The Daily News. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1913. THE LATE SPEAKER.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 10, 12 June 1913, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1913. THE LATE SPEAKER.

Speaker* are born, and not made, and in tkia respect Now Zealand hat' been siagularly fortunate in her political history. Sir Maurice (Xftorkc, now an honored Member of the Legislative Council, w&» far many years regarded a» an ideal i guardian of political; etiquette in the Lower Cliamber, and when cireumstances ' necessitated his withdrawal, after a brief interregnum when Sir W. J. Steward had i charge of th» destinies of the House, Sir i Arthur Guinness was appointed to a position which-he has filled with marked ability ever siace, AltiMgb a pro* Bonmaed Liberal i» polities, the late Speaker never allowed hia personal predilection* to sway his judgment, and he administered Parliamentary law with an impartiality that won him the regard aid esteem'of all parties in politics. He was conversant with the etiquette of proeedure from its A to its Z, and he aerer allowed party considerations to •way hi* judgment one iota. He turned Mr. Seddon and Sir Joseph Ward down whea he was assured that his judgment was aorrect, just ai he asked Mr. Massey and Mr. Jas. Allen to resume their seats when he was satisfied that their contentions as to Parliamentary law were inaccurate. It was tbia absolute fairaess, combined with an exceptional knowledge of routine, that won for him the whole-hearted confidenca of the House, I and ensured his re-election as Speaker time after time. A man of charming personality and infinite tact, he had nothing but friends in Parliament, and as the controller of the Press Gallery he endeared himself ,to the hard-working journalist by his unvarying courtesy and his never-failing willingness to make the journalistic path as easy as possible. The vacancy caused by his death will be i a hard one to fill, for he had an aptitude for government that is found in but few c men. It is idle yet to speculate upon his I successor, but it is certain that who- | ever is called upon to fill his shoes will ,»find the task a particularly difficult one, from the simple fact that he will have ;to. follow a man who. possessed the , esteem and confi'dence of the House to ) an extraordinary degree. His death is I* serious; loss to Parliament and to political conventipns, .and while it is easy. to say that the opportunity produces' the man, it is difficult to see where . ■ the late Speaker is to be. efficiently replaoed from the members of the present House.