PISTOL CRACKS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10926, 15 November 1913, Page 4

PISTOL CRACKS

AND HOUSE IS STILL. LEGISLATORS ALARMED WHEN SIX SHOOTER BARKS. [Fnou Our Cohrmpondbnt.] WELLINGTON, November 14. TJio businesslike muck of a revolver resounded through the halls of the Legislature- this evening. The hang of a gun, largo or small, carries with it all mannor of hair-raising significance to the oar these stirring times, and when this evening the, debate on tho Bank of Now- Zealand Dill was suddenly .startled in its placid course by a loud report there was a sudden elevation of more or Ic.;j sleepy Leads in the chamber. A momentary hush of expectancy chilled thb marrow of the imaginative, while 11 mild rush was made by several legislators and others about the lobbies towards the centro of alarm. Happily, there is nothing more tragic to relate than . the embedding of a bullet in a wooden door-jamb, but one or two at least shook themselves with a shiver of recovery at tho what-might-havo-boen phase of tho business. It appeared that the driver of a motor-car which was, _ curiously enough, awaiting the Minister of Justice and Commissioner of Police, finding the time hang heavily, began 'to investigate the workings of a six-shooter, which lie produced with some prido in the vestibulo of. Parliament. "Look out! it might.go off," cried a cautious-mind-ed messenger, who came into tho line of fire. "Oh, it's not loaded," replied the owner of tho weapon, which, as ho spoke, incontinently gave him tho lie by oxploding. Tho messenger, a member of Parliament, and one or two others within range each and severally felt certain for a horrid fraction of time that he was tho _ particular victim searched out by mischance. When the smoke drifted-off. and the casualties were found to be confined to tho door-jamb an excited but belated legislator rushed from the lobbies to know the worst. "Oh, just a tyro burst," imperturbably declared the perpetrator of several mortal frights, and even though the parliamentarian sniffed the accusing atmosphere the culprit airily explained that bursting- tyres and exploding guns often developed a similar smell. The embedded bullet remains, however, as witness to tho tag that tragedy and comedy are often enough but thinly separated.