CRUCIAL DIVISION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 232, 2 October 1933, Page 3

CRUCIAL DIVISION.

EXCHANGE ISSUE.

DULL, WEARYING DEBATE. WOMAN MEMBER'S DE3UT. (Bv Teleeranti. —Parliamentary RcDorter.i WELLINGTON, this day. It is anticipated that when (he crucial division is taken this week on Mr. K. A. Wright's high exchange amendment the Government forces will have been so augmented ill the House as to give the Administration a margin of six ur seven votes. The Labour party is annoyed oxer the development on Thursday night, because the member for Wellington Suburbs; who was acting on behalf of a small section of city members who have taken up a hostile attitude on the exchange question, stole the thunder of the Loader of the Opposition. Mr. Holland lias tome ground for his annoyance. Under the forms of the House, and as a result of tl'C course the Ministerialists will follow, the Labour no-conlidence amendment will be quickly expunged from the Order Paper, without a vote being taken on its merits. On the other hand, Mr. Wright lias cause for satisfaction. The disappearance of the want-of-confldehce amendment will pave the way for a straight-out expression on the exchange issue. While the turn events have taken is unfortunate for Mr. Holland, the Labour party is merely the victim of tactics it itself employed in the past when it occupied the place of third party in the Ifou.se. The provocative? nature, of Mr. Wright's amendment notwithstanding, the. Addrcss-in-Reply debate has been one of the dullest on record, and should be curtailed without further delay. It has merely between a case of Labour stating its case and Coalition speakers endeavouring to bowl it over—a most uninspiring an<l irritating spectacle. The interesting event of the week was the debut of Mrs. Elizabeth R. McC'ombs, who, facing a crowded House and galleries on Thursday evening, came through the ordeal with Hying colours. Her speech gave evidence of careful preparation and a nice regard for the lights and shades, of oratory. She has a wcllmodulatcd voice and a polished manner of presenting her facts and nailing her points. There was no mistaking the impression she made on her fellowmembers. The general opinion in the lobbies is'that she made an excellent start, and big things are expected of her.