THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 2, 2 July 1926, Page 6

THE DAY IN PARLIAMENT

Although members, perhaps, might like to make it so, and some even seem to think tha* it is so, an Ad*^ess-ia--Reply debate cannot be altogether like Tennyson's brook —a thing which goes on for ever. It was quite fitting, th«r«fore, that this year's debate, vsinch extended over six sitting days, a id which during that time tested out the ora.torical powers of 38 speakers, should have come t° an en<l in the wee ema' hours of this morning. With the exception of some interesting general remarks by Sir Joseph Ward on several topics of current interest, and of gome lengthy references to the question of dairy control, the debate yesterday was not very exhilarating, and it was a tired and greatly relieved House which finally agreed to the Address-in-Beply at 1.26 o'clock this morning. Before the debate was resumed in the afternoon, Select Committees were set up for the session, and then the Government produced its first batch of legislative measures. These were fourteen in number, and they came down by Governor-Gen-eral's Message. They comprised Bills dealing with the National Provident Fund, public revenues, local bodies loans, mines, Samoa, death duties, scenery preservation, registration of opticians, fire boards, Census and statistics, destitute persons, hospitals and charitable aid, registration of veterinary surgeons, and a measure constituting a control board for the Peel Forest, South Canterbury. In addition to this formidable. list, notice was also given of the introduction of four other Bills, so that there will be no shortage*of Svork for members between now and "the time when the Budget makes its appearance.