FROM THE LADIES' GALLERY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 681, 4 December 1909, Page 11

FROM THE LADIES' GALLERY.

:« -:;.^ENNYj : ;WEEN'^IN : PAELIAMENT.:-,:-v ~;'Life: h as'n6t been running very smoothly in the.Hquse of-law.-Whether it is that the late hours,-;that seem; to have .become habitual,,are :wbrking sad (havoc' with ' the ■' naturally.' agreeable : and':.optiMistio>-natures" of 'members; 'or wbetherthe c'all'rbf the'country-at this specittlty.busy:time -of )f the:'year is' making itself insistently' heard''ljva .portion ' .of, them; - is perhaps a-somewhat open-- question. -It might even '-be -that Tmost-' : 'men,vno, matter'- to what ■party .'they', s belong;': have; secretly 'something 'of : the'vlrish'man's.'love.'of .being ."agin ;the'Government," and : must,let : ]it;have;an- occasional outing; whatever,the),cause, the:fact'remains, that /there-has/bwn.a-cohsider'ablo amount of irritation, ; , rebellion,! ; and. fractiousness. displayed, in spite.of, the,amount 'of 'work'.that-has been .accomplished during the. interludes, that, vanish --in.-' an ,-almost ''magically .sudden tway,,seemihgly'ileaving .ho■:trace-behind' them -ruffle-and; storm),.-,0;-yV,^'- ! ' --■' ■-- :■ .;-; '• Mr.':G.i:.-M. cThomson's 'proposal on Monday. : that.Parliament'shouldimeet" three'days a week .at; ten inv'the /morning" and rise .''again at ten' at'nighY: gave;rise'; -to -'much"discussion, 'but, like many (other^entirely;- revolutionary- ideas, The picture'he' drew.'of members' .being -whipped; in-to ,vot'e--sleopy \ 'and stupid ;With,.6le'ep,\Tinknbwingi6f-what',was- going on—

:' :, V^'\../-snd'then-iemfhing^to''-%eir^giat(^od : il:;:' : '-w:/tbe;,xbncli.e3'. , :'ancl'...,C!hesterfelds -that, have ;->;■ -■; tow/been; provided, them,;threw,'rathcr/!a'6tart- :: -;y; : ' -ling /light; on.*.things.' - >Muchvwas.'said.'.abbut -..,;. ...tho.waste; of time!during the session, 1 and each /.. '■-;!■/'.-.'party.:blamed: thai other, Mr! ;Massby, protesting ,:,:. wd/saying/that'/the- .Opposition-had done: all '- :":'/-J^ey.■''».»Wv.t6:.irßrjthßr.''tße;'.Tr6rfc,.that'.waß'.be;Y ■'.''..■!■■• fore 'them.. One is/almost.inclined to think ■v;-;..': jjthat perhaps .more'- may be lost- that .way than' //.//i''/! by.' standing -out:.about 'things. //Some, of .the 'V/'--.'"-.' 'inembersfsayVithe mornings are necessary:for. ': b,,; -committee.work: and for''-studying.-Bills.: 'One •' ■ :;■;■':, ~ cannot,qnite:nndersta'nd that.very many-.hbiirs '' ;:'."'.' '■'"- •W" st . ; bb heeded .for that l pufp'oso;/-;'[of'course; ■)■''. VSA. there; are/people'.to'ibe. fouhd,/whb'can/always ;■-..; . : :;-.<Work| -"■:■:■. : \i'of ;the :day-^ennine.hnraah:"6wls—but hot tho '■.'■■• niajonty,'.of : ;,espe'cially''farmers! who /areyy hours.': '•;/- : !'///; ;/y!/;, ,Orators : and A ; !Quel./yS'/;/''''' : V.'' ■■"■: /'.'/ .'■ ;,::/;:; 7 ''Qnito-a^reat-deal ; has'.been : ,:said about tlie^.' 'i.5-'.;::'.; , ;^ay;-.,^(i-:-;members''\'' , playi;to , ; ! 'tho> galleries.". ■: ;"': &■"•; It'/wtfnld-probably.: .be , quite beybnd:- human -■ • i...:,..'. natureV'not-to;, resist i the 'temptation sometimes .////■;!of■•irgiving'^them-:' a''-,.little'',, entertainment, ■; ';■ '-'// egMUdly, :when..\tl*y/;.areVso '-regular'in their, ...attendance, -v TheyVhave a- dull, enough ..time v ■■':■'■ '-•• ; - : : if -.'.it 'is /entertainment.; that they ; ;■■ -..'.' are ; :looting;for, : .vand>it isXiuite: likely'-: that ;': 7. ;.-;■ thoseiwhb,complain;of,that fact are?as guilty ;/';:■;//' as./those ':it.V IKwould. ' .' ;. seem-; as ■thaugtt,/:tfter/;a; time,/beings-present ' .'■'; while-rPaTliament:'goes ■bh.with, its /business . !;/;/: '■>. or'feven'jaycrazey' and'.one! :..'•',. iimost.difficnlt/tb; break raway:from; .There are .::,"-'; members':.wives/who-say. that,they/quite v ,hate ' /y/y/y/;!!missing/a/nigh.t./and./if /forced/by .circum-y-/:,Btahces['to',do,';so,';are always" wondering what ./ ■•y'':'~:isn going^-pn,/who; - are'. the/speakers,' 'and what : <■■;':■/;';.. ■'; unexpected •turhjeventsVmayr'ha'Ve: taken. :;Nb '://:!'/.:' matter-whatythe'sabi.ect!.nhder.idiscussion' : 'may' * -..':.• be, ;whether.vbnything!J;they!.;are'".interested in ; .-/v.. •' or.]'.upon:ifihahce: : :of:)'a, ! mbst/inVolvedCand!des-; ';••"' /:' Operate type,;'thcy. tanker .for; the'Wjordy/wariaro; ' •'/'■; : ..■' of the: House.'/ Siich -slaves/of ;.eustbm' ■ are 'wo. ,: : ■"■ /of'/alUls/Paf liament . •„''•/-.;.. ':■'.* ■ : •: ;, ./The Death .Duties;Bili:ahd the/Shipping:and , ■'•'/ -'!;Seamen';BiU;.have!:bebh- steadily, gbhe. .ou/with,. .-; .',memVers.'ienbrally.-"seemihg r .!tb;.ffnd:much/that. ''■:"-.■■■'., : .they: could-commend/and agree with in/both. :'■;,":'• : .On./Tuesdayyj:while;discussing!the; Death'';Dn- ,;-., tiea.*BUl,'i.tne : : Prime -Mihister - and ifr'./ Baume .-';•'•:■''•■•; /became/'; distihetly,';ft:antagonistic,'.'/expressing ;... ■'; : .freely^theiryvuhcompHineniary:'■' and%.candid. /:!■ /V/ opiiuon9/of ;onbfanotherfs :behavionr. add :..':■ tfi«the jntefest.of.ythb-occasion;:Mr'/Ho'gg:.of ; ... : . •:. .all': people l must; jit' his duty; to, :';: ..tush, in; to. the,, .battle and .'give'a lesson upon! ..'-■.; :,:' Tight; -and''prbp'er!;tehaviour ;tb : Mr.; Baume> '"- ,!:■..- delightedly'.listening and . waiting-for';whit .would ; :follbw. .'Hogg'!.is ;; ~always;'paiiting';ahd,.lying in;wait-fOrtah op- ■'... ' L'portuhity, *.o:. pounce-'.upon^Mr.,;B'aume,' whioh -:.:■: >.«.exceedingly■-rashrbf.hini; fof'-.he invariably: .'•!'y^ i .'.to:'r>tir4!'cTumpled. l '«p.'./.T'v'l'st«a : .:to'tHem' ■:'. : . '!-■■''■'■:•'■:'^.'likb;6eejngVa-!keen;;'mteci'le^,-''finis'hed'swordsT' .;..':. ■;.,■■ jnin'-'play'uigi->vJit!h , ':''and,stinging-a^big,;'clumsy .; y- Bchoolboy, :whb: ! ban; never/, get; home -with -his /'!; ■■■■'■ weapon—probably!ino''bile;'in:.thb: : House.could :;' ..:- measure'-swords -'with' lsf., ; :Baume; and" coihe .:-;,:,', flway,!'TOtorious, : ':.'and ,ih : 'this; -case .again ..the' - '! ; i;'-: usuarjesult folibwed.''; :,!■; -.:;',;>;-■ r. : y r ; /:'■■ .. >;,:. uy History'lh: tKb^Makihg^ ■•-• :■•''•"'' : i;lt : ;^^:^P^on';-'bf'i , i: ; .., ; that. ; the..death , ,,dnties' , .wiirhave : 'the-'efFeot;of; .■'..p*OTentjhg■!.tbJey:ik^ll'g^■o£•/m'6nay'.'dut^ng''•a. , per- ■ ■■■.•'.'•., ;.. eon s : lifetimeV'and-i'that- they ■/ penalise * '■' the. ; ; . .'-.ybreaW • vis'ahve.'. It .certainly;'docs;hot.;appear to/en-; <;,- "■[ cburage;giftsMifter';marriage Ao':'a wife,' since -;■' -■!. .two.yhundreduand'fiftyipo'unds'would bo,levied. oh a;gift'of Ato'thousand "pounds—such ; gifts: ■i.V/ -.; flfe: not .so -'. frequent,-one >.'would think, ■ that ■ .;.,; K they discouragements.! ':. ■ : : !; Prbbably:'thcre;;.was;.'mhc'h,-,more .agreement over .-"■;.;■ the; ,Beaineh!. : .,:Bill,'-,'and.;'quite I !.rapi'd progress ...appeared .to'-be-made!*with-its-clauses,■• quite '■■■■•■) j'at" one time'.'. being .passed '". .•'.• ;, without a .word;;of: dissent. ..■ "That/Clause one .. 6timd ( .:part:.of; tb'o;;Bill^thbse;bf.that opinion - 'fay 'ayo,'. -those, of / a • contrary'.' opinion' say .: : 'no, ~the-ayesOhave;'it;/That Clause.two:stand ;',,: .1 / ... part -.or ;,.the "Bill—those '/of that; opinion' say -';; ; ; aye/.-those;of/a-.contrary.opinion,say.;.'no,'..tne '•'■,/-,: aye^ihaye.ir—all.'in breathless haste'and'not ".=•■/ / -av vestige of, a '.pause .or' a•: full /stop. ; Ancient : ; /'-, ;os:r. the ';hills, j-itself, ...there. ■ is no; end to the, exciting" events those-parrot-v*;' ;■-!'. ; ylike;;;;gabbled;^words'!/have.- given; : !risb ;to.-Vat. '.;..: ;.iimes.'':..'What .bwtory-haa been made''by:fHeni.'-.-' '-■ v : .-,;;;;/;.;This:;is;Mr.-;Millar's-Bill.faiid'he sits at;the ;.:.:;,;.;/ table; -'.carefully': l , guarding ;its /..interests—hot,' .-■;.;/"'.'-, ;.;hbwev«r,:;;; ; getting; - ? yahnoyed : ; ; :'whenV;-'di£Eerent'' .;':,•/.;;;amendments';areipropbsed, / 'bht';'carefully :;coh- . .;,:. ,•; ddering.';. : 'th'em-"'. and 'holding'., himself: open '!• to' .'': : /;;.;; T«a»h; ; ,;; He,is] certainlK .' M ; v.-.;,-'i'bo'thering,;to i soften,;;-things ';'; when./he';disap- : ; : -:!. /;proves; :br"-:to.''be'/di'plb'matic.':;''His /views,'and .■'-'.'!•:/;•'■;■,■-other K '■.yr'J^r-^oJ-OMnß^bingsVh'aTe^'m'iferiallyvdiff^ ;' ; '.hew/zrailwayvtiine-table,:'and ::niany:-:..'dis'i>p: ''■•^/vj^/^ihted^doputatipr^-hi^/gohb;^ /!/!-!; had ;not; been: soy firm;!- ih;'l(is' ideas'of: things.':"'

Meres.x ,-,'":.^.';";-;'.•■;>. ii On Wednesday ; night Mr., Masseyand.-Mr.E. MUienzie'had an animated little conversation about •.when..the} Public Works Statement and tho,Estimates' would- be-b'ronght down;••'■; Mr, M-'Kenzie is 'somewhat like tho '. terrifying giant of. the;fairy tales—ho is- big and fiercelooking, and his voice is; like the : rumble,of distant thunder: among the hills. ■ He does not strike 'ono. as being.an'- easy' member of tho Cabinet'-.to; manage—ho seems tho very personification of ruggedness and obstinacy, ana, probably, "isurliness. ; One'could imagine him guite equal, with a "lono hand .-to play," .to facing, defyihg, and "brow-beating ..any ' number of. angry strikers, and coming away victorious. Jt probably makes ,a- big. difference when there is ,'a pacific-Cabinet and Prime Minister controlling . his movements: and. propositions. After that; little interlude the House settled down steadily to-work upon the Seamon* Bill.. Thursday was a most interesting day'jn the House,'both in the afternoon and the evening. Most peoplo expected t-hat there would.be a stirring"time, when ,the Land 'Bill camo up,for discussion,, nor would;' they have been disap--1 pointed had they' been present. Mr. Taylor wasvmost vigorous and most-trenchant in his condemnation • of' the conduct of the Government "and, its ways of ■■ trying :to force a measure, through by the policy, of exhaustion, and warningly.added in response to an interjection, "Whonilthe gods destroy they first make mad," ■which:Mr.',Massey"amended by saying, "Whom they'wish; to destroy," which: sounded as though it would be .daubtful, if. even the gods could destroy - the'. Government.; The feeling of tension and '.unrest had • not- subsided when Parliament opened in the evening—the reaction "not yet having set in. ■'■; Mr;. made a very-.telling';; speech -in, answer 1 ( to ; a criticism of;the;Prime'Minister's.-.who'nevcr,lets things 'drop, that'he harl wasted, the'.; time; of .the House in speaking beforehand of the Civil Service Bill before "members had: even; seen it; he igenerally .does' .when-.he 'thinks it worth while to speak,-:nearly :"every. sentence being terse and cuttmirand'to the pbint' The Land and Income Tax inquiry carhe'into prominence again! in, the .House last night,"-Mr. Massey,;, Mr. Herdinan,:aid- Mr. •Wright having; much to say .;regarding" it.; Mr; Herdmnn .insisted on the right of ! the' public, to -. know what '.was tak-ing-.plai»':.in the"'matter,'when the services-.of snch high'-.' personages as two Supreme: Court Judges were engaged to .inquire 'into matters. "Mr.; Latirehson,'' whbVis •, always ■ a most. ready champion-of all;the Government's-actions.'be-carne very excited,, ahd; held' forth with great volubility .about what Tiad' been said and every-: thing in'-'general-besides.: Mr. Herries and he • from ■ being affinities,;- and ; frequently 'MrJ'Herries'scores : heavily,-' as; ; he did -that' night.':,/': .;-.,';■ '-,'■':; ' .' ;';';'-':' Just .Like; Mr,;; Harlan.;.;,'' V ;' ' • O.'Oii Friday-afternoon, tho Land 'Bill, was still being discussed,. the'leaseholders:being - entirely implacablo-' about the -partial yielding; of -tho Government to the freeholders. So'far it would seem as ;though-the Bill .is. being scorned by 'both sides as,being ; "neither;figh ;nOr:fo'wl nor good" fed herring. Jn ■ the', evening - the mate's were, dealt/with; and ; a'' great; amount of i argument took place \ between ■ four " or.. five members;V.with.'tho, Prime. Minister and; Mr. Massey,as-principals. Mr. Allen-proposed that the 'salary: and'the-work done"of every\mem-;

bor in tho Service should 1)0 placed .on the Estimate's,', whilo Mr.Mas.*ey added; that' Mr, Allen ; did not', (go "far 'etiough^the'! oaine as well' as "stil&ry /and -'coins' down, as it did in New South-Wales. The Prime Minister,'.denied' thatrit ,: did, -arid, j'his:" power's of hair-splitting "and adroitness wore seen to much advantage.- Mr., Hanan suggested that- the salaries of -those;.- engaged 'in the Parliamentary Library should be.a-educedHust the soH ■ of ; suggestion that one would expcct from Mr. 'Hanan-ral suggestion- that did not meet with a good reception'. Altogether there was much . tilb . of. retrenchment, and : tho \ great- need of Mr. •'■ Thomson; - for one, • being, particularly jowl l ;in-his cry for snoh reform. •, - ■■■.. THE NURSE'S HOUR 6.

'■ •••;: "V ; eA'CHEISTCHyKCH:.OHNION: ; ■ .;;"■ : The. question of the-hours that nurses' should wpfk-is.'onethat has.been'very,thoroughly discussed throughout-the.Dominion lately,'■".by nurse'sj:and -tneir .friends,.' and' the argument lias ; oh the- in 'of extending . their '-'hours,- so"'; that ;..'the ■ introduction of ■■: a 'clau'se'/to'" limit :,tho -period' of work 'to eight .hours "daily';, has v'olasned'. heavily, '.'.with -the rebenuy.rexpressed.'. opinions' of ; leading', nurses. There..has,'.;for,; some -months; -.been' 'talk';of extending ;the;'hours of Itho.'nursesVat..WelHDgton and of .'giving them,':in'cbmpensatiohi''an /occasional; whole',day..Olf,';and now lit' appears," interview.that a' Christchurch reporter :had'-.with the : ,:matr'on of the Christchitrch'Hospital, that a/hew system is'proposed' there. s .' ; i-.'■-.'■' -■!'.■'.'.■■'.'■)", ', ::■:"■'. ■'■•'. .''J/- ■':.'?'.•"- {Miss:"rhursto'n : : stated 'that. there "was ; at"pre-sent'-'ih cO'urse"of 'development'at"the' Christ-' church'Hospital' a'system oi\hours which,-if'it were.,approved'.'by v the board,: would .tend -to incr2aso i the eihciency, of the institution::' This w.as in the: direction of bringing/ on duty, 'durhours that the; heavy- routine - workhad to be, done, the largest'number of'nurses possible, so' as to render the tasks less fatiguing .to/individual ;members,of. the staff.' It: would probably .mean that the day nurses would have t0 7°T k i 6' ot ' broken: time' per diem; and .that tlie • hight nurses/would be, on duty tor ten. hours, continuously.;' To compensate for the extra ;hours i it was proposed to allow the nurses, day T olf .every-, month,: and to increase,. their holiday leave.." ; -.- ~-'"-..-■■:."■ //Although the .speaker was not at. liberty' to give details,of the proposed new system' until it had. been., approved, she felt convinced that it. would ,be. in-the interests of the patients and it, would .give the nurses improved trainip&;, Broadly speaking,- "the ' system , was modelled on the lines-of. those in vogue-in the best.JiOndoh,and American hospitals/with' the difference •; of shorter; hours. '■>,';"■..-..

.: At present,. Miss. Thurston 'continued, theya'"nominal; eight-hour system in force w;a.,three : shifts.?The'sistersin charge of the wards,' however,;\ had ;to work ■ longer -, hours.' With', three .eight-hour : shifts, it meant that a nurse/was-.off ..for ;sixteen: hours at a stretch That was very bad -thing, both for the pati-i eht'and, for: the nurse. .'The patient was in too. many ;hands,- and-.it .was difficult to \ trace any' faults]or";mistakes. .The nurse lost-.touch with a critical;case. She lost-the observation.of'an important: phase of- the, case, ■' and thus her - training■.suffered.-' 'Under, the new. system, that was being. evolved; the : nurse would nevorhe away. from her'case:for -long at; a■ stretch,-and both patient'-; and nurse 'would benofit ;by that. 'As indicating what -those in the - professionthought-. on .the/matter,, the -speaker mentioned .that, at a recent, meeting of the ; .Christchurch. Trained . Association, the' eight-hour system as now; (hominaUy) worked: was un- : animously.Opposed."''■■'••.• '■;.■;-• ','.-.- .•':■'-.; , ;If,'the' provision of ;the-new Bill cama.intb force; making it com'pnlsory' for' all nurses to wbfk.:only.'/eigbt,hours : per'diem, it would not only decrbaso' tlio efficiency of the hospitals, but.'-it would vastly increase .the cost, of administration;' They would.liavo to ihcrease.tho nursing-staffs,.and;t!iat would mean not.only more.to'pay in^salarie's,:,but;there'would';bo y tho : .'additiqhal expense."of housingJand'feeding;the, extra'niirses .required.. Efficiency could nbt':bb expected;when the wbrk'-wns travclling.thro'ugh .., ■,;'; .-■/■}", ,■,:■ '-;,'.■'■;-..'•';.;

• IVo -brothers ywho .had - previously 'married two:sistoi'sMrere,.iprcfent:at' i tho.wedding,of' a third brother ■•:and '.. sister vat ;Tiverton, 1 . ••■: ■,; ; ;