The Peep Show

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 93, 11 July 1927, Page 8

The Peep Show

| PARLIAMENT IN SESSION

Notes from the Gallerv

(By

L.J.C. )

■\\ ELLINGTON, Saturday Parliamentary debates durinr k week have been diverted into aim every channel it is possible to and members have availed thernsHX' very fully of the extended priviie allowed during an Adress-in-n!!? debate. There were many e m T benches after the North-bound and the South-bound ferry j, a( ( J® 13 last night, however, many memL snatching the week-end in their ht> ’’ before the actual “heavies” start > S come over in the sessional work '° Oh, the futility of this debate' Lmv through Hansard of the past fortaS* and pick out —if you can—the solis matter which might with any iustl-f cation be classed as advice iikelv , help in setting the country right -ahave heard on the one hand that ts* farmers are good fellows, but hard uiT on the other hand that many of are slackers —hut still hard up uhave learned that the ex-junior Gor ernment whip must have his independ ent say. and we are now aware thathe Government will stand no noc sense at Samoa. Rut we have nor yet reached the session proper aaj when this preliminary outburst is through the ball of legislation will start to roll. Once it gets realiv going no moss will grow upon it j, will take a few months to stop i, too. We should know on Tuesdav or Wednesday whether or not a respect, ful address shall be presented to his Excellency—then the Bills!

Mr. T. W. Rhodes says: There is a great deal of room for improvement in our roads. The people of the Thames electorate might possibly be thinking the same thing about their Rhodes!

Mr. A. M. Samuel is nonplussed because .Parliamentary petitions committees are set up to deal with a variety of appeals, and after favourable consideration has been recom-

mended, these are allowed to lapss till the advent of a new session revives the diminishing hopes in the breasts of the petitioners. But Mr. Samuel is not alone in thinking thus. Many petitioners are wondering how many more years they will have to come to the State tribunal with their troubles, and how many times they will have to receive the tag “favourable consideration” before somethin? tangible is done to relieve their particular distress. However, the Prime Minister has promised that all outstanding petitions from last session will be dug up and dusted —so to speak —and considered. Petitioners who bring hardy annuals cannot help turning over in their minds the words with which every petition concludes: ". ■ - And your petitioner, as in duty bound, will ever pray.” Some of them are still praying. Some of them, no doubt, will continue to pray. Whew! Now that we have heard Mr. Glenn out, whew! What a fuss about Mr. Glenn’s difference with the Government. Does it matter so very much to the destinies of the country whether the ex-junior whip (who has been a fractious party adherent for some time) secedes from official support of the Government Party? Certainly he has literaly got one on the Government just now, and tuned in on the wave-length of Address-in-Reply debate with a very appropriate and not altogether unexpected “I told you so.” The speech he made on the general economic situation —he embraced all sides of the House in hi® denunciation —gives the impression that everyone is to blame for the present state of things—except Mr. Glenn! During the long hours of protracted debate, members who have had their little say must have something to rea while their colleagues are taking UP the time of the House. It ml ®T occasion a little surprise to °* >s ® r V the titles of the books which membe carry under their arms through t lobbies —for have they not the or library from which to draw, a nMOT containing everything from t heaviest work on jurisprducence I equally dead subjects) to the hgh! and most “risque” novel of the„<wA member of “a certain party tered the library wing the other day-' so the lobby gossip says —and asK the librarian: “Is there any comp son between the stuff the member!’ our party read and the stuff taken by the other members?” The att " , ant pondered. Then he answ slowly: “No —no comparison. .« member of the “certain party 13 wondering what the librarian m • The Minister of Finance, journey into the realm of n rhymes and classic poetry at tn , pense of the opposition groups, sc a nice hit to leg while everyone * i in the House was searching for sl “ I to apply to the spirit of Liberal!-® I that voice back from the grave, ' , T echoes with hollow melancno. through the unsympathetic cn Mr. Glenn—forgive me billing “ ® prominently—also had his utu bol, and reminded the Ministe (n when the Government put its h order it would have another t but this return to the fold drag its tail behind it, but appe y r its tail straight up. Get s “ p Glenn has not regrets so soon-