‘Blind spots’ for bells to be removed

Press, 9 October 1987, Page 42

‘Blind spots’ for bells to be removed

PA Wellington "Blind spots” in the coverage given by Parliament’s bells would be removed with new speakers and increased volume, the Speaker of the House, Mr Kerry Burke, has told M.P.S. Some members complained that the electronic bells, which now summon them for parliamentary business in place of the old fire-alarm type bells, were too quiet. The Senior Opposition M.P., Mr George Gair, said he missed a division because he did not hear the bells. Mr Gair said he had not wished to be an offender and not turn out for the division, “but there is no way to avoid it when I can’t hear the bells.” The Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Palmer, added his voice to the complaint, saying that in the higher reaches of the Beehive the bells were not easily heard.

Mr Burke said the volume on speakers, including that outside Mr

Galr’s office, would be turned up, and extra speakers would be installed to cover “blind spots” in Parliament Buildings. The Inaudibility of speakers in the Beehive was caused by the volume controls having been turned down, Mr Burke said. “There have always been problems with the division bells,” Mr Burke said. “The old system produced various methods of reducing the noise level. "They included unscrewing the outer portion of the bells so that they would not ring. Efforts to solve this by soldering the outer portion were not successful. “They were simply wrenched from the securing screw,” he said to the laughter of members on both sides. “The most popular method was to simply stuff the bell with paper or rag to muffle the noise.”