CHILDISH SQUABBLING.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 254, 13 October 1911, Page 5

CHILDISH SQUABBLING.

SIR JOSEPH AND MR. MASSEY. THE USUAL PLEASANTRIES. [BY TEI.EGP.APH - SPECIAL.] (Own Correspondent.) Wellington. Oct. 13. A good deal of the time of the House was wasted to-day by Mr. Ell. who started an ineffective stonewall «>n the Wellington ( ity Empowering Bill. In this bill there was a provision universally agreed to by the people of Wellington to make a small charge for witnessing games <>n certain rr> rrat’.uii grounds made at great expense by the city. The propo-al was to make a charge on thirty dais In the year. The circumstances in Wellington are entirely different from those in other cities, sinh as Christchurch, when* recreation grounds can be specially made on level lands. Mr. Lil. howeier. waxed very wroth al the proposal, ami spoke at h-ngtli again*.! it several times. Til's i-aused Mr. Herries to expre-s wonder at what a well meaning faddist like Mr. Ell cost ; th*- eotimry on -;nh occasion-. After tin- adjournment Sir Joseph \\ anl mad*- a spee-ii in which he suggested a compromise |,y allowing a * Large on 2<> days in the year. Sir Joseph wandered from the bill to hate his usual fling at the Opposition.. whose represi-nlat ives. he said, wen- getting off machine made Mr. Massev. in reply to the Prime Minister, said they had recently the ext raordinary spectacle of one branch of the Legislature closed down t*i allow a Minister of the Crown to go electioneering at the public expense. They had .also the spectacle of another Minister of the Crown absent from his place in order that lie could go electioneering. Sir Joseph Ward: Who was that Mr. Massey: The Minister for Agri cult tire. Sir Joseph Wytrd: He was only absent from Friday night till Monday night. Where, he asked, was Mr. Massey ? lie also had gone electioneering. A voice: And Mr. Allen. Mr. Massey: I am not a Minister of the Crown. We have a perfect right to go because w-e pay our own expenses. Sir Joseph. Ward said the two Ministers had gone at their own expense, and they were entitled to go. One had lost his seat. Mr. Massey: The seat's there. Sir Joseph Ward. And the other had decided to come down and contest a seat in the ordinary course of things from the Upper House. That Minister had taken advantage of the opportunity to go to Parnell to deliver a speech. Both these Ministers would be returned by large majorities (Opposition laughter), and the Opposition did not like it. Mr. Massey: Don’t he too sure about it. Sir Joseph Ward said that in his opinion they would both be returned. Mr. Massev: You will find they have no room up there for Southern rejects. Sir Joseph Ward : That is rather poor. If the non. member will come down to my electorate I shall regard it as one of the golden opportunities jf my life, and I would not call him a reject from the north. The sooner we get the national spirit the better it will be for the country as a whole. I am not going to say in any boasting way that we are going to get back with an overwhelming majority. but I think the people recognise when thev have a good thing and will not set it aside for a bad thing. Mr. Wilfoni here innocently enpiired. “What about the bill amid a general shout of laughter. The House apparently had forgotten all about the bill. Sir Joseph Ward answered the question: “Your bill.’’ he said, “is only a secondary matter when wc are dealing with matters of great importance.” (Laughter). After a forcible and lucid speech by Mr. Wilford, Mr. Ell was badly •eaten by 46 to 17 on his amendment io limit the charging days t<> ten. It was decided to allow twenty charging days in a year, on condition that not more than ten of the days be Saturdays, and the bill then passed through Committee.