PARLIAMENT AT WORK.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 27, 26 October 1907, Page 5

PARLIAMENT AT WORK.

' (V.— — ' . ! - : A SKETCH. ' :! , Six ladies sit—prim, upright, stranded, immobile—in tho Ladies' Gallery, and the clock rasrlss 10.40 p.m. "Ting,", and Mr. James, Allen, .out,-snort, in a specch, gratefully sits down". The' ladies'giggle, and aro wakenod up' enough to notice ■ about thirty men'in the public galleries, gazing dully, cliin in hand, at the dreary scene below. Sir. " Roddy" M'Kenzio is frowning dourly at ,'Mr.v Masse;?. Mr. Horrics has a little weekly paper before him,-striving,.to Extract: sonic' entertainment 'from its gloomy simulacrum of fun. Mr. and unusual'sight—is coiled up cosily in his couch, just l in front of Messrs. Okoy and Reid, who aro writing letters. Twelve other ■ r.'.ombors, are writing: Tho'Premier and Air. M'Nab aro lying down—Sir Joseph with his hat on, and in a; really graceful attitude, and Mr. M'Nab in a kind of determined rostfulness. Two old messengers beam quietly at Mr. Massey. who is talking in a gontle and amiable fashion. ■ Ho has' just road a slab from . Hansard "—something that Mr. Lauronson/once.'said about Mr. Rutherford. "Who said that?" lisked Mr. Rutherford. " Mr. Laurenson," Mr. Alassey replies. " jJid ho really?" said Mr. Rutherfora, and sank -back.in,lris sleep.. ;: ; " Ting——" ." Did I speak tori milautesasked Mr.'Massey.'

Two ladies liavo gone.'v 'i'hoy- should liavo .remained,'to hear Mr; Okey coming into collision with Mr; 'Horniiliyy temporarily proud in his occupancy of the chair. Mr. Okey is breezy, natural, simple— ho offends against all tho rules. Ho , oven refers to Mr. Hornsby's buttonhole, and the'few members still awako giggle till, tho bell strikes Mr. Okey low. ' ' "

Tho Premier sleeps. Ho lies, graceful but oblivious, whilo tho; National Endowments Bill, ; tho •great Dill forvpostejrily,; is being pelted with, obloquy and joyous contempt. Hn also ought to have neon- awako to hear Mr. Ruthorford. Tlio House, sleepily amused pricks up its ears as it realises that Mr. iUithorford. is. talking: about servant girls. For the fiftieth time Mr;' Hornsby rises to say that members must "co'nfmo their romarks " to the aniendmont before the House —an amondment whoso purport is already lost in tho mists of thi.'past. unless tho lone lady in tho gallery— 11 kind of diminishing " man 111 • buckram romombors it. Mr. liuthcrford explains that these servant girls are saving up to go oft the' land.' Ho talks lator of Ireland, and members drowse. Thev pass sleepily out or in. Sir Joseph still ' , ' Littlo tetc-a-tetes mako faint 1 hums iit far corners. Mr. Remington yawns .cavernously and joins tho sluniborers. A'door opens, and somebody squeaks throngh it. It is 11.10 p.m., and twenty-ono members are prcsoiit doing great deeds for posterity. ' • Sir Joseph sleeps;'