MR G. DONNE IN THE COUNCIL.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 502, 11 May 1869, Page 3

MR G. DONNE IN THE COUNCIL.

" An Observer," who writes " notes from the gallery " for the Nelson Mail, and who appears to be no friend to Mr Donne, M.P.C., says : After this there was a talk about separation of the West Coast, and the members from that part very wisely sat still and never said a word, but left the members who didn't come from the West Coast to do all the work for them, and this they managed so well that the Council was very nearly saying that they didn't approve of any opposition being offered to the petition for separation. So the West Coast members smiled and looked pleased, and sensible members who didn't come from the West Coast looked disgusted, and all the others — there were seven of them—looked foolish and frightened, and began to think about the hustings. Shortly after this we had a little dispute between Mr Donne and Mr Reid; the latter, in a few sensible words, ventured to take a different view of a case to what Mr Donne did, whereat the latter grew furious and threw himself into the most dreadful contortions, and put his hand in his pocket and his leg on the chair, and tore his beard, and clutched his throat, and altogether behaved like a maniac. The idea of Mr Eeid—a new member

—"rushing to the front" in opposition to Mr Donne! he ought to have known his place better, —had he (Mr Donne) been in Mr Eeid's place he would have been too modest to have acted in such a way. And the Council laughed incredulously This was on Tuesday night, but I went into the gallery again last night, and had some more Donne. He was very greedy that night, and he wanted Charleston to have 40 members—fancy 40 Donnes ! —and somebody said he thought that was too many for a small place, and Mr Donne said he never said so, or if he did it was a lajjsus lingiim, and then I heard a very rude member whisper audibly that he wished his (Mr Donne's) tongue would one of these days slip out so far that he could never get it back again—and the Speaker didn't call him to order.