A DESPOTIC SPEAKER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3414, 4 January 1912, Page 3

A DESPOTIC SPEAKER.

MiR WILLIS. HANSARD, AND THE MESSENGERS. When Mr Henry Willis, the great and glorious Speaker of tlie New South Wales Legislative , Assembly, intimated some time back'that lie believed, in the methods of Napoleon, he meant it. He lias, indeed, been growing more Napoleonic in his methods every day. There is a growing belief that he is the reincarnation of Herod, Nero, and Napoleon all in one, and that- we have only to wait long enough- and give him enough rope to prove that "Herod will be out-Heroded, Nero out-done, and Napoleon made to appear a- very small potato by his side. There was a fitting finale to" the continuous Parliamentary ‘•'scene” that, like the continuous picture shows, has been in progress ever since Mr Willis went into the Speaker’s chair, when, after the Premier, Mr Mc. Gowen. wished everybody a Merry Christmas, the members of the Opposition gathered round the Speaker's chkair, and literally hooted and bustled him out of the chamber. This was too much for Mr Willis. Parliament bad prorogued, and it was impossible for him to make any more “examples” of memibers of *tbc Opposition, bTit ho turned liis attention to the officers of Parliament. On Wednesday he suspended! Mr Robinson, chief of the Hansard staff, for alleged insubordination, because Mr Robinson refused to carry out a certain order from the Speaker, until such time as Sir Francis Suitor, President of the Legislative Council, confirmed it. Hansard is under the joint control of the Speaker and the President of the Legislative Council. The President resented the Speaker’s manner of doing things, and flatly refused to confirm the order. "Sb Mr Robinson contends that the Speaker cannot suspend him without tlie concurrence of the President. At all events, it would, seem that the Speaker’s powers of suspension cannot go further than the Legislative Assembly. But this is not all. It is usual for the Parliamentaw messengers to receive a Christmas box in tlie form of a bonus, and a. sum; was set apart by the Government for this purpose. But the Speaker intimated that lie did not intend 1 to allow it the messengers being under bis control. He' was not at all satisfied with the way in. which some of the messengers did their, work. On the same morning as Mr Robinson wias suspended, one official ventured to make application, for liis bonus, and was promptly fined £7 10s for liPt temerity by Mr Speaker. Another, a poor lavatory attendant, asked for his bonus, and was fined £3 as a Christmas box.