House of Representatives.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 7499, 30 June 1903, Page 3

House of Representatives.

ELECTION of speaker. There was a large attendance of the public in the galleries of the House of Representatives on the members' return from the Legislative Council. The members were sworn in in batches of four.

The members of the Lower House having been sworn in, Mr McNab rose and moved that Mr A. It. Guinness be elected Speaker, also paying a high tribute to Sir Maurice O'Rorke's services as Speaker, Mr Millar, in seconding the resolution, referred to the difficult task Mr Guinness had before him in following in the footsfeps of Sir Maurice O'Rorke. No other nominations were received. Mr Guinness, speaking from his place on the floor of the House, conveyed to his brother members his grateful acknowledgments of the high honour they had conferred on him. He was fully impressed with the responsibility attaching to the holder of the office of Speaker. He must strive sedulously to preserve the dignity of the House; he must strictly observe due courtesy to all its members; he must know no distinction of person. They all stood here on the same level. " I must disregard all claims of friendship, either personal or political." Mr Guinness went on to say: I shall endeavour to uphold the dignity of the House; to fairly interpret its Standing Orders; to hold the balance between parties on the floor of the House with an impartial hand, and to endeavour to the best of my ability to discharge all the duties of the office of Speaker with satisfaction to the whole of tho members of the House.

Mr Guinness was then escorted to the Chair by his proposer and seconder. Mr Guinness then took the Speaker's chair.

Mr Seddon rose and said he sincerely congratulated Mr Guiuness upon his unanimous election to the Speakership, He paid a tribute to the impartiality of Sir Maurice O'Rorke in the Chair, and said he could fairly claim that the New Zealand Parliament held the first position in regard to the conduct of its business, j Sir William Russell, in tendering his | congratulations, said he had seen Mr Guinness grow in strength as Chairman of Committees, and he bad no doubt that eventually they would be able to say ho was as great a Speaker as his predecessors. Mr Steward also tendered his heartiest congratulations to Mr Guinness, and Mr Witheford spoke in a similar strain. IMPREST SUPPLY. Mr Seddon moved the adjournment of the House, intimating that it would bo necessary to pass an Imprest Suppy Bill next day. Sir Williana Russell protested against the principle of calling Parliament together at the very last moment at which the Government wanted supply. Ie was against all constitutional practice, and they were in a position of having to vote money about which they had no explanation whatever. It was futile at the present stage to do more than raise his voice against the pernicious practice. Mr Seddon said he had announced the Imperial Supply Bill, so as not to be accused of springing a surprise on tbe House next day. ft was only during the last few years that the unconstitutional practice had grown up of treating Imprest Supply in the same manner as general supply, and he contended it was a bad precedent. He had yet to learn that when Supply came on there were grievances to ventilate. The Imprest Supply to be asked for to-morrow would only be to carry on the country under appropriations made last session. The Government were empowered to carry on under these circumstances, and he assured the House that tho Bill would be the same as that on previous occasions, viz., to enable the Government to carry on for another month under present appropriations.