TENSE HOURS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 163, 30 September 1927, Page 1

TENSE HOURS

News From Raglan LEADERS UNEASY INCIDENTS IN HOUSE (THE BUN 8 Parliamentary .Reporter./ WELLINGTON, Friday. Very little talking was done In thd House of Representatives early in the evening, when a continuous stream of telegrams was flowing to the Prime Minister, the Right Hon. J. G. Coates, on one hand, and Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, on the other, telling the progress story of the Raglan fight. Both leaders obviously were uneasy, while party men wandered almost aimlessly about the House, allowing the Chairman of Comm ttees to put through Bill after Bill si most without discussion. Mr. Coates looked less pleased as the growing figures showed the Labour man to be increasing his lead, and revealing a reversal of .he late Mr. Bollard’s big majority for this Government. Mr. Holland shifted uneasily in hiß seat and consulted his watch many times, in spite of the fact that a perfectly good clock faced him across the Chamber. The Labour rank and file showed their excitement more than their Leader, however, and Mr. D. G. Sullivan could not resist waving his correspondence n the air when a telegram said that the result fcould not be affected, while Mr. W. E. Parry performed a similar action with his handkerchief, after making a lame pretence at blowing his nose. During the debates in the House Mr. E. J. Howard could not resist a quiet chip at the Government, and gently rubbed sandpaper over the wound which the Government must have felt smarting. He was advancing a minor request, ther: in a condescending tone said: "Oh, well, we know the Government has received a shock tonight."