FROM THE GALLERY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 437, 5 July 1915, Page 7

FROM THE GALLERY.

WEEK OF SURPRISES. WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS. DEFENCE AND COALITION. THE MINISTERIAL VACANCY. [From our own Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, July 5. The past week has surely been one of the most remarkable first weeks in the history of the New Zealand Parliament, having been ~ crammed with surprises from beginning to end. It must very rarely happen that the complacency of the Opposition is such that the Government has to forgo a whole day's sitting, to say nothing of two evenings, because the pace with which business is transacted overruns the amount of business to be done. Nevertheless, that is what happened last week. The session is not quite 10 days old, yet a really wonderful amount of work, judging by the ordinary standard, has been accomplished. . The stage already reached is one which, in the ordinary course of events', would not be arrived at in less than six weeks. First of all, the debate on the Address-in-Reply was disposed Of in less hours than it usually occupies weeks. The goodly sum of £10,000,000 has. been voted for purposes of carrying out the Dominion's part in the war. Various other extraordinary financial arrangements have been sanctioned, and a round dozen of Bills have been placed on the Statute Book. ' ; AN UNDERTAKING "KEPT. So far. as the session has gone, : it must be conceded by everyone that ! the , Liberal-Labour side -of the Flouse has loyally stood to its undertaking not to harass the Government in the matter of war legislation. This does not necessarily mean that there has been no party sparring. Oh at least one occasion it- was a clear case of "touch and go," and but a very little further departure from a position of forbearance on the/part of the Minister of Finance or the Leader of the Opposition would have precipitated an open conflict. Fortunately for the credit of the Dominion and the reputation of Parliament, peace was eventually restored, and since that moment there has hardly been a breeze strong enough to stir the 'slightest ripple on the placid seas of Apolitical goodwill. The Opposition jhas at times actually gone out of its jway to prevent the possibility of a clash, and has even forgone its right to have new Bills explained'to it by the Ministers in charge, contenting itself with a simple statement that "This is a war Bill." v TRENTHAM POSSIBILITIES.The only subject which seems to carry about with if the possibility of itrouble is the'condition of Trentham camp. A good deal has already been said on this subject in the House although no opportunity has yet been given for a full and free discussion of the matter. Complaisant as the Opposition may be, there are several members who will not much longer delay seeking a chance to air their eloquence on the cpmplaints, both real and imaginary, which emanate from the camp. If the Government does not give the opportunity soon it "is more than likely that the camp will form the subject of a solid afternoon's talk when Ministers' answers to questions are laid before the House,in the customary manner on Wednesday. The last week has witnessed several big improvements 4n the method of dealing with the serious outbreak of measles at the xamp, but it hasjilso seen the death ':' of seven- soldiers. The Government dwell on the improvement, but there are members who will not fail to make political use of the other melancholy fact. To some extent ; the provision of more adequate medical and hursing.attendan.ee at the camp may have been consequent oh the criticism of Dr Thacker and others, but by many it is looked upon rather as an indication that the Ministers of Defence and Public Health have at last awakened to the fact that there has been incompetence and neglect in certain quarters. Further developments in the near future need occasion no surprise. j COALITION PROSPECTS. Of the coalition question nothingremains to be said except that negotiations are still proceeding, but all that the newspaper correspondents can ascertain for the enlightenment of the general public could easily be accommodated on the point of a very small pin. There arc all kinds of stories floating around, but.most of them are about as true as the others. The Opposition Party is to. hold a meeting on Tuesday, when it is expected that Liberal and Labour members will have something more definite put before them than they have had at any previous official meeting. One reason that the Government should have for seeing the i question promptly settled is the fact that there is at present a vacancy in the Cabinet caused by the defeat at the polls of Mr F. M. B. Fisheri At the present time Mr Allen is considerably over-burden-ed with the three important portfolios of defence, finance, and education, and his public announcement the other day that he would shortly have to relinquish that of education was made "with reluctance." There is not the shadow of a doubt that if the Government has to add to its numbers from the ranks of its own party Mr H. D. Guthrie (Oroua) '/the present Senior Whip, will be ; -raised to Ministerial rank, ami one -*Vof his portfolios will be education. »' If only for this reason the Govern- •♦ went may be expected to have some -. finality reached at the earliest possible moment.