Parliamentary Oratory

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1062, 9 August 1904, Page 3

Parliamentary Oratory

An M.P. in the London " Spectator,, writos an amusing articlo on " Mixed Motaphors in the Houso of Commons," Hero are some examples :- " It is not a mixod molaphor, hut it was none tho less delightful, when a representative of an industiial constituency, in a debate on tho legal position of Tradesi Unions, said: " The interests of the employers and employed nro tho same nine times out of ton, —I will say ninetynino times out of ten." And an ardent supporter of the Sugar Convention Bill declared that ' the West Indies would now havo a future which they bad never lnul in tho past,' Mr Riichio, on one occasion, spolto of a 'thorny subject, which had long been a bone of contention among us;' and a Conservative member, in nu eloquotit speech, which aroused much lUiemioii, reached tho height of his dc« ntinciation in the following sc-menco: "Tho Chancellor of ihe Exchequer has ilt'iiiuM us ot every nig of the principles wl i'-h wo huvo been proclaijiing from the housetops." It was e.'.i Irishman, howover, though not ut Parliamentarian, who said to mo not long ago, spiking of a mitual acquaintance, that ' the worst of So-and-<so is that he never opens his mo'ltli without trcadingon sour boJy's corns,' For sheer concentration of mixed metaphors, thore is no recorded insiimco, porhaps, which surpasses a paragraph in a telegram from the' Daily Nows,' printed in that nowspapcr on Novombor 2-ltli, 1900, 'To-night tho Prefect of Police,' it runs, 'is taking strong measures to prevent uproarious nceiM in front of tho Hoiol Scribe, but will hide his hum), It would bu bettor to show it. Tho enemies of the Republic are making use of Mr Krugor to kick it nvi-r. Tho Republicans, afraid of going against tho slieain, tack The Socialists alone have blood in their veins, and even tiny aro toD liable lo run oil' tho rails.'"

Another correspondnnt supplies yet otho. - er nnples:—" "J'lio House will'observe hi w these accidents depended on the inosi ci.pricious circumstances, on winds mid Providence,' Jluriinjjo with a dtcensed vrilo's sister: " The man who marries Joco it with eyes open, and the child as soon its it is born is aware of its legal position.'' I seo sevornl faces around mo who I know would opposo the Kill, and wuo nro not boro on the present occasion.'"