The Pahiatua Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING WEDNESDAY AUGUST 8, 1934. SPARE US THAT.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12718, 8 August 1934, Page 4

The Pahiatua Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING WEDNESDAY A UGUST 8, 1934. SPARE US THAT.

Some members ol Parliament (some Labour members particularly) would inflict upon the country radio broadcasts of proceedings in the House cf Representatives. Is it that they have a subtle sense of humour, or that they have none? Whatever their object in mooting such a proposal it would be carrying the joke a little too l'ar to put the idea into practice. Parliamentary debates can be intolerably dull. On very rare occasions do the debates reach that degree of eloquence which commands attention. Sometimes the sparks fly but the trouble would be to know when in order to ensure an entertaining broadcast. Members must have an ex aggerated opinion of their oratorical powers to expect radio listeners to tune in to a long-winded, dry-as-dusb argument and like it. It is surely sufficient that the public have made no serious request for the speeches in the House to be sent over the air. Time enough to inflict this doubtful privilege when the people request it. If they heard half the squabbles and outbursts of petulance across tho floor of the House which waste so much good time they might easily be influenced in the course they adopt at future elections and some of tho self-same men who now advocate bis greater form of publicity might have every reason to regret their exuberance for radio. Any hopes of making Parliamentary broadcasts of a bright and entertaining nature are not likely to be realised. The dry tedium of Parliamentary procedure would sound unutterably dull from a loud speaker. All the bright spots about a. debate must be seen rather than heard and when television comes the suggestion to broadcast from Parliament may be a worth-while one. As it is now the true atmosphere of Parliament could never be portrayed to the unimaginative |)< r the microphone. One would not see those rows of empty benches which gather the dust only even when a critical debate may be in orogress. One would miss the enlightening spectacle of members lolling or slumbering in their padded couches, oblivious to everything but the fact that they have eaten too veil and their attendance at the sitting is not one of vital significance but merely a. matter of form. One would not. see the others reading or writing, walking unconcernedly about, or chatting to a neighbour about the All score while one of their number heroically, if pathetically, holds the floor and urges Parliament to extend its Term to. a life-long sentence.