taken place from time to time. The treatment of tihe self-governing colonies bv the Imperial Government in respect to these trophies is very unsatisfactory Trophies which, would have been prized by the people of New Zealand have either been broken, uip in thousands or allowed to rot and rust. — Mr. Seddon.

We read of love, we read of war, Of val'rous deeds and mystic lore. But then, we've read it all before; And yearn for something newer. There's nothing fresh, the world is stale, And weary as a twice told tale. Yet stay ! when coughs and colds prevail. There's Woods' Great Pfppermint Cure.

The Otago Rugby Football Union have made themselves look ridiculous in the eyes of the football world of the colony— and all because they weie impelled by their nan ow-mindedness to oppose anything suggested by the New Zealand Union. I refea to their backdown in legard to the per centage ot gate money demanded by the colonial body m connection with the Otago Southland-Bntish match. During the 1902 season, when theie was a prospect ot a Bntish team visiting the colony, a circular letter was addressed by the New Zealand Union to all affiliated Unions, asking what per centage of gate money could the head body expect f1 om them if the visit was ai ranged. The reply received fiom the Otago Union «as to the effect that if a match with the British team was played in Dunedin that body would hand over the net. proceeds of the match to the New Zealand Union. Now that the visit is eventuating, the Otago people want 20 per cent, of the gross gate. Is it to be wondeied, then, that the colonial executive should issue an ultimatum that if the fast offer was not complied with the Otago Union's match with thei British team would be cancelled P When I i ead this in the daaly papers I said "Hear' hear'" for I had begun to fear that the New Zealand Union, judging them from othei standpoints,' were showing the white feather to the Otago Union, and were therefore losing a portion of their dignity as a controlling body in consequence. That they showed such a firm hand in this connection is, therefore, all the more pleasing. The 1902 Management Committee of the Otago Rugby Union included the following —Messrs. J. Hutchison, G McLaren, F. H. Campbell, H. Hams, P. S. K. Macassey, W. A Wilkinson, J. Duncan, and A. C. Hanlon. All these gentlemen are on the present year's Committee, therefoie their action this season is all the moie inexplicable. The sorriest featuie in connection with the matter is the resignation of Percy Macassey from the Otago Union's executive. Mi . Macassey was a member of that body's Management Committee during 1900, 1901, 1902, and 1903, and was this year elected one of its vioe-presidents. He was one of the finest sports connected with the game in this colony, and football generally is the loser by his withdrawal from participating in the government. Mr. J. Hislop and he resigned from the Otago Union because, although that body have now adhered to their promise of 1902, it is only under compulsion, and aeainst the opinions held by other membei s of the Committee. * * * Why shouldn't the New Zealand Union seed its representative team to New South Wales if the players can get sufficient leave to make the tnp ? Personally, I can see no earthly reason against such a decision, and, m the best interests of the game, I trast the team will co. The educational advantages of such a contest as that between the New Zealanders and 1 the Britishers to New South Wales players cannot be denied, and how such a match can be degrading to the players taking part in it passes my comprehension. The growl from the Scotch city was not worth the price of the telegrams that were circulated because of theii motion. * * * Mr. W. Pitts, of Auckland, has been appointed referee for the TaranakiWellmgton match, to be played at Hawera on the 10th August. Wairarapa are not playing Hawke's Bay this season, and, as a result, the Union in the squatters' province will not play the Valley representatives next season. McDuff, the Goldfields player, who was in Auckland's representative team last season, is said to scale upwards of 15st. If his value as a forward increases with his weight, McDuff must be a clinker now. Mr. P. Mackie was offered the post of referee in the Auckland- Wellington match, at Auckland, on the 6th August, but had to decline because, through pressure of business, he could not spare the time to make the trip to Auckland. "Lynx" gjves voice to the rumour that Dick McGregor will assist the Auckland representatives against the British team should his services be required. The Auckland scribe says if he is in anything like form the sturdy three-quarter's appearance in the blue and white jersey will be hailed with delight. What promised to be a brilliant back division in the Auckland representative team is losing its value. Asher, Kiernan, and Wood are all troubled with weaknesses in their legs, and! there is more than a probability that none of the three will be seen playing again for Auckland. The weaknesses mentioned were the reason why Asher and Kiernan were not nominated for the New Zealand! team.