SATES FROM THE GALLERY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16260, 29 October 1920, Page 7

SATES FROM THE GALLERY.

00INCSJN THE HOUSE. PARLIAMENT DAY BY DAY. (Special, to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, October 28. A LACONIC REPLY. " I wish to ask Hie Minister of Edunation, ’ said Dr Newman in tho House, ‘ if secondary school teachers aro placed in a worse position than primary school teachers under tho now regulations ?” Usually such a question would draw hj it-qg and detailed explanation from a Minister. Tho Hon C. J. Parr broke away from all traditions of Ministerial answers. > ‘ l The answer is no,” he said. AN ECONOMICAL MINISTER. "Tho Defence _ Minister, to say the least, was economical,” said Dr Thacker in tho House. Ho was referring to a request made by some members on behalf of tho South Island Bands’ Association for a loan of blankets. ’The Dofenco Minister’s terms were la 6d for tho first week for each blanket. Dr Ihacker thought this was not warranted in view of tho public services of bands, and he was making an “ appeal to Cffisar ” (in this case the Prime Minister). Tho Prime Minister, however, said he was glad to hear tho Defence Minister was economical. Not only Ministers, but also members, must bo economical, as they would see shortly. He had confidence in the Minister" of Defence, and would not think of interfering. Dr Thacker: " He was ordered to be economical.” Sir Heaton Rhodes said his hrdcrS to ho economical came from the House, which had_ ordered him to keep tho l)o----fence Estimates down. He was not going to increase the Estimates at tho wish of a small section. NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS. Tho debate on tho Land Laws Amendment Bill in the Legislative Council to-day was very largely confined to tho alleged grievances of the lessees of small grazing runs. In part tins was brought about by tbe leader of tho Council (Sir Francis Bell), who has a knack of advancing an argument in a form ns to nlnco his opponents ,i(H a imbst, hnliaftilpy • position should they decide to put the other sido of a matter to which he has paid particular attention. A great deal of the debate on the Bill in the House was confined to a proposal to dispose of part of the national endowment, but although there is just about tho same proportion of leaseholders in the Council as in the House, this was not tho case to-day. * “ There_ is no encroachment on endowments,” said Sir Francis Bell, casting his eye over the upholders of ibo leasehold nirin.cipilo. ” except for the benefit of discharged soldiers ,and without soldiers there would be no endowments now.” " A most unkind" wav of putting it to us,” commented tho Hon C. fl. Izard. ■Sir Francis went on to admit that there was a provision being made for iising_ some of the endowments fpr carrying out the homestead principle, but most members decided that in ,the circumstances it was better to linve the matter alone, and confine themselves to the case of llio lessees of grazing runs. SCIENTIFIC MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Hon G. M. Thomson had his colleagues well out of their depth this afternoon. The Council was consjdering tho Animals Protection Amendment Bill, which deals with the opossum, and Mr ThoinsQji pointed out that tho Latin descriptions of the anisial were not complete. Members were quite prepared to grant that that was possible, but some seemed a little bit doubtful as to whether ho was talking animal or disease, when ho wont on. to say that what should be added to kf'® j Uatm titles was “ fuliginosiis,” Hie chairman of committee baulked at tho term when ho put tho question, xio SfiYed his roptiljiiioTi "by r^niurkin c that there was a bad blot on the paper containing the amendment, and rnemcontented themselves by agreeing to the alteration on tho assumption that Mr Thomson probably knew what he was talking about. If'Mr Thomson meant what the dictionary says he did ho meant "black” or “sooty.”