FROM THE LADIES' GALLERY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 652, 1 November 1909, Page 4

FROM THE LADIES' GALLERY.

"JBNNY WEEN" IN PARLIAMENT. " The galleries <Sf <,tho Houso. were taxed to their fullest <xtwt ; last week, extra chaws having 'brought in,., and put wherever thera--Wiiß' l a£) avsilaHffvcofner, and-some of-the Hh«/ladies' gallery hare ■been Cunumt to stand till-' the supper adjournment took-place at half-pastmne. Ono thing which has called forth duo gratitude'is that thoro are now different chairs placid thero. roopiy, and with gorgeous red plush .cushions that help to mitigate tho penances thai have to he. endured oficasioaallyi- They have lessened the accommtldS'.'ion sotoewhat, but that cannot he helped. While tho members' wivee, further - round, complain of 'the breezes, iand take cars to carry their wraps with, them, those who sit m tho gallery p M-t find the temperature quite tropical, ; and long for a share of what the others -find - B 9}mb SUA 'jnatnom ;nq} }is *jC[p:3a so trying,. "Just listen, to the coughing" one tender-kewted woman was heard to say, and, cuorus.of coughing from, the .suffering memocrs. JWo ;doubt something will be done to remedy, .affairs. V, '■ : ■.'

Loanil Loans I-.' ■■■:•'. ■ ,■■ One of • the most" 'engrossing subjects that 1 occupied the attention lof Parliament during the week, and was" responsible for a multitude of •■ speakers, was the Lo.-jn Bill- brought forward by the Prime Minister fir the ■ borrowing of one million pounds. 'Parliament 'has had the passing at eo many Loan .Bills in receat years that the mere mention of one seemed to havo had the. effcct of a soporific draught,, and'they have been passed 'oasily,, beautifnllr,: and without hitch of any kind, members almost closing their eyes while ; tney-;«ktil -so< --;'Wlio-carps'for tfte morrow?—lot 'us:veaty'-ilriht|i;and ;.be ! : meTry while »we have tho nltiney" tncy.;ha?6 said, and the country, rejoicing coihfeit •of good seasons' and nnhcedihgly, on its ; way—sjending'its' substance, in .riotous.: living, 'indulging 'inCarnival', of "railways that have, •nbvef paid, .nnblic' buildings that have absorbed 'teigef stims.yfj'imoney, 'heavy : staffingof -a hundred. and,ono /-Departments, and .. various pleasant littl)'luxuries by the way. >;Now, howit r fl'roaJised'that plain' living, and, shall 'we ;say, high" thinking, are essential;-' and these 'happy..times,aro.'oyer..foT the present. ' VAg'ajn the,'ignorant: outsider sat,in abased, •bewilderment;.-;; while 1 debentures, gilt-edged jseotirities (they at' Jtiast sound well), consols; sinking, funds,-) the conversion, and redemption of fttiids," and other'mysteries .being glibly , talked of.; Somehow one would not be surprised to>le*rn : thit ;thoraj arc ..members present ifho .feltialmostns.pnizled.jand had about as much chance, of getting' to the bottom of things as oneself, but; at : 'anp rate', they alt tried'to look livory-wiso and display an intelligent interest in -matters. Ther.e is po .use ih' he:ng v a 'member of: Parliament unless'one 'doGS,'r : and''if tliere js a" pitiful' floundering in :debp ■ 'waters 1 .there, isf always someone- 1 to be i found i m the, same predicament. . "Like a CetoMui." i -As' Was 'onljT'to be expected, the Bill brought j'/down" ai.stbrm- of ..heavy..criticism About .the methods' of the; administration of the finances of the country, mimy -of the Speakers ber.oin-. ihg exceedingly 'animated;- and having often 'to "wm : their'way through choruses of interjections,. of questions; arid 1 of. disapproval, from :.tho;-other i6ide\of ' the. -House,- There is. no hesitation giving .utterance to the most downright' contradiction, even our usually so : polite' and urbane Prime - 'Minister- taking; his •part- in .it most; "willingly'.' at r time».' ;-These intefjsctions, must :b6 , and undoubtedlypthere, must be .floods' of elolqueni:ev checked; by them,' ,which perhaps is.; -'just v v■:■.. v / ; -" •;■ ' . While,,there are. many, members .who ,d'o not. -'likel borrowing,- nor'the; dependence'upon bor-vrowod,.-;ihoney\:that,iis .now. almost.'second, na-' ■ ture to. this ;■ country, '-.they, agree • that it;must ■ , bo::p6tdined.-?just * now • for" its .-'development, M-, i reproductive works must bo advanced or everythjlng:would.sufler.- What Mr, Masky, Mr.' Al- ; 'len, and; others"' complained of; was that ■ they ivrere ■; asked pass v.tWs"'Biir : without ■,knowing '.ext^tly?how, 'the. country's' finances -'stood, '. ano, 'irt&t ther'^opoSalS'.w^i'eff 6r" the currentyea}—' that the Prirao^Minister': alone knows. Estiimates' kr'e'vnot^given l , 'public,works! and- they„,are-".walking,,'ih ,darkness" .altogether.! One fitids oneself looking with deep interest at this man who •

■' "•-'•■■ : ;ioth::'.besfiide/i;this .harrow eWorld LiU a Colossus," 1 J ' so ■ that no' ono .has a .say- in /matters. ' ■ '■ ; v •■Mr. Allen is, perhaps of the besk*critlo3 .of: the .finanpiai'- administratiotirthat the- Op/position. /possesses,-and; both: he and Mr.'. MasUfey. delved, deeply, into the fi&UTCs-quoted by Minister, 1 and'>"contested ,; and ques.(Mined- EanjL-thingSr.- Wifen they left .the sna-' iject. i the. intricate- puzzle that hid been, so' .smoothly', fitted '.together; sc«med to bo:,some'what disarranged, and had to be re-orranpfod jby Sir Joseph-later'on. ■ Mr. Allen also answered tho taunt that had been flung 'at iliim ;of rhypodrisy.vin>'preachiriß retrefrhment .' and noL'-borrowing, and vet all the Hu "--olamair--IDR ;for money for his eleel orate,'by asking' .could'- he Jet : his Electorate go without money— was the ;doorHfe':be' :l held/open to':some .shut to others. needs. ;

Always Listansd To, ." ■ ; v ''T-ire -1 entire attention"; of' >; the E[ou&: was : centred upon Mr. .Taylor when he rose, to speak ,oh' Wednesday night, for, in addition, -to being a brilliant speaker, when .he ohcoses," or ■ rather, whon 'ho getsV,worked: up- in, tho 'subject, . thereiii..the added thafc c , fe</ .:. can ' safely predict how, he ,or f:what-.he will say. ,- -Essentiaii.vv ;■£~Sehte'r,' turnip<'friVn'd«'intn foes.. and fci-s friends—hafod. tq-day: and loved tS-morrow, always a force', to be reckoned . with—he , pn ihis way utterly indifferent to '• tho storms that his words.and deeds may, bring aboutlhis head. Magnetic, l ''virile,'; alive with Conviction, ;he . forces; the.'inost 'rebellions,'': the ;most;,intagonistio,' listener, to, :considcr ; v his or: her ' own ( ■views'again/ His "opening, words wereoreceived • .with; great: approv.ar...by ; tho .Government—was it not in'condemnation of Mr, Herdman's prc.posal,. to place*,jtho;.contrpl. e1 " thfe ' Public ;Works Department in the hands of an .'Ad-: ilioory .'Board—a^',>bbdf. outside Parliament ? as being most extraordinarily undemocratic. He -'spoke strongly in favocr of taxing land so that- the' i ? oE taxation-, should not fall on tho shoulders of - the - landless - people, ' but "should .be ; .plCced. on' those of tljb class best: 1 ablo- to • i'vPJuerwise, the -farming commun--fanner, ctdy. class .to be considered,-, and ;■ evidtatly'.th«r« *r« rturk ,dayi "looming ■ tho 'unfortunate farmer. If they have been leaviw. the, country ■alrefidy. V.whßt will they do if this heavy-blow descends upon their unhandy Jußt .at ptMont' thoy 'are spoken of 43 .■JJ8.-WaHs; sheep of-the country, or »s little greedy-bojs who wantall . they can get and g.vo..ijothine, in return. One or two farmermembws who ventured upon a protesting 1 mark jitust, havi been frightened iout' of thoir I lives—ho, rounded upon :.them so fiercely. » Al-1 v p ?-i. conteffi Ptuously.of the . hhgglo . that , had been ; goio l on over ' !»!i S j A ls condemnation olso was tnllv vi' the .> Mte , f . u l wtravaganco: that ha*? ■ taken place in,, 1

Tho "Billet" Hungers, f , , A..definition o£,a member of- Parliament i< that supplied by Mr. Baume. 'A'o Turil extent,,, he- said,- <Va- are.labour agents," aS in ones mind, one sees a long procession nf- - f°^ N '}i eS - as ' n! l "* e docT « of our numbers, imploring their aid in gettihg them flmnloyment, from a "hoots" to a secretory ißd-hot weary-postmen staggering along under theiriburden of '. application letters. -'It has inoreascd out of all proportion,.: eveii to-the inadded applied for," Mr. Baume On Friday afternoon, during tho time devoted to '-'^swers.to Questions" ftioso prfeent lnd the pleasure ; M -hearini -ftf. cSS'u frcomßnllor 1 ?^' 0 . tlw '« aßlfl S u J°S p Ieo f? lea4ln e w«re applied to Native 1? i W.-WR-itV 1 ?- In all juswhite was the eontontion.\j. H« spoke quite briefly,'but what m? ?*'s, and .how he said it were so attractive of' more m 17 on<J was kft Pilous ■■ There has l«en! auoh. talk abont the "free breakfast . table that is provided ua in this » ?i • Blc sP f P° I d renm? A free oreaftfast table-in. New, Zealand! Itv TJte' thine ie . b^ o ?d the wildostflights of fancy. -Visions of all the things which we pay so heavily for here, and that arj sent out of. the country and .sold cheaper elsewhere', cross ,the mind, and ™?,ke omi .think- how delusive , the senses must be, or how, self-blinding other arewhen thef vant to be. Mr. Hogg spoke elo quently about ttxs want or Christianity in tai">g the staff of life. "You remove the duty from tea, from sugar, from < kerosene, why not remove it from oar brmV our potatoes, and onr ptrndgs?*?—but• in spite of his appeal the ; the duty :on flour wan niptedIn the bud./ i , iA : -Bill that :haa been responsible for muoh discussion -,'and .'.vigorous..criticism. was- Mr Fisher's Legislature fAmfindmeat: -Bill; -whi6h

■came up for the second reading on Thursday night. Mr. Fisher was away from the House at the , time that it' came or>, but soon came hurrying upon the scene' to champion its .mejits.,: ,Its end, however,-.was untimely, for >,'/was lost on the dimsion, so we are still (loomed to the thrilling of second ballots.. ' . . ■. ir'

On Friday night it was simply nothing but an orgy on finanoial matters, the New Zealand State-Guaranteed Advances Bill coming up for its second reading; There wero numbers present Avho simply-welled in it, while others lay •limjily back in-their 6eats and listened as the florr/ng tide ; of,, figures! and funds and other 'bewildering things overwhelmed. them. As Mr. iMnssev said, "An air of sweet reasonableness ■pervaded, the Clumber—an air that had been somewhat foreign-to. it of late." Several membets spoke, amoh'g them being Mr Lang, Mr. UDonald, Mr. laurenson, Mr, Allen, Mr. Massey, Hr.Wilford, and Sir Joseph Ward. One :could not help thinking while Mr. Wilford was • t<dking.- (a. very . 'clear but 'rapid speaker) that if N the members followed him in every particular they must have the minds of acrobats.