PARLIAMENTERY MANNERS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 662, 12 November 1909, Page 3

PARLIAMENTERY MANNERS.

Bir,7-Eaferring-to the article in your issue of the' , 6th:instant, under',the above heading; I take the liberty of remarkiiig that in attributing the present estate of matters in this ■respjsct.'. to 'the -Prime "Minister, .the Leader of the' Oppositibn, aad the' Speaker, ■ you do ■not fairly apportion' the blame. It is the latter, above all. others, who is charged with upholding the dignity of .Parliament: Alt that can reasonably. be expected of, the other officials mentioned is that they should bo always ready to support tho Speaker in maintaining order and restraining members, from transgressing against propriety- and , decency. The Speaker should rule witn a. firm hand, especially in the interest", of new. members, wtto, because of their excusablo want of knowledge of procedure, frequently treat the House So cpntinuo (if not corrected) during their career-ras it' it wero an ordinary public meeting, or street-corner gathering. There would, be,-, none' of this if tho 'Speaker insisted on members addressing the .Ghair,: instead, of wrangling with, each other/ and bandying words across the iloor .of the House.

Let me illustrate: A member is addressing the House; he is; suddenly met .with. an interjection such as, "sfo,u are entirely:.-wrong.". (To bo quite Pdrliamentary the interjector should say: "The hon. member is entirely wrong," "and the : Speaker should seo that hq puts, it in that way). The interrupted member, forgetting that he is addressing.the Chair, onters.into an argument with his , follow legislator, and begins by, retorting-..'"ieu have no right to. say ■ so," ..or, possibly,', something strongei , , and the;proceedings .degenerate into an unseemly squabblo that could , have been prevented by the Speaker at once pulling up the meinber in possession oh. the-Chair, and reminding him that ho must address tho Chair, whicu means, of course,-that instead of entering into personal discussion with another member, ho should say: I'Sir, the hon •member for. Blank interjects that I am entirely wrong," and then go on to say, through the Chair, what he wishes to • reply to-the interjector. This may seem a small matfc v T, but attention to apparently little things'kuch as L have indicated will certainly tend to establish good manners , in tho House just as m.well-regulated society, and prevent many an iiDdignifled scene and much loss of. time The debates m the Hou6e, except where", some old hands are concerned! aro'. sadly niarred by the laxity of the Speaker in this reiipect Many a debating class is condncrod more ably than our Parliament.—l am, etc.,V . -.-' ■ v - '■ :' "OEDEE 1909. -.'; , .- -' -. ; •