NO SPEAKER!

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 916, 8 September 1910, Page 6

NO SPEAKER!

■- '■■'' -'■--■■""■ .--■■ ♦'-■ ■■•-■.- ■ ■:■•■• ; : ; :V'AND THE MACE MISSINGA "Vy^ "When the House of/Representative';:, met yesterday, it was informed' that,'> the Hon..the Speaker was' :..■,: absent. This interesting-and uiiusuaj announcement was jnado : by- the Clerlj. \ of the House.: What was to be done?-!' ;■■ Under the rules of the House, when Mr t ' Speaker is absent .the duty of'-"opening-. • the proceedings falls upon the Chairman .• ■ of. Committees. 'Without' any previous experience- -of the kind, Sir. Colvin did,'. - not seem to find his new office coii-

. genial. After- he .had. ascended .'into'. • the Speaker's chair; there was ai awk- : .■ ■ ward pause, which, was: broken .by. a : :'-..'■ remark from "Mr. .Colvin to-the. eifeet ; ';- '.■: " that, he supposed- that he should' read '-'J ■■ the opening prayer.. l?or somerreasow' ': V : or another most of the members seemed'r: - ■■'■''■ to be somewhat bewildered, ..with [ the ■>■■■.' result that an appreciable space: of tim<s> T elapsed, before they had ;all risen. On :. : : .v' .. this. occasion the reading; of the prayer,Vf ■■-•"'■:' was performed .more : quickly than -Has '■'-:" been the experience for, a .long time. .:\}i It was theu discovered' that the mace '/' was missing. Mr; ]■ Speaker had :acci-" -'■ - ; ■■■ tlentlly taken :,away •' the" key -of the).': i i.'. ; room . it. is kept:. Referring:/: Y ; V to the matter,; Mr.. Massey. questioned: I'. .'■ . whether it-wonld be. proper to proceed.'|-;-: .•'' with the business in. view, of theabseiica t; ?■• of the emblem of authority. The Acting V.ii ;: ."; Speaker thought that under';the cirw'lp-'-'v-: cumstances the House .might pr<»eeoV. : - -"'•■■ ; for the mace: would be.available a.ljttleV';':V".: later on.V A couple., of.-, minutes; later -j' ■'-■: ■• ''( the indispensable, mace -arrived, but its' '--v.' ' advent was.unnoticed "owing to the buza'/ ■ : v : of ■: conversation'. which .-.was 'filling :the./■': / Chamber, apparently, unnoticed : by:.:the/ - Acting-Speaker. In. about half-an-iouf.'■:'{* the Hoii. A; ■ Guinness "'.also .retnnied,,V- '■:■ and^oalm-'.agam.rei^^;'-:- ,- -/'.':;;..-.. , ;';;.',-;/;.'.'^'?^-'/.--/.