Business done.—Both Houses reassembled after Winter Recess. In Commons Premier announced that Government will take the whole time for official business. Private Members and their Bills thus shunted, it will not be necessary to meet on Fridays.
Wednesday.—Gloom that lies like a pall over House momentarily lifted by unexpected agency. As at the circus when things are drifting into dullness the Clown suddenly enters, displacing monotony by merriment, so when Questions about enemy alien and the sacredness of the rights of private Members had droned along for some time Mr. Ginnell, who classifies himself as "an Independent Nationalist," presented himself from below Gangway. First distinguished himself above common horde on occasion of election of Speaker at opening sitting of present Parliament. The Speaker being as yet non-existent, the authority of the Chair undelegated, he had House at his mercy. Might talk as long as he pleased, say what he thought proper, with none to call him to order. Used opportunity to make violent personal attack on Speaker-designate.
On the old tack.
(Mr. Ginnell.)
Up again now on same tack. Appears that yesterday he handed in at the Table two Bills he proposed to carry through. No record of the procedure on to-day's Paper. Mr. Ginnell smelt a rat. He "saw it moving in the air" in person of the Speaker, who was "perverting against the House powers conferred on him for the maintenance of its functions and its privileges." Mr. Ginnell not sort of man to stand this. Proposed to indict Speaker for misconduct. But not disposed to be unreasonable; always ready to oblige.
"If," he said, addressing the Speaker, "I should be out of order now, may I to-morrow call attention to your conduct in the Chair?"
Speaker cautiously replied that before ruling on the point he would like to see the terms of motion put down on the Paper.
Thereupon Mr. Ginnell proceeded to read a few remarks not entirely complimentary to the Speaker, which for greater accuracy he had written out on what Prince Arthur once alluded to as a sheet of notepaper. Holding this firmly with both hands, lest some myrmidon of the Chair should snatch it from him, he emphasised his points by bobbing it up and down between his chin and his knee. Whilst primarily denunciatory of the Speaker he had a word to say in reproof of Prime Minister, whose concession to private Members of opportunity for an hour's talk on motion for adjournment he described as being "like cutting off a private Member's head, then clipping off a portion of his ear and throwing it to his relatives."
Business done.—Without division House consented that Government business shall have precedence on every day the House sits. Premier in exquisite phrases lamented the early cutting-off of Percy Illingworth, of whom he said: "No man had imbibed and assimilated with more zest and sympathy that strange, indefinable, almost impalpable atmosphere compounded of old traditions and of modern influences which preserves, as we all of us think, the unique but indestructible personality of the most ancient of the deliberative assemblies of the world."