POISONED AIR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1853, 12 September 1913, Page 5

POISONED AIR.

VENTILATION IN PARLIAMENT TOO MANY VISITORS. "Tho state of tho air in tho House" was discussed for some tirno by members of tho House of 'Representatives yesterday afternoon and as an outcome some improvement in the present inadequate ventilation was promised. Tho subject was raised by Mr. J. Craigio who stated that tho. air in the Chamber had oil several occasions of late been simply stilling. Ho suggested that if two rooms upstairs were sacrificed it would bo possible to construct a shaft which would satisfactorily ventilate tho Chamber. Tho Prime Minister said that ho

agreed thoroughly with tho opinion ox- \ pressed by Mr. Craigio about tho atmosphere of tho Chamber. After 8 o'clock in tho evening it was simply poisonous, and must have a serious effect upon the health of members. Ho recognised the right of tho public to bo present at the sittings, but at tho saino time ho was inclined to think that something would have to be dono to restrict the attendance of the publio at evening sittings, particularly as the weather grew warmer. Ho wa' not an - expert in ventilation, but he vivuld ba glad to confer with the Minister for . Public, Works and Mr. Speaker on tho subject, and sincerely hoped that soma improvement would result. Mr. A. M. Myers said that membors.v had the remedy in their own hands. Ho .advocated the exclusion of tho general public between 7.30 p.m. and 9.30. , Mr. J. H. Bradne.v suggested that the scats on tho right of tho Speaker should be reserved for visitors from places outside Wellington. • ' Dr. A. K. Newman expressed tho opinion that. if tho Prime Minister would confer with an engineer or architect there would be tt6 difficulty in so«curing efficient ventilation. Mr. G. W. Russell said that there was no objection to strangers attending, but they were allowed to attend in , altogether excessive numbers. Mr. L. M-. Isitt urged that tho chairs at either, end of the Chamber -should:, bo removed and no person admitted " unless ho or she could find a seat.

Sir Walter Uuchanan said that ono diflVculty was tliat some people mado a liabit of coming to the House 1 night after night, and so excluded others whocamo less frequently. . Mr. G. M. Thomson.contended,that, the ventilation apparatus already existing was not sufficiently utilised. The Hon. AY. Frasor said that tha old rule under which members were only allowed one ticket for tho strangers' nailery, and one for tho ladies' gallery, per day, was not a had ono and might with advantage bo.,revived. .Tickets should bo available only for a particular day and not for any day. . It was right that sessional tickets should bo issued to members' wives, but they should not bo issued to other persons as was done at present. It should be 110 more impossible to secure tho oflicient ventilation of the. Chamber than it was to ventilato a mine. Ho would bo glad to confer, as suggested, with Mr. Speaker and tho Prime Minister with- a view to securing better ventilation. . Sir. explained the conditions under ,wliich. tickets wero issued, stating that floor tickets as far as possible wero only issued to strangers coming from a distance. Ho had issurfd sessional tickets to those who had beon accustomed to have them previously Jjltt members' wives and daughters ha(. first claim to tho seats available.