"THE BEST CITY."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19195, 8 December 1925, Page 7

"THE BEST CITY."

MINISTER AND MEMBERS. EXCHANGE OF COMPLIMENTS. Good-natured banter between the Minister for Education, Sir James Parr, and Wellington members of Parliament caused amusement at the opening of a new school at Kaiwarra on Saturday. Sir James Parr set the ball rolling by stating bow impressed he had been with the open-air school at Christchurch, from where he had just returned, but in passing remarked that he had contracted a chill in Christchurch, Mr. R. A. Wright, M.P., who followed, said that he was glad that the Minister was recovering from his cold in healthy Wellington. (Laughter.) Mr. Wright was saying that lie was not too sure whether the open-air school would prove suitable everywhere, when tho Minister interpolated: "Oh, no, never in Wellington; there is too much wind here'!" (Laughter.) Mr. Wright (determinedly): I don't know. I see that the wind was so strong at Auckland the other day that it lifted the roof completely off a house. (Laughter. ) Mr. T. Forsythj M.P., the next speaker, said be thought 'there was a microbe at Auckland known as " Waitemataitis " or some such name, the germ having ils origin on the banks of the Waitemata, and so affecting people up that way that they were inclined to overlook everybody else. (Laughter.) Although Christchurch might be flat and cold, continued Mr. Forsyth, Auckland could boast of plenty of hot air. (Prolonged laughter.) Bv the time Mr. J. J. Clarke had risen to champion the cause of Wellington, the Minister, amid roars of laughter, had declared; "Oh, I love Wellington."