PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 October 1915, Page 8

PARLIAMENTARY GOSSIP.

PROTECTION OF M's.P. ' COST OF LIVING BILL. A RECRUITING RALLY. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Wellington, Oct. C. The House of Repreentatives spent a couple of hours discussing its own privileges this afternoon, in connection with Mr. Hornsby's Protection of Members Bill, a measure designed ostensibly to guard members against injustice. As a matter of fact the Bill does not exist except a3 a name, and its purpose was to enable the member for Wairarapa to protest that he made no charge against the soldiers on the Tahiti when lie mentioned the "cold feet" rumor in the House. The debate had not mnny points of interest, but it did produce one commonsense statement. The old story that each minute's talk in Parliament involves an expenditure of sA many pounds was put forward, and Mr. Payne, whose pet aversion is "our hypocritical spirit," told members what they ought to have known for themselves, that their salaries were paid whether Parliament was sitting or not. He might have added that the legislative officials, the Hansard reporters, the law draughtsmen, and most of the other persons connected with the proceedings of Parliament are paid by the year, and not by the session. Parliament is a costly institution, but it does not become less costly if it ceases work.

The Cost of Living Bill, which was introduced by Governor's Message to-day, does not, on the face of it, give promise of any substantial relief to the consumers. The Board of Trade which is to be set up will have wide powers of inquiry, but no authority. Any suggestions that it may have to make will be placed before Cabinet, and, though a member of the Government will have a seat on the Board, there is no apparent guarantee of prompt and effective action. The feeling among members of the House certainly is that the Government, particularly under present circumstances, is not likely to regulate prices in the interests of the consumers. Compromise necessarily is the order of the day in a National Cabinet that has undertaken to avoid divisions. The Bill proposes to give local authorities power to establish milk stations, cool storage chambers, bakeries, and brickworks, and it is possible that some of the boroughs may take advantage of these opportunities. But the local authorities generally, in the opinion of members, have not much money to spare for new enterprises just now.

The recruiting problem ia still exercising the Defence authorities. The men we not coming forward as fast as they are required under the new conditions. The Defence Minister told your correspondent to-day that he was securing figures from the various districts with regard to the number of men enrolled, in order that he might be able to let the public know just what the position was. If it wore proved to be necessary, he would institute a speical recruiting campaign, but he thought that should not be required at the present stage. Several members of the House of Representatives are proposing to take the platform at recruiting rallies within the next week or two.