THE RACONTEUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22208, 10 March 1934, Page 4

THE RACONTEUR

“MEMORIES” OF MARCUS .MARKS

"Memories (Mainly Merry).” By Marcus Marks. With Frontispiece. Sydney; Endeavpur Press. (5s net.)

Mr Marcus Marks, who is well known in New Zealand through his long association with Parliament (first as supervisor of Hansard, then for 20 years as Government Printer), has committed to papeF a number of the anecdotes which have come his .way during an active life., “Memories (Mainly Merry)” is not an autobiography in the “ full-dress ” sense, but consists of a series of short paragraphs divided into eight sections, each relating to a particular_ phase of Mr Marks’s experiences. In his youth (which was spent in Wellington) he appears to have been more diligent in the commission of pranks than of school, tasks, and lie has several tales to tell of escapades which left poignant recollections. The late Sir Charles Skerrett was a contemporary at “ Mowbray’s School,” and showed great proficiency in the game of marbles. Mr Marks recalls that when they \vere both boys the future Chief Justice told him there was no position in New Zealand to which a man could not climb if he set his heart on it. MiMarks served as a parliamentary official under many prominent New Zealanders, including Grey, Atkinson, Vogel, Ballance, Seddon, Ward, and Massey, and his parliamentary reminiscences are the most interesting in this book. For Mr Seddon he has particular admiration, and quotes several incidents which show the resource and strong personality of that leader. Sir Joseph Ward’s facility for rapid peroration —he would frequently exceed 250 words a minute —is touched on with the awe befitting in one who had occasion to report him verbatim. Mr Marks says that when a Hansard man could “take” Sir Joseph Ward he was stamped as a reporter of the first grade. The late Scobie Mackenzie he recalls as a master of repartee. The result was that 'this turbulent Oppositionist was permitted when addressing the House to make the wildest statements without' question—members fearing the retort which an interruption might call forth. It was a Maori member, using the services of an interpreter, who concluded a speech with explosive profanity, which the interpreter translated into a soft expression of dissatisfaction: — The Maori member knew enough of

the English language to recognise that the interpretation was not strictly correct, and he repeated, witli even greater force, the swearwords he had used. *■ Still the interpreter declined to repeat them, substituting more soft words, which brought smiles to the faces of the initiated. “ Kahore ! ” cried the Maori angrily, and he again used the awful words, at the same time knocking the interpreter over the seat. The scene was a dramatic one.

An Irishman given to vehement and colourful metaphor on one occasion ended his speech with the declaration : “ I have been charged with being a servile follower of the Government. I give that statement a flat contradiction. I stand here in this House on my own bottom.” Mr W. P. Reeves, who followed him. announced : “ Unlike the honourable member for Egmont, I propose to address the House while standing on my feet." Mr Marks describes what is surely one of the most successful of parliamentary hoaxes when Mr Buckland, the member for Manukau, .introduced and carried through the House the first• reading of a “Washers and Manglers Bill.” This measure elaborately defined the status of washerwomen and manglers. and provided that the Auditor-general should prepare a return each year “setting forth the names of all washers and manglers and the amount of washing and mangling in detail done by each.” It was not until the Bill had been printed that it was realise!! that it was a satire on the advanced Liberal legislation of the BallanceSeddon Administration of that time. This book contains many round dozens of similar tales of the lighter side of parliamentary life or concerning the author’s early experiences in printing houses in Wellington and Australia and _ in the Volunteers. Mr Marks’s association with

several kinds of sport provides material for a good selection of sporting anecdotes, and his foreign travel has yielded a harvest of tourists’ tales. In a section entitled “ Don’ts for Travellers” he gives a list of things to do and not to do, and of places to visit, which may prove helpful to those setting ofi abroad for the first time. ITG.