Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 1879.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume 6, Issue 604, 20 January 1879, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald AND East Coast News Letter. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 1879.

What profound discoveries are made of what has been done, both m and out of Parliament, for the comfort, peace well-being and happiness of members when full particulars come out m printed parliamentary returns, which get into the hands of tale-telling Editors and others connected with the Newspaper Press of the Colony. We have now before us a return of the Expenditure incurred " For convenience of Members," for the session just past by. It amounts to a trifle under £4000. This be it understood has been sanctioned by a Parliament, which, it its last sitting, claimed to be " A Session of Economy." Among the items of expenditure printed we find " Freight for freezing mixture," Bs. 3d. We have looked for the cost of the mixture itself, but it does not appear under any out-goings " for convenience of members." It may probably have been transferred to Public Works Account, or may be the Administration of Justice Account. For it is a fact well-known, that the transfer of the cost of something to an account which should have nothing to do with it has become quite fashionable m Colonial finance. "Printing names of Members under their photographs" three guineas, is another item 5 but how it can be for the "convenience" of members it would be hard to tell. If it had been for the gratification of members vanity, the description would have been nearer the mark. " Dust Bin" .£ls 10s. Now, this must be a convenience, or where would all the useless written motions, and amendments, and demands for returns, which are not passed, find a lodgment? most assurably a parliamentary dust bin must be found a very great convenience. " Magic kindlers for Bellamy's," £2 10s. We don't inquire what these kindlersarefor, nor how they they can be made to minister to members' comfort. The thing is beyond us to make out, and we give it up. " Insurance upon wines" £1000. Truly, now, we are coming near to getting an inkling into what is meant by members' comforts. Insurance upon £1000 for winebibbing members ! Here, we think, comes m the session of economy. "Hair bruslies" £± 10s.. Here's more economy, for there is not a shilling expended for combs, small or large. " Vote for Bellamy's" £250. More economy, with comfort combined, let us fervently hope. " Linoleuvi," £154. What is linoleum ? It sounds, we fancy, like a big name for scented soap. It can scarcely be that, and yet again what can it be ? Is it a new aerated drink, or a preserved something uviermetically-sealed tins 1 "Linoleum^ — we give it up. No, not just ye^ because the next item of expenditure is " Wharfage o» Linoleum," £1 12s. Still thatnajsdly explains the thing. We rack the brain to think what this Linoleum can be, and come to the conclusion that it is a newly-discovered sauce ; something superior to Lea and Perrin's, sent but by Sir Julius Voqel, and consigned to Bellamy's. But this cannot be; for lower down we find the item " Inspecting Linoleum, House

Committee," £1 10s. lOd. Now, if Linoleum had been a sauce, the House Committee would have tasted, instead of inspecting it, and charging one pound ten and tenpence. Then, will any one relieve our minds by telling us what is Linoleum % Is it — and we do not like to proclaim our ignorance — but, is Linoleum something to eat 1 May be it has something to do with that thousand pounds worth of wine, upon which insurance was paid. The next item is " Stuffed Pilloio" £1 2s. We wonder for whose use is the stuffed pillow, at the small charge of twenty-two shillings. Is it for the comfort of some member who has been indulging on horseback ; but quite unaccustomed to the saddle ? Lo, behold, here we are again ! " Freight for Linoleum" £8 9s. lid. Then it's something that has crossed the ocean on board ship. But still what, oh, what is Linoleum 1 Again it appears m the bill of members'conveniences. Labor necessary, " Linoleum, House Committee," 9s. We think that our shortest way of getting at Linoleum is to wiite to the House Committee and make inquiries, because we get more confused as we go on with the list. Here is " Cartage of hot water ap' paratus and LinoUwm" £3 16s. lOd. Taking Linoleum m connection with a hot water apparatus we have come to the conclusion that Linoleum is something to drink and not to eat. We forbear making further investigations until we hear from the House Committee, m reply to two inquiries we have sent — " What is Linoleum 1 and for who was the Stuffed Pillow?" [Just before going to press we learned quite promiscuously that Linoleum is a species of oilcloth. Then why did they not say oilcloth, and have done with the mystery.]