Political Notes.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7954, 18 October 1905, Page 2

Political Notes.

, LAST WEEK'S WORK. The first sitting- of the week—Monday evening—was commenced practically to empty benches. The most noticeable absentee, if the phrase may be permitted, was Mr James Allen who was at Christchurch, urging the Southern voter not to 'be led astray in December, but to put the alarm clock under his pillow on electiol eve so as to rise with the sparrow, and avoid the crowds at the poll-ing-booths waiting to vole for lira new patented reform parly that is warranted not to fade or fray at the edges, lfc warned the voter that the present Government was a fakir Government', that offered a mango tree that was no! a mango tree at all—a Government that 'did not produce anything solid. Mr Jllerdiuan was' also away on Monday night, and he, too, was telling the Christ - church voter to "destroy once and! for all an Adminintration thai was absolutely corrupt, and elect an Ail-1 ministration that stood for justice, honour, purity and uprightness in Hie colony's public life." Whereupon, Ihn awakened voter weni home. am\ wrecked the premises of the man next door who had advised him to vote for Seddon and Co. last time. Meanwhile in the House Mr K. M. Smith was leaning across his desk telling Mr Massey at the top of his voice that the! party -which Messrs James Allen and 1 Herdnian 1 were touting for down I South represented "nu:ney-bags, money-bags, moneybugs." That was, too, the night Mr Massey was hit with Mr It. McKcnxic's leasehold 'amendments to the Government's land proposals.

From shortly after IS o'clock on Tuesday 'aftertnocn until about -4 o'clock' the following morning the House paid morn or less atTcntion to the Workers' Dwelling Bill ; and nt night there were 'bad-tvmperod gentlemen put ling their hats down for anybody that wanted trouble to kick. Of course, the eternal question of the freehold and the leasehold was contained in the Hill, and whenever land is mentionvd now there is always the. possibility of the market being glutted with' insults. The ! first man to have his hat kicked was Mr Hawkins. Ho brought it on himself by getting gay at the expense of Mr Laurenson. He had only JuSt returned from Lone-Dog Gully, or somewhere else In the back country, .where he had 'been having cakes, and been : presented with an address, upon which was painted : "Hear sir—You're all right ; we feel safe about our interests us leng as you keep your health. Any political party that hasn't 'got you will have to sit up nights shooing Hard Luck oil' the premises"—cr words to that effect. Therefore. lie felt particularly cheerful. So he started to be sarcastic at the expense of the member for Lytlelton. When he had finished, Mr Laurenson rose, and said, "If I did net know 'that the lion, gentleman never drank, T would say he hail a, bail head. Rut. sir, it is not a bad head the member lor Pnhiatua is suffering from—it is a swollen head."

Soon after -1 Irat old reliable wrangle, between Hie town and' .country members started, and Mr Kll, who is looked upon by a lot of members ii« a little tender bed oil pansles, wan given ai bad time. Mr Taylor, who had quarrelled with his colleague for jumping the fence when tin', crowd started throwing things at tlw New Liberal party, sneered, "What does he. know, anyhow—hi! doesn't ' know a turnip from a potato." Mr Taylor has 'been growmg - 'bitter ever since he thought he was sit fhvg'with a straight flush over "the Voucher." I'|) till then it looked as if ho were going to gather round him the beginning's of a party that might mako a lot of bother. Now, practically, lie has only Mr Fisher ami .Mr Hedfurd (■'the' Terrible Turk," ns I hey call him), 'and 'tilings- do'n't pl,wts(! him.

Thursday startid in the House with a wrangle helw?rn the Premier and IlK' loader of the Opposition. The order-paper was ready to time, and Air Massoy offered sonic of bis reflections on the "slovenly methods of the d'overnnncnt." Mr Seddon rcio'inod that the 'bounce ami bluster of the lion . members was amazing.

'■' Hi' is only the. member for Fran'kling !" Mr Hardy: "He Is Iho loader of the Opposition." Mr Set Mmi: "As far >as you are concerned', ma may 'bo. 'but as far as I am concerned, 'ho is nobody !" All the same, Wte leader of the Opposition cut (he traces of ('lie. Parliamentary conch early next morning. At half-past twelve o'clock, Mr Seddon wanted to go on with the Kdiicalion JVill,. and protests from Mr Massoy to allow iiioinlioi's to go home und get;what sleep was coming 'to tlvem, brought no definite promise. "Very well," said Mr Massoy, "I'll move to report progress at ono o'clock." So he did. and was boat en on the vote, five minutes later Mr Hurries moved to report progress, and he . was beaten on the vote. The Opposition grinned, and passed the word that; they were going to raise the I'rem-! ier at every call—they were giving to move to report progress all the time. It's a sound rule in poker to pass in a hand that is not worth raising, no tho. Premier 'hunched his haiwl with the discards, and the House rose. • • * *

Vp in the Council the old people sat until hulf-past eleven o'clock, dealing with the Shops and Ollices Hill. The evening sitting was one of Die most curious that'could be imagined. It wasn't like a Parliament at all ; when the Hon. Mr Keeves was acting as Chairman of Committee late in the evenimg it was like a tangled cinematograph. He put the questions inside out. upside down, and hack end first. He raced them through nt. such a pace I but any member who wanled to speak to a clause or a motion or an nmendmctit had to start before the flag

fell. He whizzed" through at the finish at such a rate that tho man was standing; round to put the lights out before tiro Council tad.lime to look under the seat for its hat • . » .

A startling rumour crept round on Thursday that the Hon. Mr Carroll was dead, and it got a long way, too. Telegrams were received in tho Parliament Buildings by pressmen, asking for verification and details, and the news-people sent a niessago to tho Native Minister, asking whethoro there was any truth in the rumour. Mr Carroll replied that there was no truth in the .statement but offered the suggestion 0 f a sporting member of the House that it was the racehorse Mahutonga who was dead ! A wake was held later in the evening, at which the alleged corpse presided.

One of the men in the House who has a bagful of grievances is Mr Moss, of Ohinemuri. He js dolorous and eternal. Oh Friday, the last day of the week, he rose and made

long references to promises made'by) the Premier and the Minister for Mm I .* neftntitag assistance for prospecting. Jle told the story of a dying digger whoso uiato read to him tho chapter from ltovelntion telling of the gold that paved tho floor of heaven. Tho dying man was sceptical. "It that a prospectus or, a warden's report?" he asked, and Mr Moss wanted to klnow if tho promise of tho Ministers was a prospectus or, a warden's report. "I don't wonder that miner was dying," satd Mr Mo Gowan, --if yon knew 'him, you'd preach him to death."' i'Hois helping to kill mo with his eternal preaching," chimed in tho/Premier. « • * • The week ended with a smart ro> tort! from Sir Joseph Ward. Tho lIuU Railway and Hotd Bill ■*-«» being dealt with, and while tho Minister for Railways was speaking of Vke IV aro railway,! Mr James Al--1 !en said, "Wh«t are you going to

carry over it ?". Quick as thought Sir Jospeh i-apped tack across the floor, "The remnants of the. Oppose tion next election !"

Will the, session end this week?} Not unless half the cargo is jettisoned. There are many things to do, and—say a fortnight hence.—X.Zj. Times.