" The Premier reminds me of Oliver Twist, who scolded the little boy because he had the audacity to ask for more." The Premier and the Premier's people smile and titter a little, and the Captain's people suddenly appear to have lost all in terest whatever in the proceedings. They wish it to be thought that their thoughts are with the Bank Bills in the Council, at that moment, where truly patriotic minds in the Colony ought to be. The Captain's second blow is more fortu nate. Instead of falling on his own nose, it reaches the proboscis of the enemy. Straight talk the Premier has promised, ho is delighted to hear it; he says "at last " with the air of the man who came across a pint of beer in the desert of Sahara. For his own part, he has heard a great deal of talk from that side, but never anything straight except from the Minister of Education. He begs that Minis ter's pardon—" The Minister of Education does tell us what he thinks." But the others, direct speech with them the Captain thinks has become a lost art.
The Captain's third blow about the Wairoa roads and bridges flood damaged is parried by the Premier, who "never made any promises," and at that point the Captain sits down.
