SPEAKER RETIRES

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 20 June 1928, Page 7

SPEAKER RETIRES

SERVICES APPRECIATED. INVOLVED LEGISLATION. DIFFICULTIES OF OFFICE. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, June 18. In announcing lii.s intention to re tine from the Speakership of the House ol Commons after to-morrow’s session, Mr J. H. Whitley, wlm has occupied the chair since 1921. said its duties had of late became progressively heavier as legislation had become more complicated and affected more intimately the life of the individual citizen. In each new Parliament there were members who wished to take an active Mart in the proceedings by questions or in debates and as Speaker lie bad often felt an acute sense of the loss of undelivered speeches. ' The Prime Minister and Opposition leaders paid brief tributes to Mr Whitley’s conduct in the chair, reserving more formal expressions of regret at the resignation until to-morrow, when M Baldwin will propose’ a resolution thanking him for his services and expressing appreciation of the high ability and impartiality with which the duties of Speaker had been discharged during a period of unusual labour difficulty and anxiety. The resolution pays tribute to the judgment and firmness wherewith the privileges and dignity of the House have been maintained by Mr Whitley, and recommends that an address be ’■resented to the King, praying the conferment on him of some .signal mark of Royal favour.