THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 7, 8 July 1922, Page 7

THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT

The House-of Representatives was not so quick yesterday in getting to the stage when it was ready to continue the Address-in-Reply debate. One of tho members of the Opposition chanced to ask the Minister of Education a question about junior high schools—and Mr. Parr answered him. It was much later when he finished with a regret that the member had not given him notice of the question so that he could have gone into the subject at length. When the decks were cleared, Mr. Edie continued tho debate, and gave a dismal version of Mr. Massey _ ten years of office. Mr. Harris, on the other hand, found nothing but pleasure in looking back over those ten years. It is all in the point of view. Both may have felt rebuked when Mr. M'Callum rose with the announcement that this was no time for party fighting— he had no desire to make party capital; in fact he expressed the hope that the Government's Finance Bills were not yet drafted so that it might not be debarred from accepting the advice he was prepared to tender it. Officially, no Minister took any part in the debate', but toy interjection they contributed quite largely to Hansard. Their greatest activity was during the speech of Mr. Masters whose criticism always merits reply. _ He so obviously believes what he is saying that other people are apt to follow suit. His main subjects. last night were grievances of soldier settlers, and the marketing of produce, with particular reference to the need for better information in return for the £34,000 paid in salaries to the High Commissioner and his staff. Mr. E. Newman had scarcely got into his stride when the Prime Minister announced that he intended to move the adjournment at the end of the speech. Mr. Newman finished six minutes later—no member ever hopes to hold the attention of a House which knows it is just about to be let off the chain. It was 9.35 p.m. when the adjournment occurred.