FROM THE GALLERY

Hokitika Guardian, 6 December 1928, Page 3

FROM THE GALLERY

HIRST SURA*KY OR XKW HOUSE. IA! PR KSSIOXS OF .MEMBERS. WELLINOTOX, Deeemher L Piefurt- 1 to yourself a House literally sect Inn- with excitement, members all in their seats ion- before, the appointed hour, eager, excited, talkative, restless; messages; the Prime Minister uneasy, nervous, depressed ; the leadei of the Opposition buoyant, smiling, triumphant; the leader of the Labour Party cynical, superior; the Clerk ol Parliament, culm, impertiirnble, as befits his neutral, dignified and lionpura hie office.

All this was what Ihe House was not when the hells ran- at 'l. did to-day for the mealing mf Parliament. Of excitement there was never a trace. Members drifted info the chamber as if Ihe House had been in session for months, look their seats lazily, maided to one another complacent ly and awaited events with the utmost calmness. If there was any nervousness it was not apparent. The Prime Minister eu tcred hris'kl.v, smiling pleasantly as In greeted his friends. Sir .Joseph Ward came more slowly, pausing on his way to his seat to pass the lime nl day with a Labourite. There were a lew sub dued jokes. One or fu o members crossed the floor on handshaking mis sinus, and then everyone scl-l I'M down to await the coming of Black Rod,

- There was a disappoini in-ly mailer of-ifaet air about the whole business which continued alter the members re turned from hearing the tip* n.n- com mission read in the Legislative Coiinei’ Chamber, and persisted through the swearing-in of members and I lie election of the Speaker. At no stage was there an incident, to stir the interest of the crowded galleries, and for ill. the movement there was the lions, might have been meeting under n unua conditions in the normal lime. Parliament, of eour.-c, rarely rises L its opportunities, and notoriously the great moments come when lino

least expert.rd, li.ii me duln-ss. of today’s proceedings was a sore disep point HI (■ 1 1 1 to tin l galleries. 11l tie cir i iinisiiices cm. could only turn one’s tieniifiii to tin l new flisla iiiiil ion e members. 'ihirly-two seats are provided in tin l cross benches, sixteen on each side of the gangway. To He right ol the speaker sal the al tenualed L-nrm yioap. f.iur of iis members lissigni'd seats in the ir ss henches lieside ihe left wing of the Labour Party. To the Speaker's left were UriTTed member-, eight ol whom had to rub 'boulders with Labour members iußtlie cross benches. Labour distribute ' itself on the cm.-.. In nehes 'taring t:h<■

To (he light wore- •h ie fly well-known faces, Mr ( oatos, as spruce as evi'r. bad .his aeciistomed seal, wit Ig, .-M H Dowuie Riewart beside diim.M All. Vmiu- and Mi W rigid were to his lol'f. Sir Maui Pomarc and Mr Williams to his ri-ln. 'I liree new laces only appeared in this -roup, .Mr An.sell from Chalmers. Mr Hal! from ll.iuraki. M' Massey from Manakau. ( iilionsli enough none of ihe three will add materially to the weighi ol l.he House however solid their emit ril.nt ions ii, Ihe deha fes may hf>. On tin* Labour benches Mr Harnuri Mr Chapman and Mr C: it a if' III" ncweoniers, ami a-ain one remarks an absence of avoirdupois. On flu 1 Opposition benches t.lie So them .Maori member, M.r Makilanai"'. provides weight and Mr Taverner, .Mi Donald .M’Dongall. and Mr Bodkin wil 1 lend 11 * fill weigh! in the tug-of-war. .Mr Poison has height, if riot breadth and so has Mr Muons, hut Mr Klctelioi and Mr 81.-uk are small and spare. Mr Rushworlh is on the spare side Mr iirnadfool below the average height and Mr Hawke, Mr Healey, .Mr .Tonkins. .Mr Clinkarfl. and Mr .M’D-ma'd are all in good athletic trim, ii an absence of surplus tissue is any guide. As a whole the members are iptile a good looking team, though Ihe top lighting of Hie chamber does not’ show them at their best on a bright s" in liter afternoon, and they are evidently workers. One is tempted to single out Mr Poison, Mr Donald. Mr Broadfoot. Mr Fletcher, Air Bodkin and perhaps Mr Black as distinctly studious types though .Mr Black has the face of a keen debater and a bright speaker. Mr Chapman, if looks are a guide will he a iiKfilui speaker in debate, and one will expect sound, practical comment from Mr Taverner and Mr Bodkin Perhaps, too, Mr Broadfoot will shine in debate, though one imagines him to he rather an enthusiast on special sub jeels. Mr Jenkins has a good wide outlook anil a bright eye, and he will miss little that matters.

It is, perhaps, unwise to attempt to judge men on their faces, hut the standard of the new members is obviously high, and the old Parliamentary hands : ,ro prophesying interesting times when the House really settles down to,work.

i'iH't. Mild flic peaks of id If Minarets mid !),' L:i ik'dio sparkled and glittered mI id vi* (lin dulli’i' ico of tlm Tasman (’lacier. T''o climbing conditions wore excellent. Three and a half hours after leaving the hut the two climbers stivd on the* Ktinnnit- of the -Minarets (10,0->S feet.) |ri-nni there ilio view over the s’-rroundin s mountains. over the fantor 1 urv glaciers. and. on the nortliwwt, over the West Coast glaciers down towards 111 • sea. A quick descent and another strenuous climh hrou[flit- them to the t n of Do La i’oeho (9SI d feet) whence, alter a short spell, they descended to Graham's Saddle From the saddle Mr Forte and Larsen retraced their steps down the great glaciers to tin’ Malle Tsrun. en route to the llftruitapc. where Atr Porter intends spending the ■Treater part of the climbing season before he returns to England.