POLITICAL NOTES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144147, 17 July 1913, Page 2

POLITICAL NOTES.

ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. MR. ISITT GETS MIXED. BT TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. WELLINGTON, July 16. The Address-in-Reply debate still continues to drag its rather weary length along. Mr. Veitch (Wanganui), who was the first speaker to-day, outlined the aspirations of Labour in a speech couched in very moderate terms, and in which he counselled the workers not to break away from the Arbitration Act. Mr. T. W. Rhodes (Thames), who followed, pointed out the needs of the mining industry, especially in the Auckland district, and expressed a hope that it would receive a return of the assistance that it received during the earlier years of the Liberal administration. Mr. Isitt (Christchurch North), who was the next to take the floor, was in good fighting form, and delivered a vigorous speech in which he traversed many of the alleged sins and shortcomings of the Government, and secured the attention of the House and tho galleries. Mr. Isitt, in replying to taunts that the Liberals were without a leader, declared that the Prime Minister was only the nominal leader of the Reform Party, the real leader he declared was a Bell Wether (capital B), and he went on to reiterate the oft-repeated assertion that the Government Party is in the grip of the large landed interests. On the subject of party, Mr. Isitt got badly mixed, and his efforts to ■extricate himself , from the result of conflicting statements, afforded as much gratification to the Government members as -other portions of his speech provided for the occupants of the Opposition benches.' After declaring his independence, Mr. Isitt proceeded to speak of “our side of the House,” “our party,” and the fact that “we” have no leader. The only thing in this connection that the speaker seemed to be certain about was that he was a Liberal, and an uncompromising opponent of the party “over there,” which he indicated with a contemptuous wave of his hand.

Mr. Lee (Oamaru) who followed, did not make such a clever display of oratory and fireworks as Mr. Isitt had done, but he delivered a closely reasoned speech which told with effect upon the Opposition. He assailed the oygone pretensions of the ill-starred Mackenzie Ministry in a manner which caused Mr. Laurenson, a member of the' “ten minutes” Ministry, to interject,. “Let us hear something about the address from the Throne.” Mr. Sidey (Dunedin South), the. last speaker of the evening, did not add any new ideas of importance to the debate. DINING OAR WANTED. WELLINGTON, July 16. Mr. Wilkinson (Egmont) asked the Minister of Railway® to-day whether ho will take into consideration the question of adding a dining car to the Wellington-New Plymouth mail train between Wanganui and New Plymouth. 1 The Minister replied : _ “My investigation into the matter indicates that the volume of passenger traffic between Aramoho and New Plymouth is insufficient to justify the running of a dining car beyond Aramoho. Mr. Wilkinson said that the answer was not satisfactory. The dining car was needed for the convenience of passengers, especially those who landed early in the morning at the Breakwater from the Onehunga steamers and.who had to catch the early train. Ho suggested that if the car could not be put on for the whole distance a light car might be run between New Plymouth and Hawera.

Mr. Okey (Taranaki) endorsed, tho remarks of Mr. Wilkinson and expressed a hope that the Minister would consider tho matter.

“SOAP.”

A question, regarding soap, was put to the Prime Minister by Mr. Brown (Napier) this morning. The member wished to know whether the Government could see its way to buy soap I manufactured in England or New Zea- j land, for use in the _ Government / Buildings. Mr. -Massey replied that all the soaps in use in the Government Buildings in Wellington were of New Zealand or English manufacture. Mr. Brown truirapantly help up a cake of soap which he pointed out came from New York, “What do you think of that?” he asked. Mr. Massey: “Where did you get that from?” Mr. Brown: From the place where we wash eur hands. ' _ Mr. Massey: Are you going to take it back again? (Laughter.) The question it will bo observed referred to the Government, and not the Parliamentary Buildings.