HANSARDIANA.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 173, 2 August 1901, Page 3

HANSARDIANA.

Mr McNab : In tbe South we have found the county system work very well; and in tho North there is a tendency to go in more for ltoad Boards than -County Councils, and to cut up 'the very large areas which are now under their control, I am not, myself, certain what tho reason is which causes Boad Boards to be so popular in tho North and the County Councils in th 6 South. Mr Lauronson : After all, you can have too much of a good thing. I remember reading of a negro gentleman who believed he could only satisfy his religious aspirations by public immersion, and he got someone to immerse him in a river before a large congregation; and as he emerged from the river in a half-drowned condition, spluttering and blowing, he remarked, with a good deal of asperity, that “ some day some gentleman nigger was going to get drowned with such ■ hanged foolishness as thi6.” I believe it is a mistake to try and force too many reforms on the House. Where were the police ? Ido not suppose we shall ever see its like again. There, sir, wo saw the natives dressed in modern dress, with belltopper and frock coat, by tho side of the native pressed as he appeared in former "times—the modern civilisation side by side with the primitive native.

Mr E. G. Allen : I desire, further, to express my pleasure that the Hon. the Native Minister, although he did not have a title conferred upon him, received a very great honour ; he has been invited Home with Mrs Carroll, to be guests of our future King. Hon. J. G. Ward : Not only did we have tho sixty-three new cars to help to carry the people on the New Zealand railways during the time to which I have referred, not only did we have to use highsided and low-sided trucks, but for the first time in the history of the colony — and, I think, for the first time in the history of the world—we used frozen-meat trucks- for the purpose of carrying human beings. We took off the freezing-doors and put on half-doors, and the people travelled in these cars, Mr O’Meara: With respect to the oldage pensions, which is another subject mentioned in the Speech, I wish to say that I deprecate the names of the old-age pensioners being published iu the public press when the pensions are granted by the Magistrate. I think it is unfair that that should be done. These old people are advertised quite sufficiently as it is, and it is only advertising their poverty. I sincerely hope this will be altered. A questionable compliment.—An hon. member: You make him blush.—Mr O’Meara: No, I have no desire to make him blush, and I do not think I have the power to do it. The Union Steamship Company has done an enormous amount of good here, and, while they themselves have done very well, they have not sent their money out of the colony—only for the purpose of building new ships with the profits of the company—and we are getting the benefit of an honest, well-kept line of steamers. The amount of wages paid, and the amount of produce of 'our soil consumed by this company, are very great.—-E. G. Men,