WIGS IN PARLIAMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 November 1933, Page 4

WIGS IN PARLIAMENT

NEW SPEAKER’S DECISION

When Mr Blackburn, the newlyelected Speaker of the Victorian Legislative Assembly, decided to wear a wig, he fell into lino with tradition, which has never been broken in the Parliament of his State. The tradition has not been preserved in the Commonwealth Parliament. Mr C. M’Donald, the first Labour Speaker, abolished both the wig and the mace. The mace, the symbol of authority, was restored by Mr M'Donald’s successor, Sir Elliot Johnston, and it has remained; but the wig disappeared for a period again when Mr Makin became Speaker. Even the .President of the Senate, Mr' Givens, sat for a time without a wig? but when his allegiance to Labpur faltered' he adopted the wig. One or two wigmakers in Melbourne were considerably annoyed some years ago (says the “Argus”) by a statement that all wigs used in Australia were imported fironi ab'road. One of them had particular reason for his anger, because just as the. state-' ment was made, lie had completed aj wig for a newly-appointed judge of the High Court. The maker said recently that Ravenscroft, of London, had the same standing as a wigmaker as Worth of Paris had as a dressmaker. Many people who desired the best wig sent to London lor a first-grade Ravcnscroft, but they paid for the privilege. Even an Australian-made full-bot-tomed wig costs £25. The barrister’s wig costs about £l2.

Mr Blackburn would, lor more reasons than one, hesitate, to send abroad for a wig. Not. only, as a Labour man, is he a. protectionist, but would be unwise to risk the delay which importation would necessitate, in these unsettled political times it arc made, but. the manufacturer Various statements about the hair employed in tho manufacture of wigs are made, but the manufacturer Quoted said that fine horsehair was all that was needed. The story of yak hair was a mere tradition without any foundation.

For years there has been an elaborate full-bottomed wig and a gown in tho room of the Victorian AttorneyGeneral. Tho oldest officer of (he .Stale does not know who owned it originally. It hag remained unworn for half a century.

Tho present Speaker of the New i Zealand House of Representatives wears a wig while in the chair.