FEDERAL POLITICS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21580, 6 December 1944, Page 4

FEDERAL POLITICS

BITTER SESSION SLUMP IK DIGNITY “VENOM AND INSULT” (By Telegraph—Piv:- < --Copyright.) SYDNEY. Dec. n. The session oil (lie M-d.-nd Parliament just ended has b en c.escribed as “one of the '■> ' iol _ many years—with •• •• in “ ne'.er higher and persona! anuso neve* lower.” The conch:; : nation termination of the cession ha\o boon stringently critic.set:. ‘•The decay of manners in Lie House must disturb every . bought ; ul member.” said Uve Loader Ol me Opposition. Mr. R. G. * Icn~;er.. ‘ There is plenty of room v.-bm.i me limits of decency and good uianneiv. lor •hard-hitting and vig debate. Mr. Menzies had described by the.Ministerjfor Information. Mr. A. A. Cahvell. as a “.’ta less wonuer. Two Labour .;ena ..r v.Rerred to each other as a “sew* r. . “Tlie session , co. 1 • icon a worse examp.- . .-a: .:e-;s----ness of Pari a: prestige power and dignity. comments 11 \c Sydney Sun., editors r.c pnpp adds:'“One of the charges brought occasionally by pc .'. v . ’■ ainst the press is that it atta ■ • no dignity o. Parliament. Thy v ; i-.:-.-mios o* the dignity of Pa.”. 1 " aiv ..nose within it. i ■ • demands respect it must sin . ■ 'bat their representative> :-•••;• more eager to carry out their dr. ’ n to oaten week-end trains and conduct its debates fairly ana. D“:-' without venom, intolerance and insult.’ Fewer Sitting Rays “The attitude of l Yvernment to Parliament is one of impatience, it not actual contempt.” (v-opy-uned Mr. Menzies, alleging that i;;c debate on several important -'.miters was restricted. The House r n: ci-entatives had sat on oniy 57 • ; • A-ear. In more than three yes. tne Curtin Government’s office it had sat on only 156 days —including 43 ; 1943 and 45 in 1942. (This conns, a.: with 45 in 1940. the only war year in which the Menzies Government had continuity of office Parliament sat on only 32 days—a record “low".>. “Unless Mr. Curtin, on his return to duty, can halt Pm present trend, the writing is on the wall for the Government.” says the Sydney Morning Herald’s ooiicorrespondent. He adds: “Few Ministers at present on deck have enough political insight to realise liow :* nd how last the Government is : '. mg front the country's favour.” The writer declares that highly - .: m : ml was the support of the Vicccrum. Independent, Mr. Coles, for last weak’s censure motion. Mr. Cedes, whose votekept Mr. Curtin in office in the last Parliament, is described _ as having “proved himself o. ” i or again an efficient cue- : u er-Gadup poll of floating pub ic i- Anion —Whn he thinks on Parliam ■ try subjects the non-party voters who malic and break Governments arc also thinking.”