BLANK, M.H.R.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5167, 13 October 1877, Page 3

BLANK, M.H.R.

Dr. Henry, M.H.R., read in the House last night a paragraph that appeared on Tuesday last in the Evening Post, casting reflections upon that hon. member's character. The remarks in question were deemed o£ a sufficiently grave nature to necessitate a personal explanation. Dr, Henry explained the matter in this way : —The Evening Post of Tuesday ;has a paragraph in which my name is mentioned. (Paragraph read, portions of which excited the risibility of many" hon. members.) In connection with this paragraph I wish to make an explanation. On Monday afternoon I went to an hotel where I saw the hon. member for —-~, referred to in the paragraph. I saw him there, and he had some luncheon in my presence. I may mention that I had not seen him for a couple of days. He had only a glass of beer . Mr. Bastings : I rise to a pomt of order. Mr. Bakff : I rise to a point of order too. (Dr. Henry sat down, and so did the other two hon. members). Dr. Henry rose. It is said in the paper that I kept him (the hon. member for ——) in a state of liquor. I wish to mention exactly what he - did. Having had that luncheon he accompanied me to these buildings. I 'may mention that in the course of conversation he notified his intention to vote for the Government. After luncheon he said he would like to retire for a while. I went with him into a room in these buildings and he had some apollinaris water and a cigar. _ The hon. member for expressed a desire to sleep after twelve or fifteen minutes' conversation. As I thought my conversation might disturb him I went away. He said, "Go down and see what is going on, and come back." I Baid, "If there's any risk of anyone coming here to disturb you I had better lock the door." He said, " Yes, there is." So I locked the door. I returned in due time according to promise.- I saw he was still asleep and comfortable in regard to position. I left, and in a little while after an hon. member came tome in an excitable, 1 might say bounceable manner. He asked for the key of the room. Ido not like to be bouuced. Most hon. members don't. I went to the room of the hon. member f or _J . On getting to the landing I saw him with a few friends. I had learned in the meantime that they had opsned the door—of course, sir, without the key. They accused me of having taken him to the room and kept him there by°any except honorable means. I made him then and there strike for a. different place. In the presence of his friends—his quasi friends—he said what had taken place Mr. Thomson : I rise to a point of order. (Cries of "Sit down, sit down," in subdued tones.) This explanation is occupied with something that has taken place'outside this building. .(Cries of " No, no," in loud tones.) The hon. member is speakiug about an hotel at any rate. The point of order is this, whether the hon. member is entitled to enter into an explanation segarding matter that is altogether outside —(cries of " No, no") —of this House—its representatives. ... The hon. member for —— was in his place in the House during the above explanation. He seemed the while in a contemplative mood, and a shade of sorrow appeared to flit across his brow, as though he were muttering to himself peecavi. The Speaker : I think it undesirable for the hon. gentleman to bring in anything of this sort unless it 13 in vindication of his own character. Those delicate questions of honor should not verge upon public scandal. Dr. Henry : J consider as a man of honor that this paragraph reflects unfavorably upon me. There 13 another thing—the paragraph mentions the name of Mr. Wason. He was not there at all. Tor myself, I have done none of the things attributed to me in the paper of keeping an hon. member in a state of liquor for ulterior motives. Dr. Henry sat down amid cries of " Hear, hear." We hear there is another question at issue respecting the locking up of a certain member ef the House of Representatives at the time of the recent division on the vote of want of confidence. We are informed that another member, who represents a Southern constituency, has slated that a well-known Native Land Purchase Agent now. in this city made Mr. Blank, M.H.K., drunk to prevent his voting on that occasion ; and that the land agent interviewed the member from the Sunny South and made it rather sultry_ for him ; and that the party aggrieved has since written a letter to the honorable member and requested a written apology for " the false and unfounded assertion."