"HEAVING BRICKS"

Northern Advocate, 8 July 1925, Page 5

"HEAVING BRICKS"

AT THE PRIME MINISTER

A FACETIOUS LABOURITE

(Special to "Northern Advocate.") WELLINGTON, This Day.

Each member of the Labour Party when he rises to speak on the Address-in-Reply deflate makes a point of attacking the Prime Minister or casting ridicule on him in some way.

Mr J. A. Lee (Auckland East) did not forget to have his shots at Mr Coates last night, but he began by remarking that during the war the Prime Minister, unlike some other members of the House who were always saying hard things about the Labour Party, was always present when hard work had to be done.

Mr Lee added that on one occasion when his company was going out of the line for a spell, Mr Coates was in charge of the company going in to relieve them. The Prime Minister had a water bottle full of whisky and proffered Mr Lee's commanding officer a drink. "Although only a common private," said Mr Lee, "I could not help saying 'Yes, thanks,' and Mr Coates gave me a drink too. That was a whisky I shall remember for a long time, but I do not believe the Prime Minister will remember much about it, .because he had a bottle full and I only had one drink." (Laughter.)

Mr . Lee then said that Mr Coates had a genial personality, but he desired to heave a few bricks at him. In amusing style he proceeded to refer to the story of Mr Coates throwing a bull when a youth, but questioned whether his " jazz-like'' qualities, his strut and his wavy, oiled hair should be put forward by the press as a qualification for his appointment to the Prime Ministership. Mr Coates, added Mr Lee, had entered Parliament as a Liberal, but he afterwards turned his coat like some other turncoats in the House, and his Government could truly be described as a "Turncoats Ministry."