NATURAL HISTORY IN PARLIAMENT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4551, 23 November 1887, Page 3

NATURAL HISTORY IN PARLIAMENT.

“ Timotheous ” writing to the Argus from “ above the speaker,” had the following For their phrases during the scene on Tuesday, members went largely to their Buffon , with the usual result that some of them, like Mr Sampson Brass, utterly failed to distinguish between a Buffon and buffoon. First Ministers having abandoned their local option amendments through fear of what would happen, were likened to the “coons” who descend the trees before they are shot. Mr Bent working himself up repeated the word “ curs.” One member indulged himself in a sweeping allusion to “asses” and Mr E. H. Cameron described one of his tormentors as a “ flying squirrel.” At this stage the stock of zoological epithets suddenly gave out. One suggestion was that Mr Le Souef should be appealed to for assistance, but the time was midnight, and the Upper House was closed, and the ) director of the Royal-park had retired to listen there to the growling-and roaring which he does not here in the Council, but which he wonld have enough of were he an Assembly officer. The Speaker might still make one application to the obliging manager. Some of the signboards used in the Zoological garden would be useful in the House, if only for the remainder of the session. One which should bo borrowed is, “Visitors are requested not to feed this monkey” (with applause). Another which would be eminently useful is the one, “Do not disturb this creature. It spits.”