LOBBY GOSSIP.

Observer, Volume 2, Issue 48, 13 August 1881, Page 555

LOBBY GOSSIP.

— When the Estimates first came out men were seen stuiyidg them in every room of the House. — Dick says there may be subsidies this year, and then again there may not. — It is expected Parliament will close about the 15th prox. — Hall and Whitaker are not agreed about the Maori representation. —People are beginning to speculate whether Driver is coming up this session or not. —It has been wisely said that the discussion on the Representation Bill should be heard in the Palace of Bosh. Thus, if this were done there would be what men think, and not what they say. — Prices have been raised in Bellamy's. This increase, with the economy practised by members in view of the impending election, will give the Parliamentary grog-shop hard work to pay its way. —Although Hall told them last night that the Government had not given any information to the Press about returning Vogel's letter, nobody believed him. Yogel was wired to a month since to send it out for publication this year. — The question of the disqualification of Sir George Grey and Taiaroa promises to be hotly discussed. Rumour has it that should the petition to the Governor fail to remove Captain Baillie from the Council, Captain Baillie will be served with a writ for the amount of the penalties he has incurred. — On the second reading of Weston's Flogging Bill, Fulton said he had been put to too much expense through wife desertion, Stewart said women were fond of exaggerated tales ; and Reid that he had been put to greai agony through official flogging. J. B. Fisher feared that men flogged" with the cat would have striped children. — An amusing pen and ink skit has been posted up in the Whips'. room in the Parliamentary Buildings. It was ascribed to Sheehan, but he denies the soft impeachment. It represents a familiar utensil as the pedestal of the proposed stature to be presented to Thomas Thumb Weston in recognition of his services in Parliament. — Hurst of Auckland announced himself so far a free trader that ho thought no embargo should be laid on the introduction of either smallpox or measles, remarking sotto voce to a friend afterwards that smallpox was Bonietimes a blessing in disguise, ns it enabled a man at times to inter an aged wife and get a young one in her place. The lawof compensation there came in. — J. B. Fisher has invented a new seal for the colony in connection with the Crown and Native Lands Bill. The Board should be represented on this seal by tho Colonial Treasurer enthroned on high • the County Councils and the Road Boards represented as • the daughters of the House - leech prostrate before him crying " Give ! give ! give !" The motto " Bribery • 'and Corruption." — The last rumour about the Public Works portfolio is that it will be put up to auction in Bellamy's at an early date. Rumour says that many eager office.seekers make anxious enquiries when the sale will come off, but there is a drawback to the worth of the article as the Government will not guarantee the title. The sale will shortly be advertised for the benefit of those whom it may concern, like damaged goods. —Great amusement is felt in the House wheir Weston asks a question ; his manner of deference and mode of diction marks him out from all other members Thus, when he wanted the other day to ask a question he commenced—" Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to ask my hon. friend the Postmaster-General a question?" Certainly you may." said Shrimski who aits in a corner of one of the middle benches. "The disgust of Weslon, it is said, was as great as the amusement of Shriinski. —The Post announced last night that Atkinson was to be proceeded against because one of his chimneys took fire, and that legal steps could not be taken until ten days had elapsed after Parliament had elapsed. To-day one of the chimneys of the House of Representatives caught on fire, and the question hns been hotly discussed between the Mayor of Wellington and the police authorities ns to whom they shall prosecute—the Speaker, the House Committee, or the chimney sweep, or whether any prosecution would lie without a warrant from the Crown. —We have had a singular addition to the House, which is neither useful to the members nor ornamental to the building. It is a cane-like screen erected to preserve the draughts which go in varying currents through the House, blowing the hair off the head of the Chairman of Committees. It is placed behind the Clerk's chair. It has, at times, amusing consequences and a ludicrous effect. A taller member looking over the new erection can sometimes see the Speaker's nose. Weston the first day of the erection could not see the Speaker, and the Speaker could not see him. Weston was addressing the Speaker and there being some noise in the House the Speaker kept calling on Weston to proceed, not being able either to • see or heai- him. — Another Weston story and I will let him pass this time. He was speaking strongly in favour of the abolition of the Gold Duty Bill. Sheehan purposely misunderstood him, and said, "What a sad thing it must be for his constituents to have a member who was so much opposed to the repeal of the gold duty." Whereupon Weston arose and said the inernber for the Thames misunderstood him. Quoth Sheehan : " Does the hon. support the Bill?" "Yes," said Weston. "I am sorry indeed to hear him say so, because he will vote against it if he speaks in favour of it." Quoth Orrnond, looking at the map showing the . redistribution of seats : " The Government do not mean the men sure to pass." — Vincent Pyke is writing a brochure called " The Recreations of a County Chairman." It is written over most people's head. In his pursuit he is engaged in hunting up at times the meaning of Maori words and. Maori letters. The other day he asked a member familiar with the Maori language the meaning of the word " Kawatau." I was told that it meant a hundred bitternesses, so Vincent could not understand how such a name could have such a significance. He maintained that it had no point, at least for his story. He was told that the name was fall of significance to him, as it could represent the words " sovereigns knocked off his salary as county chairman." — The impending duel between J. C. Brown and W. J. Speight is deferred for a season. Both men are timorous, it is said. Brown being a round and portly man, it was calculated that he ran five times the danger that Speight would. Sheehau, in order to bring about a good understanding between the recalcitrants, promised that Speight's width should be chalked out on Brown's body and Speight be compelled to fire inside the chalk mark. Brown was afraid that Speight would shoot outside the superficies marked, and Atkinson, itwas said, remarked that there would be no loss to the country if he did. — The Maori members fail to see why their land should be taken to destroy the rabbit pest.' They say the pakeha brought the pest to the colony, and he should be compelled to rid the country of it. When the measure was discussed among themselves one member threw ont the sage suggestion, that while it was exijedient that rabbits should be got rid of, the lands of the pakeha should be taxed for that end, but half the money raised should be given to the owners of Maori lauds as compensation for the harm tho rabbits had done their estates.