"A FANTASTIC SPEECH"
Sir-I do not agree with " Squarehead’s" description of Mr. Churchill’s speech as "fantastic." I am not one who _¢lings to tradition unless it has some utility. The question of the shape of the chamber is controversial, but there is good psychology in Mr. Churchill’s contrast between crossing the floor of an oblong chamber and moving round the péetimeter of a semi-circular one. The other matter in the speech is sound. Mr. Churchill is, I think, England’s greatest parliamentarian, and I do not exclude the two Pitts. His opinion, therefore, must carfy great weight. With 40 years’ experience as an outstanding figure in the House, Mr. Churchill gives it as his opinion that the House should not be big enough to hold all the members because of the need for intimacy and for a sense of urgency in crises. The lack of room, and desks, in front of the benches prevents too copious use of ‘notes arid encourages shorter and better debating speeches, which are necessary if the business of the House is to be concluded expeditiously, I think we may legitimately point a contrast be€ween the House of Commons and our own House of Representativesa contrast which lends support to Mr. Churchill’s views. In N.Z. that sense of intimacy and urgency is lacking to a marked degree. Members have sufficient room in which to spread themselves td read the @vening paper or to write a letter while they ignore the recitation of a written speech which is not delivered from the floor of the House, but behind the comforting support of a desk. Our M.P.’s do not use the House as a place in which to hammer out policy by intimate and vigorou§ debating, but as a rostrum from which they can read to an unseen audience long and discursive otations. If our members had less room in which to make themselves comfortable, especially when a bench-mate is absent, and were deprived of the moral and physical support of a desk on which a written speech can be hidden, then our House might aspire to the heights which the "Mother of All Parliaments" has reached.
PETER E.
DEMPSEY
(Auckland).
Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19440818.2.10.1
Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka
New Zealand Listener, Volume 11, Issue 269, 18 August 1944, Page 5
Word count
Tapeke kupu
362"A FANTASTIC SPEECH" New Zealand Listener, Volume 11, Issue 269, 18 August 1944, Page 5
Using this item
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Material in this publication is protected by copyright.
Are Media Limited has granted permission to the National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa to develop and maintain this content online. You can search, browse, print and download for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Are Media Limited for any other use.
Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
Copyright in the Denis Glover serial Hot Water Sailor published in 1959 is owned by Pia Glover. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this serial and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the Listener. You can search, browse, and print this serial for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from Pia Glover for any other use.
Log in