IN LIGHTER MOOD.

Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 315, 21 November 1929, Page 3

IN LIGHTER MOOD.

pr ,j JJL’S P. HAVE FROLIC. While Speaker is Away. Some Humorous Debates. To reverence our institutions is meet, but dignity can unbend on occasions without loss of prestige. Burlesque is a great balancer, and even kings have found healthy pleasure in ridiculing for a while their own great constitutions and institutions of State.

Members of the House of Representatives, having reached the end of a wearying session, set dignity and decorum at nought, and, for a few minutes before the arrival of the Speaker, extracted no small amount of enjoyment. Amusing at the outset was the | loud hand clapping of Reform and labour members as the Ministers of the Crown entered the Chamber. Then Mr. J. A. Nash, Reform member for Palmerston, took possession of the chair of the Speaker. In reply to an indignant appeal by a Labour member that the chairman had dared take his place without wig and gown, Mr. Nash replied loftily that hon. members must not reflect on the tp chair.

Mr. S. J. Smith rose to give notice of his intention to move that a Select Committee be set up, to include Mr. W. D. Lysnar and Mr. D. Jones, to consider the question of the abolition of the Meat Board. (As Mr. Jones is the chairman of the Meat Board and Mr. Lysnar is violently opposed to the organisation, the motion was received with delight members). 9' Mr. F. Langstone next gave notice of hjs intention to introduce a Guy Fawkes Day Validation Bill. Disorder ensued. The Hon. W. A. Veitch rose to speak in support of the Bill mentioned. Mr. E. J. Howard stood up and roared: “ Mr. Speaker! Mr. Speaker!” Each member drowned the remarks of another. Those who persisted in speaking had ill-aimed newspapers thrown at them. The Hon. A. J. Stallworthy rose to move that Mr. Howard be sent to gaol. A South Island member announced to the House that the South Island was in great difficulty as it had no

bananas. Mr. D. Jones said there was no ' difficulty remaining, as the Adminishad decided that morning that the .South Island be abolished altogether. Mr. Langstone, who was proving irrepressible, constantly endeavoured to introduce new matter into the debate. Mr. G. Sykes endeavoured to say something, but was howled down with the indictment: “George Washington, the man who never told a lie!” Mr. Sykes, however, succeeded in having his say. He said he wanted the Minister of Customs to allow him to establish a bowser for boozers.

The chairman: Any reference to boozers is tedious repetition. Mr. G. C. Munns appealed half-a-dozen times to the chair, but the chairman hammered his desk and insisted that Mr. Munns resume his seat. Mr. R. A. Wright, dodging a missile, moved for the introduction of a Mental Defectives Bill. A member: And that you be included in it. The Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata, who had stolen the bell from the Speaker’s table, punched it loudly. Mr. Wright was on his feet again, this time moving for the introduction of a Bill making an allowance to women of £1 per week for pin money, k (Loud and sustained applause from the ladies’ gallery). The chairman put the motion to the vote, and declared it carried, despite the tearful protests of Mr. Jones on a point of order.

Mr. Jones insisted that £1 a week was a miserable allowance for a woman’s pin money, and he was of opinion that the amount should be increased to £lO. (Renewed applause from the ladies’ gallery). Mr. J. A. Young now made a presentation to the chairman. He said the chairman was not attired as he should be, and thereupon presented him with a pair of hom-rimmed spectacles, to which was attached a large red rose. Mr. Nash donned the spectacles. Mr. Langstone was causing a furore in his corner, whereupon the chairman appointed Sir Apirana

.Ngata as Sergeant-at-Arms and rei quested him to remove Mr. Lang- / stone from the Chamber. Mr. Veitch rose to accord his supt port to the Guw Fawkes Validation k Bill, on the ground that Guy Fawkes T was the only man who had ever

shown proper respect to Parliament. Mr. Munns: I would draw attention to the fact that the Minister of Lands is smoking. The Speaker: He is quite in order. Mr. W. J. Jordan said that the Minister of Health, in an election speech, had said he would establish a home for the infirm if the electors would put him in. What had the Minister meant? The Speaker: The Minister has already been in gaol, so I do not think you should add to his embarrassment. The whispered announcement that the real Mr. Speaker was on his way brought the House to something like order, and King Burlesque made a hurried exit through the red curtains.—Dominion.