PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

Colonist, Volume LIV, Issue 13567, 7 November 1912, Page 4

PARLIAMENTARY NOTES.

IN THE EARLY HOURS

' WORDS FROM TIRED LEGIS-

LATORS

(From our Parliamentary Corejspondent.)

Wellington, Nov. 6. Tempers aro short at 2 a.m. in Parliament, after legislators have been at work over 14 hours, as was the case, this morning^ when the Prime Minister and Mr. Ell foil out. The latter had protested against nioro work being done after that hour. The Prime Minister's retort was to call Mr. Ell tho greatest time-waster in th© House.

"You are making untrue statements, and you know it/ hotly declared the Christchurch member.

The Government Leader's response was to move that the words be taken down, but he did not press the motion, advising Mr. Ell to keep his temper. He would not gain anything by bounce and bluster.

Mr. Ell: And I will not submit to tho way in which you spoke to me tonight.

This happened in committee. When the House resumed Mr. Ell started to put on record an answer to the Prim© Minister's charge that ho was a timewaster.

When tho latter phrase wa,s used Government . members chorused,- "Hear hear." . '

Mr. Ell: I say it's a lie,

Then tho committee scene was repeated, Mr. Massey moving to take down the words. Messrs. Witty and Russell advised the Prime Minister to take no notice of Avords spoken in tho heat of the moment, with the result that the motion was withdrawn. Mr. Ell also withdrew the offending phrase, explaining that he was irritated by the "hear, hears" of the Government members..