BOYS' OWN COLUMN.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 136, 11 June 1927, Page 2 (Supplement)

BOYS' OWN COLUMN.

OUR PARLIAMENTARY REPORTER. TELLS OF DOINGS IN THE HOUSE. Dear Boys,— I was having lunch the other day with a good friend of mine, our Parliamentary Reporter, when the idea t D me. "Look here, old chap," I said, "Will you write a story for me for the boys and girls of the 'Budget' ?" "Well," he said, "that all depends upon the sort of story you want," "Oh, something about Parliament and what all the members do when they get there " I replied. After a moment's hesitation he agreed, and this is what he told me so that I might tell you:—

You are taught at school all about Parliament and how its members are elected by the people of the country, but I am not going to tell you things like that in this little letter. Perhaps you know that all M.P.'s (members of Parliament) will be hurrying off to Wellington soon to be present at the opening on June 23 (next Thursday week). On that afternoon, just before half-past two, hundreds of bells will start to ring inside the Parliamentary Buildings in Wellington. They are electric bells very like the ones you hear at the show, when someone hits the bullseye at the shooting gallery. As soon as they ring, the M.P.'s will gather in the large hall, known as "The Chamber," where the important business of Parliament is discussed. They sit on big leather-upholstered benches, very like Chesterfields, two M.P.'s sharing each bench.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Coates), who is the head of the Government, does not sit in the chairman's seat. He has a front seat on one side of the chamber, and the M.P.'s who do not have the same idea as he about governing; the country sit on other benches opposite, there being a long table, piled with books and papers, between them. The chairman is called Mr. Speaker. He is a very dignified person, and whatever he says must be done at once. Mr. Speaker wears a long black silk gown over full evening dress, and on his head he has a grey wig, which reaches down to his shoulders. A sort of throne, called "The Chair," set at the head of the chamber, is occupied by Mr. Speaker, who says who may speak. If anyone speaks too long he rings a little handbell, such as your teacher may have on his desk, and if the man still goes on with his speech, Mr. Speaker tells him his time is up. Mr. Speaker very seldom makes a long speech himself. Sometimes Parliament sits all night. At such times you do not see all the eighty members in v their seats. Perhaps there will be only twenty in the chamber, and some of them will, most likely, be sound asleep on their benches. The absent ones may be reading, writing sleeping or playing billiards in other parts of the big building, which is made up of scores of offices, meeting rooms for various groups of M.P.'s, writing rooms, the largest library in New Zealand, bathrooms, and a club, known as "Bellamy's," where privileged people connected with Parliament can get a meal at any hour of the day or night. _ When the M.P.'s are required in the chamber the bells are rung, by order of Mr. Speaker, and they come running from all parts of the building.. Once an M.P. was enjoying a bath when ho heard the bells, and as he had to cast his vote in the chamber on a very important question, he ran to his bench clad only in a dressing-gown. When an important vote is taken there is what is called a division, those voting "No" going out one door, and those voting "Aye" (or yes) leaving by a door on the other side. They do not go out till the bells have stopped ringing, and if they wish to speak before leaving they must put a hat on. Sometimes no hat is handy, and it is funny to see an M.P. placing a waste-paper basket, a handkerchief, or even a sheet of paper on his head, so that Mr. Speaker will notice him. Next week I Sk V- = — very interesting •abject.

*********