MR TURNBULL AND THE DECEASED WIFE’S SISTER BILL.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2319, 23 August 1880, Page 3

MR TURNBULL AND THE DECEASED WIFE’S SISTER BILL.

“ A writer in the Otago Daily Times says” :—I was present durin g the greater part of the debate on tlio bill; and although it was necessary to show a little virtuous indignation at the deliberate waste of time, everyone who had no private bill of his own down for the evening covertly hoped that the little hand of 14 would continue their amusing stonewalling. The ladies’ gallery was full, and the fair occupants from their smiling appreciation of the sallies, evidently considered it a held night for their special delectation. One of the most prominent stoncwallcvs was Mr Turnbull, member for Timaru, who brought down the ladies gallery by observing that if the bill passed, no wife who was worth her salt would allow any sister of hers “ to come nagging around the premises.” None of the members, however, had apparently heard of the witticism of a recent humorist who ou the subject of this hill has placed ou record his unanswerable argument in its favour; “If a man s wife dies and he marries again he will powers above! —have two mothers-in-law ; whereas if he marries his deceased wife’s sister the orignal incubus alone remains. That clinches the argument. I commend this fnuniosity to Major Harris when the bill comes on again. To return to Mr Turnbull : he is a typical member of our present House. Without any great ability, and with no inordinate share of common sense, he can talk with fluency, and is really pleasant to listen to, and would be more so if ho studied a certain enigma of Lord Byron’s ou a much ill-used letter of the alphabet. He sits on the Opposition side, hut is seldom fact ious or obstructive, although ou the Deceased "Wife's Sister Bill he certainly exhibited considerable Paruellism. With a little more experience of the House and Parliamentary experience, however, I believe there is stuff in Mr Turnbull which will prove to be of the right kind. Close to him sit two eminent members of the Opposition, Mr Ballancc and Mr Montgomery.