OFFICIAL WIRELESS

Hokitika Guardian, 22 June 1928, Page 1

OFFICIAL WIRELESS

[Special to Press Assn, by Radio.]

RETIRING SPEAKER. POLITICAL LEADERS PRAISE AIR WHITLEY.

RUGBY, Juno 19

In the House of Commons eloquent tributes were paid to Mr J. PI. 'Whitley, who retires Speakership to-night. In submitting a- resolution expressing the thanks of the House- for his -distinguished services in the pastseven years, the Prime Minister, as leader of the House, said that it had been a period of shattering and recasting of political parties in this country, but too Speaker had so impartially carried out his duties that not a tremor had distributed the foundations of the chair. In those seven years there had been five Administrations, each brining fresh problems and fresh members, but by hi?) character the Speaker had instilled into all that love, and respect of the House of Commons which ho himself felt.

“This great Parliament is co-eternal with British freedom,” said Air Baldwin. “These two things stand or fall together. The spirit of Parliament is far more impoj-tnnt tnan forms,-and it owes more to the Speaker of this : House than to any individual, however great his position. That spirit has been preserved by you in its plentitudc and handed down undimmed and untarnished to your successor.” Mr Ramsay MacDonald, associating himself with the language and tone of the Prime Minister, referred to the Speaker’s contribution to the preservation of the soul of British representative institutions, pom the moment the Speaker appeared in his official robes lie set aside party predilections. lie belonged to the House. No predeoesor had surpassed him in impartiality. Air Lloyd George, who was head of the Government which first nominated Air AVliitley for tho chair, said that for over a generation it had been a testing time for Parliamentary institutions throughout the world. Some had barely survived. 'Hie conduct of the officer who presided over Parliamentary deliberations was a very important element in tlio authority and prestige of Parliamentary institutions. All who believed in Parliamentary institutions owed the Speaker a deep debt of gratitude for tbe service lie bad rendered to democracy.

SINGAPORE DOCK

A DIFFICULT JOURNEY

RUGBY, June 19

The first stage of the extremely difficult task of towing the enormous floating dock from the yard at Wnlls-ond-on-Tync, where it was constructed, to Singapore, about SOOO miles, begins on Thursday. The structure is proceeding in two convoys, each in charge of four powerful tugs. The first convoy is a mass 465 feet long and 172 feet wide, drawing seven feet of water. The second, which is 390 feet long, will lonve AVallseml on June 23. One of the most difficult stages in the journey will he the passage through the Suez Canal. The journey from London to Port Said will take two months. Tn order to minimise inconvenience to shipping, both parts of the dock will be passed through the canal together. This will take four days at the least, but each night the structure will be withdrawn from the main channel to allow other traffic to pass. The width of the structure will necessitate the removal of all sidelights and obstructions from the canal banks.

The- dock will be the largest naval dock in the world. It is 855 feet long, 75 feet deep and has a. lifting capacity of 50,0(X> tons. Twenty thousand tons of steel and 3,500,000 rivets were used in its construction, and 00,000 people could stand on it.

CAPTAIN WTT/KINS. HONOURED BY GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY. RUGBY, June 19. Sir Hubert Wilkins .(as Captain G. H. Wilkins is styled since ho was knighted) was yesterday presented with the patron’s medal of the Royal Geographical Society, in. recognition of his 2200 miles Arctic flight last April. He made a gift in return to the society of the Union Jack which had accompanied him and Carl Eiclson on their journey and which he always carried on the 18.000 miles of flying in the Arctic Circle done during the last three year's. Sir Hubert paid a tribute to the assistance received from his- British, Australian and United-States friends.