POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 110, 17 August 1910, Page 4

POLITICAL NEWS AND NOTES

LONG DEBATE OVER. SIGHS OJ; SATISFACTION. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. It is 10.45, and the big debate is over.. There was a sigh of relief that is indescribable. I Persistent reports were current that the debate was to be kept going till the Premier's return, and they prevailed in spite of the fact that he had not any righft of reply, as he had spoken to the amendment. Therefore, when the Speaker rose, after Mr. Ell's time was up, and put the question for going into committee, there was surprise. Men looked incredulously at one another saying, "The debate is done."

ACTING -CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEES. Then the House went gladly into com* mittee, quietly heard the chairman (pro tern). Mr. Graham read the first item in his emphatic manner and passed, with great willingness, the motion to progress, which Mr. Carroll moved immediately. TJIU9 another milestone had been passed. The next will be the debate on the first item, which usually occupies a night. A TAXATION SPECIALIST. The speeches concluding the debate were good, Mr. Ngata'a very incisive* comprehensive and forcible on the native question, Mr. Luke's very good on the wateir-power question, and Mr. Ells excellent from the Liberal point ol view, on the general question of tawi" tion, which he dissected and analysed with considerable familiarity, balancing figures against each other, actual ana suppositious, with acrobatic deftness. He got many compliments in the lobby after all the members had given tneir sighs of relief at the end of the debate. There was no afternoon sitting, ana at half-past seven a fairly full House, with much quiet on the part of tne returned trippers.