A JOKE GOES WRONG.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9954, 16 September 1910, Page 1

A JOKE GOES WRONG.

MINISTER'S UNSUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT. [Fkom Our Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, September 15. '' It is always a dangerous thing for a Scotchman to attempt a joke, and doubly so when he. tries it on another Scotchman." This was the moral drawn by the Ron George Fowlds from an incident which occurred during the progress of the Education Bill through committee. The subject under discussion was tho expenses incurred by members of Education. Boards in attending meetings, and Mr Buchanan, member for Wairarapa, who has been member of the Wellington Education Board for many years, held the attention of the committee, while be appealed to the chairman for protection from air insult he had received, an anonymous note signed " Honesty," which stated : " I thyik itis up to you to say how much ill-gotten gains you have received from the Education Board." Mr Buchanan said hecould not recognise the. handwriting,' but he presumed it came from another member, aitd he wanted to be protected from such imputations. During the whole 1 time he had been a member of the Education Board he had never charged a cent for travelling expenses.

"I'm the culprit. I'm guilty of this offence," confessed the Hon T\ Mackenzie. He explained that when the member for Invercargill was speaking about the fearful amounts made out of expenses by members of Education Boards he (the Minister) remarked to those round him. " We'll have a joke with Mr Buchanan, he's looking so serious." So tho note was sent, and the conspirators watched Mr Buchanan's face. He would not willingly insult the member for Wairarapa, and as for any imputation nobody would believe it of him. Mr G. W. Russell: I ask for your ruling whether this is a public document which ought to be laid on the table. (Laughter.) The chairman replied that he did not think it necessary to rule. Mr Buchanan accepted the Minister's assurance that the note was intended as a joke, but he did not join in the laughter following the explanation. However, he raised further merriment by seriously assuring the self-confessed culprit that to attempt a joke under such circumstances showed a great absence of common-sense. Mr Mackenzie : Of course, there's no common-sense in a joke. I assure the honourable gentleman that I shall not attempt a joke upon him again.