The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1913.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 3960, 17 June 1913, Page 4

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1913.

The vacancy that has unfortunately

Th; Vacant Speakership.

occurred in connection with the Speaker-

ship of the House of Representatives is leading to a tremendous amount of speculation in political circles. It is,.of course, the case that the election oil the new Speaker will he one of the earliest matters which must engage the attention of Parliament, which has been summoned to meet again on Thursday 26th inst. As is well-known, also, the gift of the honor lies with the members; hut the nominee of the party in power invariably secures the office. Now, as regards the. vacancy

on the present occasion, there are at least two outstanding features. The first, .it will have been noted, is that quite a large number of people affect to believe that the natural successor to the distinction, Mr F. W. Ldßfrg, Chairman of Committees, will decline to allow himself to lie nominated for the higher office. ..On 'the one hand one finds that some, for instance, think “that ho may be reluctant to assume such a responsible position.” Why not?' Mr Lang has proved himself a very courteous and very capable Chairman of 'Committees, and that office has long been recognised both at Home and in the Overseas Dominions as the proper stepping stone to the office of Speaker. It may further be mentioned in this regard that Mr Lang -himself has not indicated that if he should be offered the nomination of the Government he would refuse it. All that he has said is that so far no communication has passed between Mr Massey and himself on the subject. Then, again, it is being contended by others that the present Government would be acting in its own interests if it should, as it were, decide to overlook Mr Lang’s claims to the distinction and nominate —well that depends upon the quarter from which the suggestion emanates. As far as many opponents of the Government are concerned they seem sorely afraid that the Ministry may nominate tlie Hon. J. A. Millar or Mr Wilford, both of whom have occupied the office of Chairman of Committees, and at present style themselves as “Independents” in the House. Thus it comes about that the claims of the Hon. W. Fraser (Minister for Public Works) and Mr G. M. Thomson (the member for Dunedin X.) are being brought prominently under the notice of Mr Massey and his colleagues. (In connection with the suggestion that Air Fraser should retire from- the Alinistry'to take the Speakership it may have been noted that this view is shared by the Alinisteria! journal in Auckland, but we shall discuss the suggested reasons in a later issue). Now, as far as we can see all the speculation that is taking place is futile in the absence ofl any declaration that on no account would Air Lang take the important office if he were requested to do so. Should such prove to be the case Sir Walter Buchanan, we think, would be considered to have the greatest claims to the position, as he is well-versed in all matters of Parliamentary procedure and is generally acknowledged to be fair and just at all times antkunder all circumstances.