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Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 70, 20 June 1877, Page 3

Amongst the, many improvements about being effecteclto the Houses of Parliamentthis session, and notably tothe House of Representatives' may ; be mentioned one which will certainly contribute largely towards " Pooling down" the House , when it happens to get up to-# fever,"; or* beyond, debating point. We allude to an air fanning apparatus which is being constructed by Mr E> W- Mills,;the well-known iron merchant of this city, and by which it is calculated that a sufficient quantity of " cool " air will be thrown beneath the floor of -the House to fan .the House into the most exquisite humb*. The plan we.are.told is after the Sydney fasMoii, an<L jn'its way 'appears ingenious enough, albeit that it may. entail a little additional expense, it being necessary to. '- -keep .■the" steam up" whilst the air-pumping process is going on, one man b^eing always ■ rer quired to manage the littleTetigine by which the fan is worked. This engine, which is of power, is situated m a small house now being completed m the. Parliamentary reserve off Molesworth-steeet, anditiias a vertical boiler attached, - the ; fan-wheel, which is encased m iron, beingabout 2ft m; diameter, . with earthenware pipes of lft diameter leading therefrom to the edge of the Buildings. Here zinc pipes are used j the main one being about a foot m diameter, and coming up beneath the floor m the centre of the chamber, whilst four other smaller pipes branch off, two being fixed on each- side of tlie : Speaker's chair m front and two of. similar size at the other end; beneath the ladies' gallery. By. this con-t-rrvanee it is expected .that an equal distribution of air will be effected throughout the. House, and as it seems the same system has worked, well m the sister; colony there, is no reasoruwhy it should not be' as: effective here. The only peculiarity is that m Sydney the weather is much hotter than here,, and therefore .more need for air fbxtt we suppose the heat of the debates m this colony makes it necessary to keep the place cVvoL Whether such be the case or not there appears every probability of the" House this session being well seasoned" witlv an ample stfpply ;qf fresh air/