THE BRYCE EPISODE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3160, 24 September 1892, Page 3

THE BRYCE EPISODE.

TO TIIK EDITOR. SlK,— In your issue cf the Kith inst. there is a letter from Mr Lawry M.H.R., and although I am tired of the " Bryce episode," I should like to say two words about it. Mr Lawry is clever; he is indeed a master in the art of rhetoric, and the irony with which he suggests that the Government have treated me in this unhappy business of mine, with generosity of a character- unprecedented and unique, is really suburb. So also he indulges himself in another figure of rhetoric—the reductio ad absurdum — when he suggests that Sir John Hall and Mr Rolleston— two as staunch political friends as ever a man bad —have been mameuvring to keep me out of the House. 1 understand and appreciate Mr Lawry's histrionic power, although all of your readers may not, and 1 can only admire it—at a distance. Now one word as to the resolution of the House cancelling its censure upon me. You were quite right in the remarks you were good enough to make on the subject. Individually, I could not he otherwise than satisfied. The House bad censured me unjustly, and in view of my petition which was before it, justifying my action in every particular, it chose to ' rescind that censure. What more could I ask or expect ? That the House thought proper to cancel resolutions of censure on other ex-members without knowledge and without enquiry, was no business of mine. I was not a member of the House and was in no way responsible for its silliness, but I never concealed my opinion that if it passed the resolution of which the Minis- j ter for Labour had given notice it would ; become ridiculous, and cover itself with contempt. In my evidence to the Petitions Committee given, and submitted to the Government, before the resolution was passed, I stated distinctly that in my opinion the House would become ridiculous in passing such a resolution, but that as I was not a member of the House this was not my responsibility. The Government suppressed and prevented the publication of my evidence, as a further proof of the "generosity" to which Mr Lawry alludes, but I could not help that; indeed, I was sorry for it. I say distinctly that had I been a member of the House, and therefore responsible for its dignity, 1 should not have been able to vote for the resolution proposed by the Hon. Mr Reeves, and carried without a division by 'die House. I should probably had dona what I know many of my best friends intended to do, I should have left the Chamber on a divisiou, had a division been taken. I am sure you and your readers are weary of this subject, I apologise to you and them for referring to it.—Your obedient servant, John Bkyce.