SIR DAVID MONRO.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXV, Issue 3041, 3 September 1870, Page 9

SIR DAVID MONRO.

We have already adverted to the loss the House will sustain in the retirement of Sir David Monro from the high office he has so worthily held. It is impossible exactly to define how much the good order and tone of a House of Representatives are attributable to its Speaker and how much to its own esprit de corps. In short Parliaments, and with frequent changes in the composition of the House from causes more active than in older countries, a colonial legislature necessarily is more under the inllucnce and partakes more of the character given to it by the Chair than at home. A Speaker in the British House of Commons, despite the changes by elections, has always a large residuum of members thoroughly acquainted with the forms of the House, which silently but powerfully relieves him of much of the difficult and disagreeable attaching to his duties. \ Their voices render an appeal to him less frequent, and secure for his ruling a ready acceptance. The political life of our representatives is very much shorter on the average, and the deference paid by new

members to the forms and traditions of the past is every year becoming less. Of this fact the present session has afforded some notable illustrations. A colonial legislator, too, looks upon himself as a distinct entity in the House, and, less readily timn at home, is willing to merge his individuality in the party to which he may belong. All these considerations conspire to surround the office v»ith peculiar difficulties and to call for more direct action on the part of the Speaker. When we say, then, that for the last ten years our Parliament has preserved atone scarcely, if at all, inferior to the " first assembly in the world," and altogether unknown in neighboring colonies, we are paying Sir David Monro the highest compliment we can bestow. If on occasions hon. members may have thought there was necessity for less rigor, these must be the readiest to admit that the decided yet courteous bearing of the Speaker has saved the House from many irregularities, and the debates from many asperities which would now have only embittered the memories of the past. The first duty of the new House will bo the election of a Speaker, and on the choice then made will depend not only the progress of business through the House, but the tone and character of an Assembly whose reputation is regarded by the colony with a just and honorable pride. We do not despair of seeing a worthy successor to Sir David, but until the new Parliament is elected it would be manifestly improper to indulge in idle surmises. While we arc on this subject, we must congratulate the country on the amicable relations of the two branches of the Legislature. We are glad to see, too, that they can unite in social festivities, and that the Premier is not called, upon to say with Sir James M'Culloch, " The two Houses cannot dine together." We hope in future to have to chronicle many social amenities between the Lords and Commons. Whatever brings the members of both Houses together in a friendly way tends to soften the asperities of parties, and smooths the path of progress. Why may we not expect to see oar legislators throwing aside the cares of State, and unbending together in friendly pastimes and social re-unions ? They could lose nothing by being out in the same " field," or rowing literally as well as figuratively " in the same boat." British legislators of the most conflicting shades of opinions meet round the same hospitable board ; and may be scon on the same side at Lord's, or round the same target at WimbledoJ. We <ire glad to see that this evening our legislators unite in doing honor to a naval commander who has done good service to the colony, and who in doing so assumed a responsibility which few would have had the courage to undertake. The cultivation of friendly interchanges in social life between gentlemen necessarily holding different political opinions is not a mere affair of sentiment, but is devoutly to be wished by ihc veriest utilitarian. Nothing can so much tend to that esprit do corps, and to that mutual good understanding which will protect the House from falling into disorder and unseemly contentions. Nothing will assist the Speaker so much in maintaining the character of an Assembly whose reputation should be dear to every lover of his adopted country.