SECOND EDITION AN INNOVATION IN PARLIAMENT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2920, 4 August 1882, Page 3

SECOND EDITION AN INNOVATION IN PARLIAMENT.

THE PROCEEDINGS ENLIVENED BY THE SINGING OF A GUID AULD SCOTCH SANG.

Wellington, August 1. The special, correspondent ►of the “Lyttelton Times” says: — “ Great amusement was caused this afternoon by the presenting of rival petitions for and against the Christchurch. Drainage Bill. Mr Wynn Williams first rose, and bearing in his hand a bulky bundle tied up square, said ;—“ Mr Speaker, I have’ the honor to , present a petition aigned by one thousand five hundrd and sixty persons against the passing of the Christchurch Drainage Act,’ ” Mr H., Thompson thereupon jumped to his feet, and in a triumphant voice cried—“ And f, Mr Speaker, present one signed by 1064 persons begging that it may be 'passed.” Mr Pyke evidently does not intend to allow Government to sleep with regard to their unfulfilled _ promises. For,Thursday next he has given notice of a question to the following effect : “ When will the Ministry bo prepared to bring down their schemes of goverBlent and finance,?” His enquiring XBittd, -•too seeks for satisfaction on another point, viz., as to. whether the ' ’Colonial Treasurer is inclined to place the County of Taranaki on the same footing as other Counties with regard to Land Fund, or if he will place other Counties' on the same footing as Taranaki County. The Minister for Public Works ■ did not exactly give ■■'Mr Ivess-an' evasive answer to his question, as to the likelihood.of some reduction in the railway tariff on grain, 'ooal, timber and stone, as recommended by the Farmers’ Association, but that hon member can scarcely he ■ said Jo have got much: satisfaction out. of' it. The gist of it was that he would consider the matter during the races with a disposition to answer it favorably, and With a view to encouraging an increase in the area of land put under cultivation. Sir G. Grey may well weep for the deeds of fairies “ with beards on their faces ” in good earnest now. Whether the Waste Lands Committee is a body that bears malice I do .not undertake to say, hut certainly the way they have “ sat upon’ the Deferred Payment Settlers Relief Bill, looks as if they meant to have a little quiet revenge for the way he poked inn at them on Tuesday last. Mr Bracken stands in the enviable position of the man who has established a Parliamentary precedent. Henceforth, it seems to mo that, it will be quite competent for hon members to enliven proceedings with a song. The circumstances of the case were somewhat different to one of the same nature that cropped up last year while

the historical stonewalling was going on, Henare Tomoana, it may be remembered,' finding matters rather dull, : niOßt of his hon. colleagues wrapped 111 slumbers deep if not soothing, and a clear-eyed man being engaged, in reading an electoral roll backwards, or in making some equally soul • stirring and relevant soberly proposed to treat the Committee to a song. This Mr Seymour, then Chairman of Committees, sternly refused to countenance, and the Maori M.H.E. thus failed to occupy the distinSiiehed place which the member for aoediu Central occupies. This evening Mr Pisß, in speaking on the Gaming and Lotteries Act Amendment Bill, quoted whatpurported to be a Scotch song ” Behave Yourself Before Folk.” Mr Dick denied that there was such a song. Mrs Fish, though he declared there was, did not seem able to give chapter and verse for it, whereupon his colleague

rose to'succour him, land began to quote it at length, bat a storm of broadJSootch arose, and bade, him “Singit monj" Before the astonished Speaker could interfere, Mr Bracken had plunged in Tftediaa res, and quietly sang— Behave yersel’ before folk, Behave yersel* before folk, -i Whate’er ye do when ont o’ view, Be eanny, aye, before folk.

;Hia cool and evidently„unpremeditated audacity drew forth jond applause from the chiefs in the House, and completely discomfited Mr Dick, who was thusconvictedof ignorance on what is generally a subject on which Scotchmen mueh pride themselves in knowing, viz., their national songs.”