THE SPEAKERSHIP.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 12 June 1913, Page 4

THE SPEAKERSHIP.

The death of Sir Arthur Guinness places the Government in rather an awkward position. If precedent is followed, it will nominate Mr F. W. Lang, the present Chairman of Com- l mittees, for the vacant Speakership. Mr Lang, however, is lacking in many of those qualities that are essential in' a Speaker, and he would himself probably prefer that some other person be appointed to the position. There are few men in the House who possess the qualifications necessary to fill the Speaker's chair. The gentleman who, by reason of political experience, i s most entitled to the position, is probably the Hon. J. A. Millar. The- member for Dunedin, however, has not a legal training, and his health ha-s been unsatisfactory for some time past. Mr G. M. Thompson, another Dunedin member, is mentioned as a likely successor to the late Sir,'Arthur''Guinness; but he is a comparatively young member, and his appointment would not give general satisfaction. The same objection applies to Mr G. V. Reed. Possibly the member who has the best qualifications for the position is Mr T. M. Wilford. He filled the office of Chairman of Committees with conspicuous ability, and there i s no doubt that he would make an able and impartial Speaker. The difficulty - in respect to the member for the Hutt is that he is not a supporter of the Government. He is not, however, strongly partizan, and we believe that Ms appointment to the vacant position would give vary general satisfaction.