GALLERY NOTES.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 6324, 26 September 1907, Page 14

GALLERY NOTES.

(BY ARIEL.) It w West Coast weather in the Council yesterday, with a big sea rolling. Th© solo topic of discussion was the Waitara Harbour Bill, the merits of which had already been so canvassed in “another place," that nothing original remained to be said, yet the .Hon. Mr Samuel stood up and fought the measure in the interest of the mother port of New Plymouth for three hours by the chronometer. An achievement that asks for no criticism.

In the House was a little flutter over the report of the Reporting Debates and Printing Committee, which recommended, amongst other things, the publication /of 'a daily report of Parliamentary proceedings , for the benefit of the electors; and ©specially those in the country. The Premier at once intimated that the Government would not give effect to such a recommendation, and on this understanding the House accepted the motion to lay the document on the table. There was a feeling in the air that something would follow, and something did. The committee, as it came out afterwards, had discussed many that were felt to be too important -to be buried under the official record of the proceedings. Accordingly the member for Wairarapa rose to deal with a special grievance against the , "Lyttelton. Times," and a number of incidental grievances relating to the press in general. The substance of the complaint was that the newspapers do not give fair reports of what happens in debate, on accounts, ( as" Mrs Gamp would say, of. several members being "under the ban," whatever that may mean. Judging by Mr Hornsby's own remarks, the • "ban" must be a pleasant sort of place, since he glories in being there, and. in this opinion he is energetically supported by Mr Barclay, who says he fairly revels in it. Mr Hornsby, however, though he likes the "ban," is by no means willing that the press should enjoy, or at least monopolise the privilege of "banning," and he was anxious yesterday that Parliament should roll up its shirt-sleeves and "ban" a -little on its own account. He wanted to begin, apparently, by excluding from the gallery (1) all those who are immature In years and (2) those who are deficient in judgment, and he left it to be inferred that the House would do well if it invested him with full power to deal with, the personnel of the Press Gallery. He did not claim to be original. He had discovered by observation and close study that the quality of the Press Gallery of the House of Commons had been enormously improved as the result of "the Right Honourable Mr Balfour's" trenchant criticism, and he felt sure that if the House would, just for this once, recognise him as the Balfour of New Zealand, he would. effect such reforms here as would for ever put an end to the baneful practice of condensing members' speeches into the hateful phrase, <r Mr Jinks also stated.

“They report our oddities and not our arguments,” said Mr Hornsby, quoting from the famous "Miss Fanny,' and members glanced carefully to the right and left, and then inwardly m a vain search for the things that ought not to be reported. "I do not care for myself.” pursued the honourable gentleman in effect, "hut I am fighting the battles of others not so shy as myself, and who fear to trust themselves to speak lest they should spread terror in that Gallery that I see before me. The Gallery winced, and, under the apprehension that some of Mr ; Hornsby's friends would overcome their want or shyness and speak, soon emptied itself. Therefore, when Mr Fisher got up to sling a little round pebble or was nothing left to aim at. * Behold, said the member for Wairarapa majestically, "with what contempt they treat or words of a similar import.

Then Mr Barclay, who explained he had lived long enough to give and take compliments from the press, and that it was much more blessed, from an electioneering point of view, to take than to give. Then Mr Mills, who had some little worry of his own to ventilate, and who was slightly disconcerted by a lend request from Mr Dillon to "get on with the business." Afterwards Mr Fisher, and after him Mr A. L. D. Fraser, the latter being the first to treat the subject in a purposely jocular manner in behalf of the downtrodden pressmen, who got the office and trooped back to their seats in time to hear the Premier', sane and sensible views about matter,. Sir Joseph knows better than most men what it i, to be criticised hostilely in the press, and thus knowing, he had nothing but good to say of the critics. The newspapers give what affords the greatest amount of entertainment. to their readers, and in this

bright epigrammatic sentence, he laid bare the cause of all Mr Hornsby's complainings. Unfortunately, it is the “oddities" that entertain, and not the “arguments." Arguments mostly bore. Mr Lewis pointed out that the remedy was partly, at least, within the reach of members themselves, who should voluntarily ceaso to bo “odd." Mr Wilford's summing up was crisp, as usual: “You can't .get into trouble for what you don't say." Mr Massey laughed the charges out of court, and then, with that elusive smile of his, proceeded to accuse the Government oi _ permitting Mr Hornsby to waste the time of the House! ‘xiias too muen, even for Air Hornsby, who protested that he took/ all the blame on his own shoulders, which greatly relieved the Prime Minister. Mr Hornsby, apropos do bottes, explained that ho had never been to a school in his life, had gone to work when he was eleven years old, and had been working, off and on, ever since. Members listened spellbound, but it was apparent that they would have liked to know the meaning of tho two qualifying words.

When the privilege motion had been withdrawn, the House went into committee on the Land and Income Assessment Bill. After much discussion, Mr Wllford suggested that, as no amendment had the slightest chance of being carried, the House ‘should put the Bill through in ten minutes! The request took everybody's breath away—for a moment. It was soon back again and in full play, until progress was reported at 11.25. 1