FROM THE LADIES' GALLERY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 912, 3 September 1910, Page 11

FROM THE LADIES' GALLERY.

GLEANINGS FROM PARLIAMENT

-It can hardly.-be said that. Parliament was at all.interesting this week. ;Its"work must,have been important andweighty, since members have been grappling and disagreeing V over the Debt Extinction Bill. and getting very heated at times, but it , was extremely dull to those who know little of finance, and abhor what they do happen , to'have had forced.upon them. It'is-.qiiite bad enough if a strong sense of duty drives one to reckon out what change is du'e.to one;when shopping for another, or'how , much, one may owo different people, without •running into it on 'a larger > scale in"'the House. By this timq members have got over tho shock of.the proposal, which will have tho effect of transforming Nmy Zealand from the .riotous spendthrift. :.among. countries into a sober, respectable economist, 'and havo been throwing themselves into the discussion with the greatest energy, at least at first. , . The'new.role (has quite \captivated; them,, all save-a few ;-who distrust' certain. proposals.' ..... ' The Wayward■ Milkman. V V : -/ : ;', A-■somewhat' interesting ,^discussion , '.took, place on Tuesday in the Legislative 1 ' Council,. when Dr.., Collins moved that further legislative' measures, are necessary-.to qnsure : a' purer milk : supply to the inhabitants of the-phief cities' of the' Dominion. /Such a thing seems tod beaiitiful a dream to ever como true, so .long as, milkmen are milkmen;. /Their are too experimental 'and ;: .too inclusive. V As it is an irresistible, following' out of Nature for. a- duck; v : to. swimj or for a' fisherman to be: imaginative, ..so; it. appears to ; be for. many of durtrusty.-.men, of'.the.'.dairiesvtp mix their.milk; with ■strange 'and , ,'various compounds. One has fplt;too often:the dismay and rage on finding;out 'that by •tlie afternoon, .in .'spite: of - scalded jugs and every- precaution,. tlie ",• morning's -milk' has turned, J and inside ,, the' jug is; often to 'be seen 'powdery'remains.: It would;bo strange, if there, were.any nourishment to' be. .found iri-.the"wa'u substitute that is only too' often.seen for;,the rich -.food-giving milk, of the xbuntry..-.' :.;.,.., ■.-,■ '.'■■' ' / : ;' '.:■' ■'; ; . .;. -Dr. ■■■ Collins ■. instructed, his hearers upon" the,, impurities /that were to be. found v.wlien ■ milk'.was ;: strained,.' and ■then,.still further.' stirred them v .up. by, telling :them 'ofi. all. the diseases ; that /were, caused, by .milk.-.: It was reallyi ah ;; appalling 7 list--death- ! in the; jugwith-.a vengeance,' and quite, enough to vinake/j ordinary , .people : . vow eternal '.abstinence i from drinking.■'milk:/for .the: ■rest- of-their, days unless they knew the whole .course and history of its abouts,- ; Now.that the : matter has been brought forward ;in Parliament "it/ is possibles that, something may- , como /of •■all the -urgings; and ; pleadings ■ that have taken, place iu I regard to a pure milk supply. .;' ;'' .;; •.•■■' ■ >\.. ; ;. / Soldlors. v / i '",■'.■ .'/: : /;"v^ : - - .'-On'.Tuesday .varibus . .matters ;;.were dealth-with. ,The_ petition:of ,a (veteran , started; ; a discussioE-. about the claims of/bid soldiers for a military pension: of; 10s. '■ a .' week; ' instead'.', of '■' the'; old , -age : pdhsidn.'",lt;appears that investigations are ;beihg.:iiiade/ into, their past/records >vith';/a view to establishing this 'peri-. sion.:,: Somehow, or other so many .old soldiers seem.to he .raostußfortunatp ,in thei 'ending, of,'their .days. •'•■. To.have-, to. end up- fighting destitution instead-of ' bullets must be;■ rather a ■ bitter" process; Many. of. the , members; keenly urged that/thieir claims should be settled with .as', little, delay .'as. possible,- to, which; the; Prime., Minister replied'that"legislation must<first':of,'all-be passed..' ;.'/.,.... Training;thG;^Twig.. ", /,/:.'/ '■'':■ The jEducation/Acii Amendment , Bill also passed its first; reading;, and-should, , if :'flt iis '.passed, have " the ;/.effect, of :making some:important changes':in. the matter-of,education. , ; One very interest-. :iiig^feature, about it; is that it improves tho' : rnados ;for , the education of'blind, epileptic, deaf, ,or fefeble-minded children. 'Power is also' tasked for to 'detain indefinitely fecble'minde]d or, , epileptic, children in a .suitable;, institution, in/ their own' , and./the country's' welfare;. .It is. to;.be .hoped that these', provisions; .will .';commend, thoriiselves. to the collective wisdom of: the. members. /The Bill /also .provides .-.that.;, the , : Education .\ -Boards 'Hi should, with the concurrence , of: the,... Minister, .liaye, the -power r tb . order/- persons: between .. the ages: of, fourteen,,;and ;seyenteen:;.t6 attend technical- arid con-tinuation-classes- up to seventeen; \ but this compulsion is not k>/extend bej'bnd five" hours: a,,week. -The young, person; should "be flattered .to know that he' orshe:is the object of so much solicitudo ■"on;'.the part of-, the Goyerrimeni :■ They certainly need.plenty, of ' ■'one. cannot; help thinking, sometimes. •

1; . U\. .'' ■\h\;;.-(,:y : , ■ ■ On.Wednesday ,■■and indeed;on Thursday,".the'. Public Debt; Extinction , .. Bill was again ;the';object v of '.attentions • of.niembers.y- It would .'almost; seem as though they:were..loth to,part with; it.' ■ Probably the novelty of its proposals

fascinate them,' so that .they., have!, to. assure themselves.again and again:. that it really, is for the purpose of paying off the public debts. A Bill that excited false hopes in regard.to animals was the Animals', Protection Bill, i From its; iname.' one had hoped that legislation ■was going to :be. proposed that (Would protect' our y.domestic animals more than they, are protected,' but. alas! it is:not;.so/.";It : is merely in regard to ■the' , shooting of game. ~y ' '"'. : . . •.'. • / '■.. In:, the. Legislative 'Council!' milk : was again' the' subject.'of their, discourse, and a: ieW; little homilies and. lectures'' were delivered for the benefit of-'women '.who.-"■were- not there in to.'the. care of'.their infants by these so learned ■ meh..'.-..V:'-' ; ';'' : v'.;' .■;■' ■.'."■"'■'■ -.-"■..■