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Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 739, 13 March 1877, Page 6 (Supplement)

Mr John Cnrnin,B.A,,of the Civil Service, Wellington, has published as his own private venture a hand book entitled " The Laws of New Zealand," a compendium of the New Zealand Statutes. The local press speaks m very high terms of the book. Mr Cumin has the reputation of being the New Zealand Dr Porson m all that relates to the classics, and Ins skill m drafting bills is of invaluable assistance to the law officers. He is one of the most eccentric characters m the colony. Many years ago ,he was clerk of the Assembly, and according .to custom Avas seated at the table m front of the Speaker's Chair. During an important debate m which all the great guns of the House strove to excel each other m their eloquence, a speaker from some bucolic district ventured on a quotation from a Latin suithor, but unluckily he misquoted. What was. the dismay of lion, members when Mr Curniu suddenly rose to his feet and pointing with a gesture of contempt to the speaker, exclaim od m a stage whisper-' "False quantities, false quantities, go to school, sir, go to school." The lion, member collapsed into his seat, consternation sat on the faces. of some, and a few laughed outright. There was a " stranger m the House " this time, and no mistake. The misquotation and false quantities had jarred on the finelytuned classic ear of the scholarly clerk, and he could not his annoyance. We have heard tliat the ftpshot of the affair was that the Speaker, .who -was himself a scholar, took a lenient view of the case, and that Mr Cumin was appointed to another department in -wliich his iinqxiestion able talents were employed with equal advantage to the public seryice. Occurrences of this kind are very rare m pur legislative assemblies, but last session a tall Scotchman m the strangers' /galjery created no small excitement" by* interrupting one of Mr Stout's oration/^ by leaning over Ijhe front of the gallery and shouting with a voice of Stentoi-, "Gde'J't till 'em, Stoot ! gic' it till 'em \'f '.'Tm^^^as a rusli of constables, and the swangt inp"~ ■* 4 *«n+*" hustled out of the Hoxis-. m a more appro]; The insuraUcb. Foxton, particutft our telegrams last, The building was 1 , National, andvdßSO* stock was insni;e.d ft which re-iiißurea w Spu%p v -■ r ™w&