SUMMER SESSION

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 113, 6 February 1935, Page 8

SUMMER SESSION

High Temperature In Parliament NEED OF COOL AIR Parliamentary officials are wondering how legislators will fare in their debating chambers if Wellington’s record summer weather should continue for another month. There is ample provision for heating Parliament House during the winter months, but there is practically none at all for cooling the place clown to a working temperature in summer time. Hitherto the problem rarely has arisen, but a succession of sweltering days and warm evenings this year has raised it almost to the level of importance.

Unless the weather breaks, it is certain that many members next week will be wanting to know if anything may be done to keep them cool during a heated debate. Perhaps the traditional rigour concerning parliamentary decorum will be softened sufficiently to enable debaters, if they should so desire, to harangue one another in their shirt sleeves, thus, on the mortgage finance Bills, giving effect to the old slogan “Coats off with Coates." It is anticipated that the debate on his proposals will raise the temperature of politics.

Meanwhile the House is being put in order for the resumption of the adjourned session next Wednesday afternoon. Within a week the.full muster of 60 sessional messengers or orderlies will be on duty, while Bellamy’s again will cater for the Legislature. The legislative chambers will' be opened early next week, and made ready for the legislators who, incidentally, use a lot of notepaper and ink. Contrary to expectation, nothing has been done in Parliament grounds about providing a safer entrance for vehicles. The main entrance from Bowen Street is regarded as a dangerous thoroughfare, particularly in its winding parts.' The surface has not been bituminised in common with all the other paths in the grounds, and continued dry weather has helped to loosen the metal on the treacherous track. It had been hoped that the work of providing a'new entrance almost opposite the Hotel Cecil corner, thus giving something like a straight run from the front door of Parliament to the new railway station, would have been put in hand this summer, but apparently the Government still considers it necessary to practise economy within its own grounds. Those who have discussed plans for essential improvement of existing entrances to 'Parliament grounds have estimated at £l5OO the cost of making a new main entrance from lower Molesworth Street. This work, it is explained, would involve the reconstruction of a turfed embankment, and the sinking of the tall pine tree which was planted by his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh many years ago. Experts say there would be neither difficulty nor danger in sinking the tree to a much lower level. If the existing embankment has to be regraded, it is urged that the work should be done in the summer time, so that the returfed surface would obtain the advantage of springtime rain and vigorous growth.