A NOVEL SPEECH.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5306, 13 February 1879, Page 3

A NOVEL SPEECH.

As a specimen of Parliamentary oratory, says the Sydney Morning Herald, the following, which is a portion of a certain hon, member's utterance delivered recently in the Assembly, ia unique, though the point lies more in the orator's manner than in his matter. The hon. gentleman was giving vent to a phillippic against the Chinese who congregated on the goldfields, and, referring to a particular phase of their wickedness, he expressed himself thus, amid the uproarious laughter of his auditors : — " I can't say mooch aboud de Shinese, I never vas dare, I don't honorable shentlemen, dare custom ish disgraceful, not alone in dis country, but dare own country. We read it efery day dat dare is more as lean say of I am ollowed to speak more on dis occasion. Dare ish not perhaps no honorable member has more opportunity as I have of travel troo de gol'-fields. (Hear, hear.) Here we are— dare is many young man is lookin' for his wife — (laughter) —and I know dat yen 1 vas lookin', for. yife. l look for good-lookm' and perseverin', one—, (great laughter) — but here is the class /of people going from one gol' -field to ahoder, defieivin' . the poor young individuals — (uproarious laughter) —r. great strappin' fellows, not to marry them, but to chose dem sir." Mr Speaker, who doubtless , trembled to see- the dignity of the House thus overturned, was struck with an idea that enabled him to restore the status quo. He accordingly reminded the hon. member that he was out of order in speaking on the Chinese question, aB two motions in reference to the same subject were on the notice paper. The hon. gentleman, with a deference to the Speaker's ruling which might. well be imitated by others, at once abandoned the subject and gracefully resumed his seat, with the following remarks:— "l apologise, Mr Shpeaker and honorable Bhentlemen, for going too far, but, as far as I vent, I 'ope you vill beg pardon." And, as the House shook with convulsions of laughter, the hon. gentleman joined in the meriment as if he had really done something to be proud of. It should be added that the effect of the speech was greatly heightened by a barrel-organ accompaniment in the adjoining street.