OPENING ROUNDS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26198, 8 July 1946, Page 6

OPENING ROUNDS

ELECTION YEAR FLAVOUR

LONG SPEECHES IN HOUSE NO IMPORTANT LEGISLATION (From our Political Correspondent) WELLINGTON, July 7. Long speeches with a strong election year flavour marked the opening stages of the Address-in-Reply debate, and it was not until Friday, when the badkbenchers had an innnings, that the speeches bore any appearance of critical detachment.

In former years, it was customary for the mover and seconder of the Address to wear evening dress, but Labour members appear to have permanently discarded this tradition. On Wednesday evening, before the Speaker had entered the Chamber. Mr J. Thorn (Govt.. Thames! was asked by an Opposition member: “ Where are your glad k rags? ” to which he amiably replied: "My face is my fortune.” It seems a pity that the old customs which added something to the dignity of Parliament should not be kept up. At one time, it was the usual practice for members of the Executive Council to wear top hats and tail coats when presenting tne Address-in-Reply to' the Governor-General, but this is no longer observed. . All the traditional ceremonial associated with the opening of Parliament, however, is still maintained, and it was noticeable that all members of the Legislative Council appeared in evening dress, according to the time-hon-oured custom, to hear the speech from the Throne.

Influence of Broadcasting The influence of the broadcasting of debates was strikingly evident in the early speeches. References to those who are listening in” showed that there is no longer any pretence, of addressing these important forma l speeches to Parliament alone. This, no doubt, accounts for their growing length. The first four speeches each occupied about an hour and a-haif, but after that there were no further extensions of time. Mr Thorn, who set the ball rolling, made the most of his opportunity and displayed his usual competent technique, which was, however. marred at times by references which seemed rather paltry considering the nature of the occasion. In this respect Mr C. M. Williams (Govt., Kaiapoi), who seconded the motion, maintained a higher level and showed less concern for superficial argument. With his Captain Kettle beard, Mr Williams is an unusual figure by current parliamentary standards. but there are few other members who have such an intellectual approach to political questions. The Leader of the Opposition. Mr 5. G Holland, had an exhilarating and unusual experience for these times of addressing what was literally a capacity house.” Hundreds of delegates-to the annual conference of the Womens Division of the Farmers’ Union had obtained tickets for the galleries, and there was even an overflow in to the Press Gallery, while parties who could not get in sat in various private office* in the buildings and listened in. Mr Holland, as usual, was rather slow to get started, but once into his stride, he spoke with unexcelled confidence arid fluency, and his quotations of passages from recent speeches by Ministers seemed to cause a certain air of discomfort on the Ministerial benches By his aggressive tactics, Mr Holland again showed that the Opposition feels itself to be in a strong tactical position. ' Minister Unconvincing The Minister of Supply, Mr D. G. Sullivan, who followed him, did not seem to know where to start and was not very convincing in his defence of the' rather reckless statements attributed to Cabinet Ministers by Mr Holland. An unuual term employed by Mr Sullivan was his charge that Mr Holland was merely “ tearing a passion to tatters.” He also revealed for the first time that Mr W. Nash’s remark in London io the effect that he intended returning to New Zealand to present a Budget that would win the election must have been causing the Government some embarrassment. "Every one of us is given to a little humour at times,” said Mr Sullivan, "and there is not the slghtest doubt that that was the intention of Mr Nash.” ~ , After this, it seemed almost restful when the back benchers took over on Friday, but the inimitable Mr H. T. Morton (Oppn., Waitemata) quickly livened Hung up with his references to “ Comrade Boswellensk.” The propriety of this jocular term was challenged by Mr H. E. Combs (Govt., Wellington Suburbs), and the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr W. E. Parry, but Mr Morton was upheld by the Speaker, after Mr R. M. Algie (Oppn., Remuera) had wittily intervened with a paraphrase from Shakespeare’s "What’s in a name?”

The Dairy Supply Control Order was denounced by Mr E. B. Corbett (Oppn., Egmont), one of the Opposition’s soundest authorities on farming matters, and after that came Mr P. G. Connolly (Govt., Dunedin West) employing an easy conversational style and relying on ridicule and raillery rather than flawless logic. Speaking of taxation, he claimed that high taxation was inseparable from the present obsolete money system, but explained that Labour’s technique was to “take it off the people who have got it.” Nevertheless, he added, there would be very good news for taxpayers in about six weeks’ time.

Cries of, “the old grey mare,” greeted Mr Connolly’s allusions to the wages ol domestic servants during the depression and his breezy response was “Our job is to see that the old grey mare does not have any foals.” As yet there is no sign of any momentous legislation. The appearance of the Geographic Board Bill was marked by some flippant reference to “ Mount Fraser,” “ Poison Geyser,” and so forth, but the liveliest passages of the week followed the answers to questions oh Wednesday when Mr A. McLagan’s tenancy of a State house emerged as a controversial topic and Mr F. Langstone (Govt., Waimarino) showed some reluctance to accept the Government's decision that it would be inadvisable to publish an annual return showing the income of every individual taxpayer.

Lively Discussion Expected

The report of the Electoral Representation Commission, which was released during the week, will provoke lively and perhaps stormy discussion when it .comes before the House later in the session, among papers for consideration Opposition members must have noted with interest the Minister of Health, Mr A. H. Nordmeyer had personally appealed against the proposed adjustment of the Oamaru electorate boundaries.

By Friday afternoon the House had started to thin out. several northern members having left by the afternoon train. Others shared a special railcar with the Prime Minister, Mr P. Fraser, who went north on Friday night. The inclusion of Opposition members in this party offered further proof that in politics it is by no means unusual for the lion to lie down with the lamb.