POLITICAL NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3333, 27 September 1911, Page 5

POLITICAL NOTES.

NEW PARLIAMENT HOUSE.

JUDGING THE DESIGNS

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) . WELLINGTON, Sept. 26. The Prime Minister was asked by Mr Massey (Leader of the Opposition) l this afternoon whether any progress had been made with the judging of the competitive designs for the new Parliament buildings.

Sir Joseph Ward replied l that the adjudicator, Colonel Walter _L. Vernon, had been ill since his arrival in New Zealand ,and had been delayed in his work b~ that cause. Colonel Vernon would make his award before long, and an announcement would then be made to the House without delay. RACING COMMISSION THE RECONSTITUTION. Ihe preparation of the Commission necessairy for the reconstitution of the Racing Commission is now in the hands of .the Crown Law Department. The Prime Minister stated this afternoon that the Commission will probably be issued to-morrow. STRIKE IN PARLIAMENT. PROTEST BY THE PRESS GALLERY WELLINGTON.. Sept. 26. Attention was drawn by several members in Parliament to-day to the overcrowding of the Chamber by women, and also to the fact that it was difficult to follow debates owing to the conversation of the women who sit behind the members’ benches. Altogether there has been:. a want of order in the House this session. Strangers in: the public gallery have gone the length of applauding and interjecting, and there has been a constant chatter from the women: who have been permitted to occupy chairs on the floor of the House, and members themselves have contributed to the din by carrying on their private conversations in unnecessarily audible tones.

The general din reached its culminating point this evening. The Minister of Railways, who generally says something that is worth reporting, was replying to questions regarding his estimates, and members of the press gallery were straining their ear’s in, a. hopeless endeavour to catch: even the gist of his remarks. Finally the pressmen laid down their pens in disgust, and left the gallery in a body. A protest was sent to the Chairman of Committees, and the press messenger was deputed to report progress. For a time he was in sole possession of the gallery, and the pressmen resolved Unanimously not to: return to the gallery till some public announcement ini regard to the keeping of better order trad, been made.

Eventually the Prime Minister kindly interested himself in’ the situation. The necessary announcement was made, and’ the scribes returned to the gallery, and were able to resume their work in a quiet and chastened Chamber. When the House in Committee, resumed after the supper adjournment, Mr Sidey, the member for Oaversham, was observed to be seated in the ladies’ gallery engaged in conversation with one of the occupants, and the attention of the chairman was drawn to the fact. Mr Colvin remarked: “My attention has been drawn to the fact that there is a stranger in the ladies’ gallery.” Mr Sidey did not hear the remark, so a messenger went forward and conveyed l the intelligence to him, and the member for Caversham at once hurriedly left the gallery and blushingly resumed his own seat, while the House laughed heartily at his discomforture.

the HAT IN PARLIAMENT. A STRANGE POLITICAL CUSTOM. It is not often that a hat is to be seen spinning over the heads of sedate legislators as they sit* in Parliament, but the spectacle was witnessed in the House of Representatives' this afternoon, when Mr. Wtlford had occasion to make ami explanation to the Speaker upon a matter of procedure after the doors had been locked for a division. Mr. Wilford had not his own hat at hand -when the need for it arose, lut his appeal for the loan of one met with an. instane response. A back bencher tossed a size 7 soft gray hat to Mr. Wilford, who wore it gracefully and made his explanation with head covered and seated in his place as the forms of the House demand in such circumstances.

A RECENT RUMOUR. MR. MASSEY AND~THE MINISTRY. Sir Joseph Ward seized' an opportunity ini Parliament the other day to refer to a statement attributed to Mr. Jas. Allen, member, for Bruce, that Mr. Massey had been offered a seat- in the. Ministry. He described the- statement asi a brazen-faced misrepresentation. Mr'. Jas. Allen: You tell l the whole story. ' * The Prime Minister said . he would, and 1 would prove it out of the mouths of M.r Allen’s friends. The member for Bruce was the greatest misreprese-nter, probably, of any man that had been in the House. Mr. Massey urged the Premier to tell the whole story. The Prime Minister: No one will place me in a wrong position.! Mr. Massey: No, you took precious good‘care> of that. The incident terminated after the Prime Minister had made seme further remark of a general character on the subject of misrepresentation, and the necessity of letting the people know abclut it. “HIS EXCITABLE COLLEAGUE.” Noise is not argument, but the Hon. T. Mackenzie. Minister for Agriculture, appears to think that a. little lesk banging is of value in; driving home an . argument. In Parliament the other day he came into conflict with Mr. Massey- by accusing him of neglecting to mention the assets of the Dominion when, on various occasions, he had spoken critically in reference to; its public debt. ' , . , ~ ~ , Mr Massey denied-' the allegation, but the Minister for Agriculture persisted in it. At this stage he banged his desk 1 heavily once or twice, ■ apparently with the-' idea of showing how much he was in earnest. The House was amused. Mem bo-s all! round the Chamber laughed, and banned and slapped their desks in mockery. Mild uproar ensued tor a , brief period, but it was quickly stilled when the. Chairman of Committees, called ioi order, and the Prime Minister had voiced a hope that the calmness so necessary to the best-interests of the country would he preserved , • M r . Massey suggested that, if the lion, gentleman wished a spirit of ;,weet and reasonableness to prevail, ■ S sWd restrain “his excitable col-' league” the Minister for Agriculture.