A JOKE GOES WRONG. MINISTER'S UNSUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10561, 16 September 1910, Page 1

A JOKE GOES WRONG.

MINISTER'S UNSUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT.

AN UNAPPREC'fATIVE SCOT. By Telegraph.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, September 15. "It is always a dangerous thing for a Scotchman to attempt a joke and doubly so when he tries it on another Scotchman." This was the moral drawn by the Hon. George Fowlds from an incident which occurred during the pregress of the Education Bill through Committee. The subject under discussion was the expenses incurred by members of education boards in attending meetings, and A'r Buchanan, member for Wairarnpa. who has been a member of the. Wellington Education Board for many years, held the attention of the committee while he appealed to the Chairman for protection from an insult !.e had received. All anonymous note signed "Honesty" stated: "I think it is up to you to say how much ill-gotten gains you have received from the Education Board." Air Buchanan said he could not recognise the handwriting, bui he presumed it- come from another member, and he wanted to be protected from such imputations. During the whole time he had becu a member of the Education Board he had never charged a cent for travelling expenses. "I'm the culprit; I'm guilty of this offence," confessed the Hon. T. Mackenzie. l:le• explained that when the member for Invercargill was speaking about the fearful amounts made out of expenses by members of education boards, he (tho Minister) remarked to those round him, "We'll have a joke with Mr Buchanan. He's looking so serious." So the note was sent and the conspirators watched Air Buchanan's face. He would not willinglv insult the member for Wairarapa, and as for any imputation nobody would believe it- of him. Air G. W. Russell: I ask for your ruling whether this is a public document which ought to be laid -on the table. —(Laughter.) The Chairman replied that he did not think it necessary to rule.

Mr Buchanan accepted the Minister's assurance that the note was intended as a joke, but be did not join in the laughter following the explanation. However, -lie raised further merriment by seriously assuring the self-confessed culprit that to attempt a joke under such circumstances showed a great absence of common sense.

Mr Mackenzie: Of course there's no common sense in a joke. I assure the lion, gentleman that 1 shall not attefpt a joke upon him again.