PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1830, 16 August 1913, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

A DAILY SUMMARY-

The tedium of tho Finanoial Debate in tho House of Representatives was pleasantly relieved last evoning when Mr. Russell, member for Avon, entertained tho House with a display of oratorical tire"works. If it served no other purpose tho speech effectively roused the House from the state of lethargy into which it had fallen during the previous stages of the debate, and it drew a reply from the Minister for 1 Finance. .. The afternoon sitting gave little promise of these lively developments. The attendance of members, seldom good in the afternoon, was abnormally reduced by the fact that twenty- members were absent attending committees. As at result the attendanco in the House frequently just exceeded a quorum. At four o'olock there were only 24 members in fhoir ■ places in tho Houso. The first speaker of Che day in the debate was Mr. J. A. Hanan, who was a good deal below his normal form. His attack upon the Government consisted of little .more than criticism in general forms and such detail charges as he mtulo have been made and answered time after time.

There were two main features in tho speech which was delivered next in order by tho member for Taumarunui (Mr. C. K. Wilson). It was a whole-hearted attack on the Opposition and a 6tronelyirorded repetition of the plea which Mr. Wilson, puis forward at ervery opportunity in behalf of the back-blocks settlers.'

The debato was oontinued by Messrs. T. |3. T. Seddon and J. H. Escott. the latter »f whom dealt interestingly with the education question, and advocated tho abolition of district boards and the concentration of authority in the hands of a central education board in Wellington. Mr. Russell spoke before crowded galleries in the evening. In substance, his speech dealt mainly with the financial policy of the Government and the position of the Dominion as set forth in the Budget. His vehement attack ujxrn tho Government gained its . principal interest, however, from the unrestrained vigour of his 'language and from a series of Shakespearean quotations, in which he affected to discover appropriate reflections upon tho members of the Ministry. The Hon. Jas. Alien doalt point by point with the contentions which Mr. Russell had used, and stoutly defended the Government's financial policy and administration and its general policy. Tho debate was continued by Mr. G. Laurenson until 11.40 p.m., when tho Houso rose.