ABOVE THE SPEAKER’S CHAIR.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume I, Issue 77, 8 December 1887, Page 2

ABOVE THE SPEAKER’S CHAIR.

OUB WELLINGTON CORRESPONDENT. | Away behind the front Opposition benches in a snug corner sits tne funny member, Mr Taylor, of Sydenham. A jovial, rubicund faced, grey bearded old fellow, with long arms wbieh be flaps up and down exactly like a railway signal, and along shiny black coat of the Bunday go-to-meeting order. Full of queer oddities, in the way of droll pronunciation, is Mr T, He is blissfully deliciously nt sea with the aspirate, inrariably bawla out “ 'ear, ’ear ” in the most mellhw of tones, talks about thia ’ere 'ouse in a manner -which would equal a full bred Cockney, gives a bare modicum of common sense which is well nigh lost in an ocean of balderdash, loves to talk of Sydenham as if that suburban constituency were the hub of the universe, and is altogether a good-natured, harmless, and h-less old noodle. Pehce be with him.

But a seat or two retrieved from Mr Taylor sits Dr Hodgkinson, a venerable old fossil who loves to talk of men and things as they were ten years back when he was then in the House. I fancy the doctor atone time or other muxt have been a doctor of souls as well as of bodies for there is a peculiarly painful solemnity with which he utters his dreary platitudes* which smacks more of the pulpit than of the ordinary everyday world. In the Bible in Schools debate he had his chance and made the moat of it in inflicting upon the House a quarter of an hour’s parsonified prattle which would have done credit to a local paeacher. He evidently considers Vogel as the root of all evil and Atkinson as a political angel, and his ideas and speeches savor generally of the old red sandstone epoch of politics.

Another harmless ancient is Mr Ross Mr Ross’appearance is of the essentially respectable and venerable order. He looks the incarnation of bland complacent simplicity. A round beaming face fringed with snowy white hair and a comfortable well fed looking rotundity of figure suggest, to the mind a combination of Mr Pickwick and the Cheeryble brothers from Nicholas Nickleby. His gifts do not tend towards loquacity, a fact, which, in presence of Fish, Seddon, Reeves, and Co. is something for which to thank a merciful heaven. He always looks preternaturally solemn, is always in his place, apparently gives way to neither exultation nor anxiety, but poses as a kind of political jellyfish.

Not so is Mr Turnbull, the longserviced staunch companion whom the Timaru people send up to do battle for their interests. He is by no means a silent member nor at the same time is he of the Fish species. A thorouggoing Radical, Mr Turnbull treats most subjects to a keen yet always fair criticism. Of course he has his hobbies ; who ha-n't? I urnbull’s chief hobby, and he loves full well to ride it fast and furiously, is absenteeism, upon the manifold evils of which he is never tired of dilating. A Vogelite, as a rule, he nevertheless has had the courage lately to object to the extraordinary tactics of obstruction to which Sir Julius has this session been so given, *"? ,r '« G' jnijtrust the Major, or perhaps it may be the men behind the Major, to wit Hall and Co , yet he sensibly objects to needlessly harassing and embarrassing the Government.

Aristocratically slim, always neat and natty with the far-famed, everpresent “ white flower of a blamless life" prominent midway down his manly breast, aits " Waimate" or rather the gentleman who represents that bucolic constituency. As an old journalist Major Steward is well known in the South Island. He ha. been an indefatignble “ rag-planter," and 1 believe to his no small pecuniary profit. In the House his somewhat icy demeanour, and rather stilted style of speech, affords a striking contrast to the fuu of the young bloods and the bull-like roars of Fish and Seddon. Although the Major owes his warlike title to volunteering rather than to actual service in the tented field, he can be militant and agressive enough on occasions, as more than one honorable member has discovered before now. the Major is a strong supporter of Sir Julius Vogel, immediately behind whom heis eated, and with whom he is frequently in consultation.

A noticeable little coterie of members are those who hail from Nelson and the West Coast. Mr Levestam, who is the chosen of sleepy hollow, is, I believe, of Danish extraction—a fact which will account for his strong, but not unplea-ing foreign accent. Mr Levestam is a Liberal of the Liberals, staunch on the subject of secular education, and a staunch henchman of the member for Kutnara on nearly all subjects. As for Diek the Immortal. the only Dick, the beloved of Kurnara, what shall I say ? He has a ready wit, a strident voice and a keen sense of the humorous which oft robs his words of the sting of offence. To his marked north country accent Seddon unites the pertinacity and the pugnacity which are such silent features of the Lancashire lads and the Yorkshire lykes. He is re tnarkabiy ready in debate, never at a loss for an expedient with which to attack his opponents, and certainly never sparing of the most slashing criticism of any proposal which may not fall in with his views On the Chinese question Mr Beddon is this session peculiarly rabid. According to him all the moral obliquities of the universe are cented in the almondeyed Celestial and loudly and constantly does the member for Kurnara re echo the cry which first found utter ance on the San Francisco sand-lots viz., “ The Chinese must go.” Had Mr Seddon enjoyed the advantages of a good education he would certainly have attained to one of the highest positions in the Colony. Of his ability and earnestness there can be no doubt, but it would be better perhaps if his zeal were occasionally tempered with a little discretion. On goldfield matters he is of course alrno-t supreme arbiter, sharing that. hon<u- p rhaps with the genial member for Dustan, the ever-green Vincent Pyke,