Personal.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 850, 15 June 1888, Page 27

Personal .

Acerbity and personality in a very marked degree were the characteristics of yesterday week’s proceedings in the House of The debate on the Customs Bill occupied the entire sitting, and remained still unfinished when the House rose at midnight. We do not think we exaggerate when we say that quile three-fourths of the whole time went to personal accusation and recrimination, and that not more than one-fourth was devoted to the real question before the House. This seems scarcely a satisfactory apportionment. We are free to confess that far more interest from an audi ence’s point ot view attached to the three-fourths than to the one-fourth, notwithstanding that the former was almost wholly irrelevant. IPor instance, the proceedings of a certain meeting held in Dunedin, and the details of the circumstances in which it was convened, could hardly be deemed relevant to the question whether the Customs Bill should be read a second time. But the very singular assertions and counter-assertions ‘ as to what took place had a distinctly enlivening effect, and were listened to with far keener appreciation than the more appropriate but duller disquisitious on the merits of Freetrade and Protection. Mr Fish’s version of his friendly warning to Mr Scobie Mackenzie of the egg-storm which would greet his appearance at the meeting, and of the uncontrollable fury into which the Dunedin working-men were lashed by that gentleman’s audacity in presuming to address those honest but hornyhanded gentry aa his ‘‘-friends,” and Mr Scobie references to Mr i Fish’s morals, also the fame gentlej man’s account of Mr Fish’s fervent j but unheard orisons on behalf of Sir | Robert Stout when the East Dunedin - election was pending,were|allextremely I diverting and unquestionably made I things lively, but the puzzle was to [ see what argument could be deduced i thence either for or against the pass- ! ing of the measure which -vas the I sole question before tho House. The 1 speakers, indeed, did not even indulge jin tho thinnest pretence of appositeness. They boldly announced that they did not intend to devote much attention to the question before them, but meant to indulge freely in personalities. And they entirely carried, out this intention: The proceedings might in fact be summed up as consisting c*f an ” Otago free fight,” ( sq.ch as the House used so often to be regaled with. Evidently Mr Allen had skilfully drawn out Mr Fish that Mr Scobie Mackenzie might smite him. And , the House and tho galleries looked on aud listened, and enjoyed the fun. But i!; oouid not possibly be called, business, and,' it was not creditable to the House. Much as we may lose in the way of cheap entertainment, we hope there wi,ll be, no ; more of this sort of, thing, but that the j remaining speakers will, steer clear of j these liyely, though not useful, digresjsions, and try to stick a, lit.tig cipher •to the ostensible subject p.f discission. acqujfc Mipis- <?£ having conlyihuted their fjuljl ?ha,re p,f aeeyfeify, and of doing a gp,od deal to render the debate unnece@@&r}}y acrimonious. Why need Mr Ifergua and Mr Fishey have attacked Mr Stuart Mentfath and others in so pointed and personal a manner? The only probable eij&ct would be to convert temporarily dissentient friends iptp. irreco.ncileable and ynp|aca,b.le foes. And tl?Bjt iV seldom a wise or profitable I policy. A far more dignified attitude would have been one of regret without bitterness ; but those two Ministers seemed bent on making the breach irremediable and on finally alienating ail dissentient This is not good rJfttesm.anqhip, The present occasion i,a prominently one 'calling for signaltactj discretion, sound judgment, and ©von temper. Hitherto these hay§ not been conspicuous. Aftipty Mr Walker undoubtedly gave d lUttpk be’tte? twfl tP, dipwaaiop.’