ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

Evening Post, Volume XXII, Issue 26, 30 July 1881, Page 2

ESSENCE OF PARLIAMENT.

In the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon, the proceedings were very brief and unimportant. In answer to Captain Fraser, the Attorney- General said that tho Government intended to appoint a medical superintendent for the Dunedin and Seacliffe Asylum as coon as possible. (Hear, hear.) Iho Medical Practitioners Bill (Dr. Grace) was read a first time, and the Inspection of Machinery Bill a third time. The Council adjourned at 3.40 p m. The House having talked itself tired during the previous Beven sitting days, proceeded yesterday afternoon to do something of a more practical character, and advanced no fewer than nine bills a stage on their journey to the statute book. Among these were the Regulation of Elections Bill, which has now finally passed both Houses ; five consolidation Acts sent down by the Statutes Revision Commissioners, and three other formal measures of no public interest. The whole of the evening was occupied in considering in committee the provisions of the Gaming and Lotteries Bill, as passed by the " Lords." There was some little haggling over the totalisator, whioh tho Bill proposed to legalise, several members wishing to see it abolished, while others warmly defended it, as tending to diminish book-making. Amendments were moved by various persons who wished to kill the clause and totalisator together, and Mr. Shrimski made an effort to get it dssoribed as an " infernal machine." These amendments were, however, objected to by a majority, and the clause was pa3sed as printed. Immediately following the totalisator clause was an innocent little provision which read thus — " The Chinese game, known as ' Fan Tan,' or any similar game is hereby declired to be a game of chance within the meaning of this Act." Members generally displayed the most lamentable ignorance on tho subject of this most interesting game, and no sooner was the clause arrived at than half-a-dozen hon. members jumped up and pressed the unhappy Colonial Secretary to " lighten their darkness" as to the nature of fan tan. [From Mr. Dick's attitude it was at once seen that this was a "poser," for he buried his face in his hands and seemed to undergo frightful mental anguish. Mr. Bowen didn't think fan-tan was worse than 100, and thought it would be well if the Minister in charge of the bill would explain what the former game was ; Mr. Speight was sorely afraid of having his moral 3 corrupted by the definition of this unrighteous game, and he expressed a hope that the Minister would not make any explanation, as it might contaminate the purity of hon. members ; Mr. George wanted the term defined in the interpretation clause ; Mr. Levestim prayed the I'olonial Secretary to educate Mm on the subject ; Mr. Bryce believed fan tan was Chine- e for chess ; Mr. Reeves had his doubts as to whether it wasn't similar to kiss in the ring, which wa3 decidedly a game of chance, and ho begged tha Minister in charge of the bill to postpone the clanße till he had ascertained what really was the nature of the game; finally, Mr. Barron implored Mr. Dick in plaintive tones to relievo the painful suspense of hon. members, and give a lucid explanation of this dreadful Chinese game. Upon this the Colonial Secretary slowly and solemnly .rose, amid|roars of laughter and said: " Sir, I beg to inform honorable members I don't know what it is. (Great laughter.) I have enquired, but can get no satisfactory answer. It in not the on y clause by many that I have had to take upon trust, as far as my own knowledge goes. I have no doubt the potent, grave, and reverend seigniors in ' another placo ' have carefully considered the matter before sending the bill down here." Mr. Brown was led to believe — or said he was, which amounts to the same thing— that Mr. Dick could not be in the confidence of Ministers, because it was usual for all Government bills to be carefully considered in Cabinet ero they were brought before Parliament. Mr. Speight took it for granted that as the Colonial Secretary didn't understand the interesting game of fan-tan, all reference to it would have to be omitted from the clause ; but he was anxious for an explanation of the meaning of the succeeding words "or any other similar game." Mr. Dick did not condescend to explain, but Dr. Wallis, who is a man of vast and varied experience, came to the rescue with an explanation of the game itself. His explanation was not quite clear to the nninitiated, but some of our readers might be able to make something of it. It was to this effect : — A lot of Chinese stood round a table on which a lot of counters were thrown down. Then one Chinaman swept all the counters up except one, and it depended on which corner of tho table that counter was nearest who won. Mr. Seymour George also undertook to explain what fan-tan was; but as he described it as merely a game of "odd or even" with counters, the House preferred to accept Dr. Wallis's more technical and learned description. Several other members advised the Colonial Secretary to postpone the clause till he got some definite information on the subject upon what he sought to legislate, but eventually the clause was passed with an addition, making " Stchackpool" (another pretty little Chinese game) a game of chance within the meaning of the Act. It is singular that no information was given or asked in regard lo this Celestial pastime. The only other amendment made up to 1 a.m. was to include literature and mineral specimens among the articles described in the term " lotteries." On reaching clause 24 progress was reported, and the House adjourned.