IMPOSING SCENE

Hokitika Guardian, 18 August 1928, Page 4

IMPOSING SCENE

INSTALLING MR SPEAKER. PEERS PUZZLED BY COCKED HATS. WESTMINSTER, June 28. The final, act in the election of the new Speaker took place to-day, when Capt. Fitzroy, j (attended by . the Commons, {"appeared, at the ( bar of the House of .Lords to hen rutile Royal Assent given to iiis appointment. , It eyas a-, picturesque,:..ceremonial. First vve saw. the Commons, assembled for prayers ten minutes earlier than usual, awaiting the summons to the House, of Lords to hear li is Majesty’s pleasure.

Capt. Fitzroy was in the Chair in bobbed wig, j court, dress, and knee breeches, la.cking ,t.h<?, f nlUbu,ttoned. ■ »jg aiul the robes which can be assumed only by a. Speaker approved Tiv the King. Meanwhile in the House of Lords five Peers, very splendid in their scarlet ,aind ermine robes, sat on a bench at the foot of the Throne.,. The Lord Chancellor, Lord Hailslin.nl, ip, their centre, announced that the King, unable ro be present in person, had appointed a Royal Commission to signify his assent, and despatched the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to summon the porgmons. .DOOR. SHUT IN HIS FACE.

Black Rod went on liis errand. The door of tlio House of Commons was slammed in liis face as lie neared it, to demonstrate the ancient right of that House to deny interference even by the King in its proceedings. Black Rod knocked three times, gave liis rank, was admitted, and stated liis errand.

The Speaker with the Sergeant-at-Arms by his side, carrying on his shoulder the Mace, and followed by hundreds of M.P.’s, then walked in procession to the House, of Lords. The interval of waiting in the House of Lords seemed to make some of the Commissioners quite nervous. Lord Hailsham was. smiling and composed. But his supporters, the Earl of Kintoro and Lord Darling on one side and the Lords Strachie and Muir Mackenzie on the ,other,, were, in .some doubt as to what, to do witli their odd cooked hats until a whisper from an attendant bndo them put., them .on. ! It was as well, because when Mr

; ,-ri A,!vj ■ j ,y; r> i..-t: j.r.... Speaker with the faithful . Commons appeared at the bar of the House they Had to take them off three times very' solemnly'. After that the Reading Clerk read the Royal order for the appointment of Commissioners. “By the King himself, signed with his own hand,” he concluded in a loud voice.

The Speaker-elec-t said, pronouncing the formula used for centuries: “In obedience to his Majesty’s command, his Majesty’s faithful Commons, in the exercise of their undoubted right and privilege, have proceeded to the. election of a Speaker, and as the object of their choice, he now presents himself at your bar and submits himself with all humility to his Majesty’s gracious approbation.” The Lord Chancellor replied:

“Having in command to declare his Majesty's entire confidence in your diligence and efficiency to fulfil the important duties of, the high office of Speaker of the House of Commons to which you have been chosen by that House, and in obedience with the Commission which lias been read, and by virtue of the authority therein contained, we do declare his Majesty's :j|llowa.nce. ap'd confirmation *of you, sir, as tho Speaker of the House of Commons.”,

Then said Capt. Fitzroy, once more using the ancient style: “I submit myseTF in all humility to his Majesty|s royal will and pleasure, and if in maintaining the rights and privileges of tho Commons House of Parliament I should he led into inadvertent error, I pray that tho blame may he imputed to me alone, and not, to liis Majesty's faithful Commons.” DOFFING OF HATS. More hows from the Speaker to tlio Commission ; more doffing of hats by the Commissioners, and the. ceremony in the House of Lords was over. The procession of Speaker and M.P. s marched back to their own House.

Mem hers who followed ranged themselves on the benches, hut the new

Speaker passed right through the House and out by the door behind his Chair. Behind the scenes Bo assumed the full-bottomed wig and robes—very new and stiff—of liis office, in which he returned a few minutes later to the Chair. There were loud cheers when lie announced the King’s approval, aiul again returned thanks for his appointment. Then . . . “Sir M ilfrid Sugden,” he said, calling on the first member with a question on the Order Paper.

Tlio ceremony was over, the installation complete, and tlio business of Parliament proceeded in its usual way. NEW DEPUTT-CHAIRMAN. Later in the day, on {he motion of the Prime Minister, the choice of Mr Dennis Herbert (C. Watford) as Dep-uty-Chairman of Committee, in succession to Capt. Fitzroy, was unanimously approved. Five minutes after his appointment ho was called on. to preside when the House went into Committee.