IN PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1220, 31 August 1911, Page 5

IN PARLIAMENT.

DAILY SUMMARY.

THE SECRET INVITATIONS.

Tho interest and energy of Tuesday's proceedings woro succeeded yesterday by one of Parliament's comparatively quiet days.

Sir John Findlay gtvvo the Council a review of the proceedings of tho Imperial Conference, and favoured his audience with a taste of his quality ns a homilist upon the errors of England. -Ho spoke also of the urgency of land settlement in this country, and described the question of freehold and leasehold as n "cursed" question. Tho Council put tho Imprest Supply Bill through all stages. The House, after discussing the little trouble about the length of tho "hair of eomo Auckland territorials, and receiving a reassuring statement from the Prime Minister, settled down to learn all it might bo allowed to know of the mysterious history of the Coronation invitations. Sir Joseph Ward's account of his doings in the matter clearly did not satisfy tho Opposition. The Ministerialists, on their part, listened without any of those expressions of approval which are usual when their leader has the floor, and the general feeling that the House i had not been properly treated in the 'matter (lid not ssem to be in any degree dispelled by the Prime Minister's statement.

Ho claimed that by reason of a condition of secrecy imposed by thoso at Homo who were in communication with him, he was unable to announce definitely that invitations had been received nntil February. 24, when it was too lato for members to accept. Ho did not answer Mr. Buchanan's question as to how the Commonwealth Government raa.naged to arrange for 19 members of Parliament to accept tho invitation. He also left unanswered the question, which was repeatedly pressed by Mr. Massey, Mr. Herries, and Mr. Alien, as to why tho Legislative Councillors were not permitted to hear of tho .invitation which was extended to them. Hβ did not lay any of the correspondence on the table. The only open support which tho Prime Minister received against his hecklers cam© from the Hon. T. Mackenzie, who wanted tho House to change the subject. The discussion dropped without any resolution being passed.

A short discussion on a South Island ]ocal Bill elicited from the Hon. J. A. Millar a confirmation of. tho promise- to introduce n Local Government' Bill this session.

Speeches about Mr. Herdman's Public Service Reform Bill wore kept up until nearly 1 a.m. . Members did not say much that they had not said before, but many of them were glad to seize the opportunity of avoiding tho awkward necessity of voting on tho next measure on fto order, paper. This was Mr. Hogf's Duties on Food Abolition Bill. It was successfully talked out, and tho House, after throwing out Mr. Herdraan's Bill by 38 to 18, ended an unfruitful day at 1.15 a.m.