POLITICAL JOTTINGS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10632, 3 July 1920, Page 6

POLITICAL JOTTINGS

HOUSE AND LOBBY TALK NOTES AND COMMENTS FROM THE PRESS GALLERY. “THE FOETID ATMOSPHERE OF THE "HOUSE.” Dr. Thacker (Christchurch East) called attention in tho House of Representatives yesterday to the foetid state of the atmosphere of the Chamber. the night before. It would have been possible, he declared, to have carried out armfuls (illustrating the words by action) of human breath and excreta, lie asked the Minister for Public Health whether, in the interests of honourable members and of visitors, he would see that the House was properly cleaned out each evening. The Hon. C. J. Parr -replied that he did not think that the question came within the purview of his department, but ho would make inquiries and see the authorities in control of the Personally, he thought they might make some improvement. BREEDERS OF CONTEMPT. Licensing questions were touched OB in the House yesterday afternoon by Mr AV. D.. Lysnar (Gisborne). Mr Lysnar ■ advocated the repeal of the anti-shouting' law, which was disregarded and was breeding contempt of la.w. So, also, if no-license prevailed would there be evasion of tho law. He thought there should be not more than one hotel to every thousand people; hotels which had no accommodation should not he allowed; liquor should bo analysed, for good liquor did no harm; the hare majority should be done away with, and the old proportion reinstated. CHLOROFORM v. 'ALCOHOL. “I have no confidence in the Gov* ernment,” declared Dr. Thacker (Christchurch East) in the House of Representatives yesterday afternoon, “becaus9 the people outside have no confidence in it.” (Hear, hear.) The Hon. \V. Nosworthy i(Ashburton): They have as much confidence in us as they have in you. (Hear, hear.) Dr. Thacker: No; they have not as much confidence in you as they have in me. The people would never allow you to put them to sleep with alcohol, hut they will me. (Laughter.) They might allow the Minister to put them to sleep with alcohol, but I believe he doesn’t shout very often. (Loud laughter.) “NO BOARD IN IT I” “Board of Trade!” Df Thacker fail* ly snorted in the Houf*> of Repfesentatives yesterday. “It has no board in it. It is all ‘fiimsy-limsy’ 1 It is invertebrate—a. jelly-fish. Why don’t you, as Minister of the Board of Trade,” he asked, “go into shops and price thing* as I have?” The Hon. E. P. Lee: The board does. Dr Thacker: Why don’t you ? Mr Lee: How do you know I don’t? Dr Thacker: AVell, I presume you don’t. Mr Leo: Then you are presuming without knowledge. Dr Thacker: You ought to have an inspector for this sort of thing. Mr Lee; How do you know wo have not? . Dr Thacker: AVhat convictions have you got? A bottle of Mdllin's Food and a pot of vaseline! “WHAT Is’gOlNG’tO COME.” During his speech on the no-confi-dence motion yesterday. Dr Thacker (Christchurch East) devoted some considerable time to Mr David Jones (Kaiapoi). “I am only getting himready for what is going to come,” explained the doctor. “When he is ordered to go through that doorway (pointing to the “Ayes’' lobby) he will go through it.” (Laughter.) Mr H. E. Holland tBuller): “AVhen you are ordered you will go through that doorway, ’ ’ pointing to the “Noes” lobby. (Laughter.) A member; And you will go througl the back doorway. (Laughter.) Dr Thacker said that he had beer opposed by one of the strongest Labour candidates in the Dominion; and, in football parlance, he had wiped the floor with him. (Laughter.) So the Labour men could not disregard him. (Hear, hear, and laughter,) “If,” he aded, “he is the solid man I' think he is, I' will- certainly follow my leader, into the lobby.” (Hear, hear.) * A STRANGE COMPARISON. Mr Holland endeavoured last evening to justify the term “extremist” which had been applied to members of the Labour party. “What man." ho asked, “was ever worth while who was not an extremist? .Would 'Christ have ever gone to the Cross if he were not an extremist?” No one seized the opportunity of observing that there is more than one kind of extremist. A LIGHT-FINGERED, LOYALIST, “A lot,” said Mr Holland last evening, “has been said about loyalty. The Mayor of my town would not preside over a meeting of mine. He said: T can’t; that man is not loyal.’ AVhy, the first thing- I had to do was to put the police on his track; he had been robbing the Old "'Men’s Home and prating loyalty.” Mr Parry: Ho “shook” the old monk porridge. A MISS BY MR LEE. Dr A. K. Newman was complaining of the price of foods and other necessaries. Hon. E. P. Lee: AVhy not go to your City Council? Mr J. P. Luke: Tho City Council has done a lot. It can give you points anyhow! “Heats” from the Liberal benches and some applause from tho Labour quarter.