Quarrelsome Members.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6479, 23 September 1892, Page 2

Quarrelsome Members.

THE QUALITY OF A MINISTER'S BLOOD QUESTIONED. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDE>"T.) Wellington, to-day. In tho debate on the Dairy Industry Bill, Mr Fish said he spoke of the Biil with much trepidation, because the Minister in charge had taken to doitic outside the House what the rules of the House do not allow him to do in it. He made threats to intimidate hon. gentlemen from doing their work in the House, and evon went the length of personal violence. This was practised by the Minister during the sitting of Parliament, and it was not calculated to assist membera in the performance of their legislative duties. He had experienced it within the last twenty four hours. He had told the Minister that he had attacked his policy, not himself, and that he had done so with much pain, but the Minister repeated the assertion that the attacks were personal, and dared him to repeat the words used, telling him that if he did so he would make it exceedingly warm for him in the House. He a«ked how the Minister dare make such a threat, and told him he might make any attack upon him in the House socially, politioally, or morally. He defied him then, and did so now. Had it not been for the interposition of two other Ministers of the Crown, he would now be lyiog in bed with a fractured skull, for the throat was followed with an attempt to hurl at his head a heavy pickle bottle. (Laughter.) The Minister of Lands, in reply, said that the hon. gentleman had given a highly colored and exaggerated statement. Mr Fish had referred in language unfit to be repeated to the quality of the blood in his veins, and that being the case he had a right to protect himself from insult. If he had dono the hon. gentleman any injury, ha had his remedy outside the House, where it could have been proved th.at beyond, all doubt hp was the aggressor,