AN EYE ON PARLIAMENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12757, 29 September 1919, Page 6

AN EYE ON PARLIAMENT.

PARTIES AND POLITICS. NOTES FROM THE GALLERY. (Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, September 29The week in Parliament started off quietly. Minor business was disposed, of on Tuesday afternoon, and in tk® evening Sir James Allen took the House into his confidence concerning the financial position of the Dominion. As a rule the Financial Statement is a matter of considerable moment, but this year it lacked much of its usual interest, for it was realised that, having taken the responsibility so late, the Minister was not in ft position to pro* dues anything of a very startling_ nature. The note of caution contained in the document was characteristic of Sir James Allen, for, whatever his .critics may say of him, it must he admitted that he is sincere and does not hesitate to utter a warning of the kind, however unpalatable it may he to the electors. Of course, there are some uncharitable folk who say that ho glories in such things. But he that as it may, it remains a fact that it takes a politician of more than usual courage to talk of caution in regard to matters financial on the eve of an electionAs is customary the House rose immediately after tho reading of the Statement.

The House wasted little time with unimportant questions on Wednesday, but seized upon the opportunity to debate the war service gratuity proposals. Right at the outset the Leader of the Opposition moved to refer the matter back to the Government for further consideration and, in doing so, criticised the scheme in detail and advocated that the grant should be increased to 2s a day, with special consideration to be given to married men. When he sat down members bobbed up as unanimously, as they do when the Speaker announces that he has been honoured by a message from his Excellency tho Governor-General, and, what is more, they continued doing it until the early hours of next morning. Everyone said, as they started off their respective speeches, that the matter should bo dealt with on non-party lines, but somehow or other they always left the other fellow to Mlow the advice. Opposition members followed in the footsteps of fheir leader, bu’- tho n ember for Avon used his independence to suggest that 2s 6d a day should he the amount paid Mr H. Poland wont one better with a proposal to make it 3s, and Labour went still ono better by asking for 4s. However sincere they may have been, the House could not but be amused at the spectacle of selfavowed anti-conscriptionists and apI plauders of those who went to gaol I rather than to the front, posing as the champions of tho soldiers. Tho division on Sir Joseph Ward’s proposal was taken at 2.15 a.m-, and the amendment was lost by 30 votes to 37, the voting being on purely party lines, except that Messrs Craigie and Hornsby were found supporting the Government. The House having shown that it was not willing to increase the amount the member for Lyttelton camd forward with a futile amendment to increase tho grant to 4s a day. Another two hours went by before this was rejected by 37 to 5, the absentees being nearly all from the Liberal side of the House. Even then it was impossible to rise, for Sir Joseph Ward and. Sir James Allen spent an hour in discussing what took place in Cabinet when the original gratuity scheme was brought down last session. When they were pausing for breath after an excited exchange, the Speaker managed to get a word in edgeways and the House rose at 5 a.m. After Taranaki members had said what they wanted to on Thursday evening—the House.did not meet in tho afternoon—upon. Mr Wilkinson’s Counties’ Amendment Bill, Auckland members bad things their own way with two matters of interest to themselves and their district. They were quite agreed upon the particular measures, but they took an awfully long time to say soMaybe it is tho salubrious nature of the northern climate that breeds this wordiness, or more possibly it is the fact that the barometer indicates “ a general election; stormy, is approaching-” The House, or that small part of it which was not playing billiards in the lobby, had difficulty in arousing itself when the Aucklanders were finished at 11 p.m., and Mr Massey said thevj might 7 go homo. Friday was remarkable for the fact that only two questions were asked in the afternoon- After dealing with minor Bills members settled down to explain how they had always been in favour of granting the right to women to sit in both branches of the Legislature, and how they had always been thwarted by the bunch of conservatism having its home in the Upper House. Mr McCombs quite frankly hoped that if women did come to Parliament there would be provided for husbands the equivalent of the present room for wives of members- The Bill went through with flying colours, and tho next question is: What reception will d g°t in the Legislative Council? Before rising the House put the Police Force Amendment Bill through its second reading. This provides for the appointment of temporary policebring the force up to strength when necessary, and, judging by the comments of Labour members, thev s-'etnod afraid that there might be more behind the scheme than met the eye. It is unpleasant to have too big a police force when a strike is on, at least from one point of view. Whether that was the fear of Labour members was not said in so many words, but they undoubtedly seemed uneasy in their mind, about something Summed up the week has ’been protw'Th ° f v° mC l WOrk des 9 ite the fact that there has been a surolus of talk Late night sittings do frequently hive com P e , nsn . tlo ?> from the Govern- ! T r ' m a more docile -next da? hk ° frame mind the