AT WESTMINSTER O N Monday we found that those largely unseen
and anonymous forces who administer to our Parliamentary well-being had installed tubes, with the appearance of hand-rails, on the Back Benches to assist the acoustics. Such discerning zeal merits appro- bation ; and it would be churlish to withhold it merely on the grounds that, in addition to amplifying the sound of the speeches, the tubes varied it with casual cacophonies of their own, of mixed duration and at unpredictable moments. Nevertheless, on balance, the imperfections of this well-intentioned reform added to, rather than reduced, the inevitable irritations of two close and broiling days. Indeed it was noticeable both in Monday's housing debate and at Question Time on Tuesday that tempers sizzled a little above their normal level, with now and again a boiling over into the froth and ferment of a Parliamentary " scene." So perhaps the Lords did better by attending to first things first, and fixing fans to reduce heat, while the Commons installed tubes to increase noise.
The Housing Debate was very well attended almost throughout, which in so stifling an atmosphere at the end of an exacting session is very creditable. The opening speech was alleged by Mr. Bevan to contain some " jaded epigrams," but also contained six specific recommendations which were not fortunate enough to attract the wayward notice of the Minister. Lady Megan followed from the Liberal Benches ; but, though her speech was graceful in presenta- tion as always, she disappointed some of her admirers by a tendency to over-simplification and a failure to add substantially to what she has said in previous debates. Mr. Mackay spoke for 37 minutes, which was too long, and later aggravated his fault by showing a persistent desire to take some more time in interruption. To his credit account, however, goes the fact that his speech was- cast in debating form, which is always welcome, since there is sometimes a tendency for the form of speeches, as well as the arguments used, to be too prefabricated.
* * So far as Mr. Bevan and the Opposition were concerned, it was obviously a case of mutual disappointment. His speech was of standard specification, exploding in constant highly-coloured jets of pyrotechnical malevolence. In face of this dazzling display, the indicted Opposition, with the momentary exception of Mr. Hogg, displayed a stolid indifference. Mr. Bevan piped on ; but they did not dance: and he had to content himself with the applause from the Benches behind him who evidently found the prescription as before still to their taste. Mr. Hudson found no stolid indifference on the part of his opponents. In spite of, or perhaps because of, this, the first 6o per cent. or so of his speech was very effective, especially when he was pinning Mr. Bevan down on figures. A combination of circumstances and an error of judgement, however, prevented him from registering that clear-cut success which earlier had seemed probable. At the end of his speech, the temperature of the debate, though not of the Chamber, declined, and the House listened appre- ciatively to an excellent winding-up speech by Mr. Marples and to the best speech of the day from the Government Benches in Mr. Edwards' reply. * * Tuesday was—at any rate after Question Time—a day of calm and little-tenanted Benches after the crowded excitement of the day before. All debates on Colonial affairs tend to be subject to the disadvantage that they are bound to sprawl, not only from subject to subject but from colony to colony, thus taking the keen edge off the debate ; and Tuesday's was no exception. Within these limitations Mr. Creech Jones made a good and comprehensive opening speech, although, in Mr. Stanley's words, it contained a " peroration based upon a change in the Public Relations Depart- ment of a Ministry." Mr. Stanley himself maintained his usual high standard on a subject very near to his heart. Of the other speakers, Mr. Younger, Dr. Guest, and Dr. Morgan spoke forcefully from the Government side, and Mr. Donner, Mr. Fletcher and Mr, Lennox-Boyd made effective contributions for the Opposition.
D. C. W.-S
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