THE NEW ZEALAND CHAMBER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19695, 23 January 1926, Page 21

THE NEW ZEALAND CHAMBER

WELLINGTON AND WESTMINSTER. OBSERVATIONS OF A VISITOR. (Fbom Cub Own Correspondent.) LONDON, December 4. Captain Anthony Eden, ALP., has contributed another readable article to the Yorkshire Post—this time on Now Zealand’s Parliament, and the useful accessories provided for the convenience of members. Westminster, as is generally known, provides neither comfortable chairs nor desks for the members while Now Zealand provides both, and Captain Eden devotes some space to these differences, making reference, too, to the admirably constructed public galleries. He makes humorous comparisons between New Zealand and England. Thus: — “As we gase round the House we notice an air of content, of ease almost. The members do not seem uncomfortable or unconscious, the twin States between which a British member of Parliament alternates. We notice the reason. Every member is seated in pampered luxury on or in a deep settee. He has an inviting arm into which to snuggle. No tired 20 years of back bench work t secure a stringy skeleton, but a stout, rell-padded arm on which Morpheus may conquer memory. Before him is a desk laden with pens, papers, ink, and every adornment of stationery; here may a member write while his colleague speaks and both listen to ne’er a word. REASON FOR TIME LIMITS. “The front bench, too, have their desks from which emerge from time to time the softest murmurings or isolated exclarnatiuns in connection or contradiction of j their opponents’ oratory. Doves of kindness, these must be sent out to the relief of an orator beleagued by the scratching of tho pens. When a member speaks he uses the übiquitous desk to lean upon, a prop to his (words and a tempting, if not always a graceful, position. VV e are not suprised that the New Zealand Parliament has found it necessary to institute time limits to speeches, or that the limit once fixed is usually reached. Seldom, wo learnt, is the warning note of Mr Speaker’s bell not heard in the land. Ease has its disadvantages though less renowned than Spartan virtue. But physical comfort members of Parliament in New Zealand certainly enjoy. The buildings are admirable within and without; the libraries havens of peace richly endowed, tho committee rooms and other necessaries on a similar scale. In the Chamber itself the desk and tho aforementioned settee, one of the latter to every fiwo members, are snares to the flesh such as the British Member of Parliament can scarce conceive. All night sittings in Wellington, and they have them there too, hardly be a purgatory. “But however much we may envy the comfort we appreciate that it never can be our to share; such pandering to human frailty is only possible when the number of members is small, and each may occupy his allotted place. It would not be feasible, even wore it desirable, in Westinin- j ster. It is difficult to believe that the effect of a debating chamber is not marred by these desks. They bulk too largely. They must detract from the atmosphere of a big debate. They must add to the weariness of a dull one. It must bo discouraging to even the most impassive of orators to hear the quill drive, to hear the blotter thump, as he readies his most critical period. “But for tho desks how alike it all is. Shut your eyes and lean back and you may hear the Opposition complain how tho Government lias failed to carry out (when in power tho policy it preached when in opposition, how its outlook and bits opinions have changed since it changed benches. “We had near forgot. New Zealand has no single Chamber Government. Here, 100. are the scarlet benches, and here, too, they sit in majesty, and here, too, is a large public gallery, but no large public, and, indeed, no public at all. Perhaps here, too, the noble have learnt to whisper in that tone (which only these august and awful precincts could successfully render both majestic and inaudible.”