A-TROUBLE ABOUT GRAMMAR.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10756, 8 September 1900, Page 3

A-TROUBLE ABOUT GRAMMAR.

ENGLISH AS SHE IS DRAFTED.

(SPECIAL TO "THE PKESS.") WELLINGTON, September 7.

The debate on the Public Health Bill was not as a whole of a very enlivening character, but Mr Lewis "struck oil" in clause 88, and his discovery was the means of giving the committee a really entertaining half-hour -"etwee- 1 and) 2 o'clock this morni_g-. „

The clause as introduced read as follows: —"If on such inspection and examination, it appears to the district health officer or any such inspector that any such animal or article is diseased or unsound or unwholesome, or unfit for human consumption, he may seize audi carry it away by himself or any member of the police force or other person, in order that ifc may be dealt with in a summary _tanner, etc." Mr Lewis's point was as to the meaning of the words "carry it away by himself or any member of the police force or other person.' He said that whatever the words "by himself" meant, it was clear that the subsequent words were governed 'by "seize and carry away," and that the member of the police force would have to be carried away with the condemned animal or article.

The Minister in charge of the Bill (Hon. J. G. Ward) thought the clause all right as it stood.

Mr Collins sarcastically-suggested the insertion of the words "all alone" before "by himself" as an improvement in strict keeping with the literary and grammatical standards of the clause.

*„ Bar clay pointed out the difficulty if the condenuied animal were a cow or the inspector having to take it all away "by himself." •* •

■.Mr Atkinson considered' that Mr Barclay's difficulty might be met by an. amendment allowing the inspector the use of a wheelbarrow or cart, but was satisfied that as the clause stood, borrow or no barrow, the uninspector would have to carry away the policeman as well as the cow. The Hon. Mr Ward expressed his gratification that members, after so Jong a sitting, could, discuss the. Bill so cheerfollv, and ultimately satisfied his critics by striking out the policeman altogether, and empowering the inspector to "remove or cause to be remo Vfd" th® condemned animal omrticle. Ihe Committee then settled down to business again, and having spent an hour over this clause passed the remaining eighty-five and the three schedules with hardly a murmur in forty-five minutes.