THE LATE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 12955, 26 August 1905, Page 5 (Supplement)

THE LATE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.

HIS PRIVILEGES. "11k gets £5000 a year to sit in a chair and bawl 'Order!'" Mr. Timothy Healy once said of the Speaker of the House of Commons. But the chair is no bed of roses fur all that, though Mr. Gully, who has just retired from it, has possibly found it easier than some of its previous occupants. For his suave and dignified manner, and the scrupulous fairness of his rulings, have made him one of the most popular Speakers that the House has ever known, while his faculty for remembering every member is liftle short of marvellous.

The Speaker's principal duty is, of course, to preserve order in the House. But even if a member is unruly the Speaker can only punish him in one way— can merely •'name" him. For in the House it is the strict rule to address members as "The hon. member for ," and not by name. When Mr. Speaker departs from this iule it is equivalent to a severe reprimand, and temporary suspension from the House follows as a matter of course. .UK. SPEAKERS ARRIVAL. The order, "Hats off, strangers!" is the 'signal that the Speaker is arriving. The tall attendants in knee-breeches look majestic, the Sergeant-at-Arms, with mace on shoulder, conies in sight, and behind him follows the Speaker, wearing wig and gown, and with his train-bearer in attendance. In the Journals of the House for 1610 there is an entry, "Affirmed by Mr. Speaker that Sir E. 'Herbert put not oft' his hat to him; he put out his tongue, and popped his mouth with his linger in scorn." And yet another entry records the fact that another member, " in a loud and violent manner, standing near the Speaker, cried 'Bawl' in his car, to the great terror and affrightmenfc of the Speaker and the members of the House." Luckily, such pleasantries have gone out of fashion, so nobody has a chance of knowing what would have happened to a member who had dared to cry " Baw!" in Mr. Gully's ear. HIS PEIVIUCGES.

Besides his own salary of £5000 a year the Speaker is allowed separate salaries for his private secretary and other officials employed by him, and lives rent free in the Speaker's house, a delightful Gothic building under the shadow of Big Ben. On his election he receives from the State an allowance, of £1000, so that he may provide himself with suitable robes, two thousand ounces of silver plate for the maintenance of proper dignity, and two hogsheads of claret.

For stationery he receives an allowance of £100 a year, and the Clothworkers' Company every Christmas makes him a present of a line length of broadcloth. On his retirement a pension of £4000 a year and a peerage await him, But the honour of the post is supposed to be far greater than the monetary remuneration, for to be elected Speaker of the House of Commons is to attain as great a, dignity as is within reach of any subject of the King. A portion of the Ladies' Gallery in the House is reserved for the use of the Speaker's wife and friends, and she has also an important part to play in the giving of political receptions.