THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. Luceo Non Uro. MONDAY, 23rd MARCH, 1903. THE SPEAKERSHIP.

Southland Times, Issue 19002, 23 March 1903, Page 2

THE Southland Times PUBLISHED EVE RY MOR NING. Luceo Non Uro. MOND AY , 23rd MARCH, 1903. THE SP EAKERSHIP.

As the opening of the new Parliament draws nearer t-he interest in the question of the. Speakership increases. Tlie lirst business that the new House will have to do is th* appointment of a successor to Sir .Maurice O' Koike, by whose deteat at the last general elections the Legislature sustained a well-nigh irreparable loss. The high traditions established by Sir Maurice during his long tenure of the Speaker's chair are the theme of universal admiration. and for that very reason the choice * of the next Speaker must be made with the utmost care. Whoever he may be, he will inevitably come into comparison with his predecessor, and if he is to retain the confidence and respect of Parliament and rule the House he must sustain the comparison without damage to himself. To hold his position the new Speaker must obviously be an uncommon man. Hitherto the two names most frequently associated with the Speakership have been those of Messrs li. McNab and Guinness. Of these gentlemen Mr McNab is unquestionably the better qualified to control the deliberations of Parliament, and he would probably be "acceptable to a majority in the House. He is an able man, highly trained in law and procedure and familiar with the atmo.-phoro of rul__ and precedents. His manner is dignilled anil weighty and in the Speaker's seat ho would command the attention of the House. Mr Guinness is an experienced . Chairman of Committees and has on occasion acted as Speaker, but he has neither tho personality nor the knowledge of Mr McNab, and he would certainly fall short of the standard set by Sir Maurice O'Horke. Were the choice to lie between Mr McNab and Mr Guinness we have little dojubt but. that it would full to Mr McNab. But it is now reported, and apparently with some authority, that Mr McNab will not be a candidate for the position. We are the more ready to believe this report, because it is in. agreement with Mr McNab's ambition to enter the Cabinet. Mr McNab long ago- shaped his course towards Ministerial .rank, and the position he has attained in the House is such that, he can , hardly be passed by should there be a re-distribution of portfolios. An inunediate reconstruction of the Ministry is regarded as inevitable, .and by accepting tho •Speakership Mr McNab would be virtually rejecting a seat in the Cabinet. From what we know of Mr McNtjb we are sure that the prospects of office are more attractive to him than the Speakership, and the report that he is not prepaied to accept nomination wears, on the face of it, an aspect of truth. Tt is true that the name of Sir William Steward has occasionally been put forward in this connection, but always hesitatingly. Sir William's best friends know that though he occupied the chair on a former occusion he is not capable of filling the position, and if he is guided by sound advice""ho also will probably decline to become a candidate. There remains then Mr Guinness, and. as we have snid^ Mr Guinness is not the ideal Speaker. Tinder these circumstances the suggestion is made by the Lyttelton Times that the Government should obtain and support the candidature of Sir William Russell. The Christchurch Government journal says : —

" Sir William Russell, besides being* thoroughly acquainted with the forms of the House, has the quick decisive mind that would insist upon their observance. The vory habit of looking at both sides of a question with a desire to be fair to his opponents, which made him more or less of a failure as a party leader, would ensure his success as a Speaker. Finally, he is, as we have said before, the most popular man in public life at the present time, not excepting Mr Si-ddon himself, and there is certainly no one more likely to control tho turbulent, elements that wiU congregate in Wellington next June. We need hardly point out to the Premier, who is "not ungenerous in thes!> ma -tern, that Uy goiu(_; to the rauk.s of his political opponents for a successor to Sir Maurice O'Rorke he would finally silenco those critics who still cry. ut somewhat longer intervals. ' spoils to the victors.'

\\'.; cannot, agree tlml thr i*li-clion oC Sir William Russell would tinally silencu oil condemnation Of the

" spoils to the victors " principle to which the Premier adheres so faithfully, because the cry will cease only with the practice, and the support of Sir William Russell's candidature might prove to bo the notorious exception. Wo do agree, hotyever. that Sir William would make an excellent Speaker, and we shall wait with intorest to see whether the Premier will receive this happy suggestion into his favour.