PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3526, 30 August 1880, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

POLITICAL GOSSIP.

[from our special correspondent.]

TRYING TO FINISH BUSINESS.

Saturday, August 28. — The House got well through the supplementary estimates on Friday night, or rather Saturday morning, the Committee being doubled banked, Mr. Kelly taking the chair at 4.30 on Saturday morning to relieve Mr. Seymour.

Sir G. Grey thought it was time to " shut up shop" as he said he felt dreadfully fatigued, and had to attend Committee at 11 o'clock on Saturday morning. He therefore announced his intention of moving that progress be reported after every item was carried.

A LARRIKIN MEMBER.

Some of the members by that time were getting — to say the least of it — lively and some drowsy. Mr. Pyke got playful, and occasionally pugnacious.

After one of Sir G. Grey's allusions on reporting progress, which was rejected, Mr. Pyke intimated that Mr. Seddon had not voted. On Mr. Seddon being asked how he desired to record his vote, he said against Mr. Pyke (who had called for the division for the Ayes), and Mr. Seddon was therefore recorded among the Noes.

This, however, did not suit Mr. Pyke, and as a point of order he insisted that the chairman sheuld formally ask Mr. Seddon whether he voted aye or no.

Mr. Seddon having assented to his name being recorded among the noes, the chairman decided that that was sufficient, and ruled Mr. Pyke out of order, and went on to put another item to the Committee.

Mr. Pyke got obstinate, and persistently rose and interrupted. On the chairman ordering him to take his seat he sat down, but immediately rose again, and ultimately refused to sit down when ordered by the chairman.

The Chairman of Committees having no power to act when disorder of this sort arises, vacated the chair, and Mr. Speaker resumed. The chairman reported that Mr. Pyke had been disorderly, and refused to obey his directions to resume his seat when ruled out of order. Thereupon the Premier moved a resolution that Mr. Pyke explain, and be requested to express his regret at refusing to obey the chair. Mr. Pyke continued to be defiant and declined to express regret. He was then ordered to withdraw. The Premier then moved a vote of censure, to which an amendment was proposed of a milder character. The Speaker recommended that if Mr. Pyke did not express his regret for his conduct that he be fined £50.

In the meantime, Mr. Pyke had got into the Press gallery, and afforded some amusement to some of the more larrikin members by his laboured pretences of taking notes. The Speaker's attention was called to the fact, and he directed the Sergeant-at-Arms to remove Mr. Pyke.

MR. PYKE RAMPANT.

Mr, Pyke having declined to leave the House, the Speaker ordered the Sergeant -atArms and the messenger to remove him, which was accordingly done under a vigorous protest from the now rampant lion.

Again the House deliberated as to how to let off Mr. Pyke as easily as possible if he would only express his regret. His friends interviewed Mr. Pyke, but he remained obstinate, and, for the time, master of the position. Ultimately, at 8.30 on Saturday morning, Mr. Kelly having again resumed the chair at the request of the Government, and with the consent of the Committee, he left the chair till 7.30 p.m., when it was expected that Mr. Pyke would come to his senses or be dealt with by the House for the offence.

PYKE APOLOGISES.

Monday, August 30. — On the House resuming at 7.30 p.m. on Saturday, Mr. Pyke apologised, and the business then went on, the ' ' larrikin members bein g particularly silent.

MEMBERS LEFT.

Half of the members have left for home It is expected that the business of the session will be over to-night.

The special correspondent to the Lyttelton Times, telegraphs — " 1 have just heard that Government has withdrawn its circular issued to civil servants and others relative to the reduction of 10 per cent., with an intimation that the circular is to be considered as not having been issued at all pending further instructions. It is understood that this action of Government is consequent upon several threatened actions for damages in consequence of the proposed reduction having been made applicable to pensions and salaries under permanent Acts." This does not come from a very reliable source, but we give it for what it is worth. A telegram from Graf ton, publised in a Melbourne paper, states that Constable Morgan, of Black's River, reports to Sub-Inspector Creagh that several well-known residents have seen an extraordinary creature in the bush, on the Serpentine River, near the Grafton and Armidale Road. The creature is described as about 3ft. Gin. in height, with a head like a diamond snake, hands like a kangaroo, and a body like a man's, but dark and hairy. One man saw the creature on six different occasions, and on one occasion he was chased by it. Search is now being made for the creature, with a view to its capture. Extract from letter of Private Ward, of the Frontier Mounted Police, Cape Colony, — " I should just like you to see the real farm-Jiouse Bread that I bake. The oven is one dug in the ground, and is just large enough to hold our daily quantum of two loaves. We use flour, water, salt, and Borwick's Baking Powder. My bread often surprises me, it is so light, and white as snow. Some of our men will insist that I have been ' in the trade,' and nothing I can say will convince them to the contrary." N.B. — This invaluable article may be obtained of all grocers and storekeepers in Id. and 2d. packets, and Cd. and Is. patent boxes. The Legion of Honor. — In addition to the award of the Gold Medal (L' Academic Nationale), and also the Silver Medal, awarded to John Brinsmead k. Sons, of Wiginore-street, London, for the superiority of the Piano exhibited by them last year at the Paris Exhibition, the founder of the firm lias been created Chevalier of the Legion of Honor, this distinction being conferred on no other British Pianoforte Manufacturer.