A MISAPPLIED TERM

New Zealand Tablet, 13 February 1913, Page 62

A MISAPPLIED TERM

A good Parliamentary story is told of the Secretary for War, Colonel Seely. In the early hours of one morning'there was a very heated discussion in the House of Commons on the proposal that school children should be fed. A very thin member attacked the proposal, and after he sat down Colonel Seely rose and

supported it. 'I cannot understand/ he remarked, ' how honorable members who are themselves well-fed can come down to the House and oppose the feeding of half-starved children.' Up bounced the thin member in a state of wild excitement to inquire whether the expression 'wellfed ' was applied to him. Colonel Seely eyed him keenly, and paused long enough to attract all eyes to his opponent's spare figure. 'No/ he said; 'nothing was farther from my thoughts than to apply the term "well-fed" to the honorable member!' Everybody, quite irrespective of party, broke into a yell of laughter.