12
The Speaker's Chair when the House is empty and the mace taken away.
[
JIVE thousand pounds a year, a fine, old house in the centre of London, next in rank after the Premier and Lord President of the Council, the virtual autocrat over 614 elected representatives of the people in the Mother of Parliaments.
That's the job of the Speaker
of the House of Com-
A good job, you say. And so it is. Few would refuse it if they got tho chance.
But don't belleve it is all beer and skittles, be- cause it isn't,
How would you like to sil day after day, hour after hour, In the dark re- cesses of what looks like
a sentry box placed on
hh. dressed in uncomfortable. old-fashioned clothes, wearing a long, stuffy wig, listening to seem- inly everlasting speeches?
The purely physical strain on the Speaker must, of itself, be enor- mous. This is certainly no job for a fidgety man.
He must train himself to be al- mast immobile, sitting up there like carven image, but with his mind always alert and ready- arving and hearing everything that goes on.
No chance of forty winks in the shadows of the Speaker's Chair, no opportunity to wander away from the familiar scene, for this is the task of seeing that others do not wander. himself.
E
He must not wander
VERY day almost pre- cisely at seventeen minutes to three there taa hush in the Lobbles of the
Hou, of Commous
the 13 Speaker", procession passes slowly towards the Chair. A strident voice breaks the silence with the cry, Hats oft, strangers." and the Speaker enters the Chamber, every M.P, standing in respect to him The embodiment of their authority.
I'
And from then to the richng of the House he is always on duty. even if not actually in the Chun
ber.
In the quiet watches of the night -- M.P. decide to go on talking and talking--he is able, at any tline, to be awakened, to dress himself hurriedly in his cere- monial clothes, and to go down to the Chamber to cope with a sun-
CAPTAIN FITZROY
"has done a good deal to raise the standards of the HoREC."
of
L1on
grave disorder, Not for him the pleasures of dining out. It is too great a risk to take. He might not get back in Ume.
Even in the holiday season he must be reasonably within call in case of the urgent necessity to bring Parlament back to work. Ile is ns led to his job as any care- taker!
Once on duty he must be a para- Hon of patience, a master of per- suasiveness. When necessary ter- rible in authority, stern and, in cisive in his rebuke to those who would break the peace.
He must have no favourites. He must be accessible to all sections of the House, ready to give help and guidance to everybody.
At a moment's notice he must be prepared to give rulings on all kinds of tricky points of order.
He must know the precedents of generations of Parliamentary mis- tory: if necesary he must make precedents of his own.
He must always give the correct answer. He must never be tripped. Trin him once and bang goes his quiliority!
One of the Speaker's most dlf-
BAD LIGHTING INJURES
THE HONGKONG - TELEGRAPH.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1937.
Who'd Be RINGING
The Speaker?
by E. E. HUNTER
ficult problems is to de- a definite cide what is matter of urgent public importance.' This arises when M.P.s de- sire to move the ad- Journment of the House Commona to debate critical Issues which suddenly flare up from time to time. These always put the Speaker in a delicate position. He is the guardian of the powers, dignities. Ilberties and privileges of every member:
He must protect the private
bar against the invasion of his rights by the execu- tive, but he must also protect the execu- tive against vexatious obstruction. Always be must strive to keep the balance.
Like the policeman at the door, he must know every M.P. by face, name and constituency. He must be acquainted with all their ways and annoying tile foibles.
Upon him falls the far-from- casy task of arranging the debates and guiding the House through its dullberations.
Theoretically if you want to speak you must rise and catch the Speaker's eye, but this is not so easy. as when the other night twenty-two Labour M.P.s.all rose Bo there has developed at once. the sensible practice of letting the Speaker know that you desire to take part
FROM his list the Speaker is able to pro- duco A much more balanced debate than by com- pletely depending on chance.
But this does not mean that all debate is ordered and regulated. On occasions when feelings run high, when spontaneous rejoinder and counter-rejoinder break the quiet placidity of normal Parlia- mentary life, then the Speaker must let the House po its own way. only keeping a loose hand on the reln. And this all requires great tact and understanding.
Then the Spenker must decide as to what and what is not Parlia- And this 30 mentary language. much rests on mood and marner,
EYESIGHT
(Reprinted By Courtesy From The Evening Standard)
than
is at this time of the year, when light, and can be overcome easily by is about 40 per cent males, and 60 several months of dark evenings fitting shades that diffuse a bright per cent females." have already passed, that one's eyes light over the whole room.
There is no doubt that more "To appreciate how harmful bad begin to feel the strain of insumelent artificial lighting. Few people, by artificial light can be for the eye- people are wearing spectacles to-day ever before. This does not this time, have escaped a periodic sight," said the Optical Association necessarily mean, the expert added, feeling of tiredness about their eyes, offieint, "one must realise how many that more people have bad eyesight, it is not, of course, always due to people in this country have defects but that more people realize it, and bad lighting, but in many cases that of their sight.
"I can quote you Agures for 1934 take sensible steps to right it.
ds an important contributory factor.
I discussed with a technical off- later figures are not yet available, Private Schools. clal of the British Optical Associa- and it is dimelt to make historical
He went on to consider how much
tion, in Brook Street, W., the actual comparisons, for in the past the harm that bad artificial lighting can statistics of people who wear spec- of this defective eyesight is due to do to
the
eyes.
tacles have not been fully kept.
He pointed out that there are two forms of bad lighting-dull: lighting tleh
יר
bad lighting, and particularly to in- The 47 million people in the Bri- sufficient lighting,
can be divided roughly Isles
In the youngest age group, that and glare. Both are harmful to the into three age groups: 11 million of of the children, a large number of them are 15 years old or leas; 22 those with defective eyesight suffer million of them are between 15 and 45 years old; the remaining 14 mil from myopia, or short-sightedness, a
суса.
Fifty per cent. Below Standarde.
The vast majority of Londoners lion are over 40 years. spent their evenings fast winter in Millions with Bad Sight. dull lighting conditions. By taking. light-metre to measure the actual
form of defect in which the rays focus in front of the retina, and make an indistinct image.
One of the contributory causes of "How many of each group suffer myopia is for a child to stoop badly. The trouble is that so many children
light in hourey, offices and shops, I from eye defects? have discovered in the past few days
wyes.
the
"Of the 11-million in the youngest have to do their homework in dull that the average of artificial light group, 5 million are school on urter Hight-the light in most homes is far necessary intensity In provided in most parts of London is end of those 5 million, 850,000 suffer below
which children can read and work in below balf the intensity accepted na from eye defects. the minimum, for the health of the "Of the 22 million in the middle comfort or are pupils at some in- oge, group, 3%1⁄2 million have foulty adequately lighted private school, where more attention is given to All publie transport vehicles, with eyesight. ure exception of Underground trains, "The whole of the 14 million playing fields and gymnnslums than
under-it. The same nra badly true of overy shop I have tested, ex- people over 45 years old have de- to the vital matter of sight,
Once a person has fects of sight. passed that age the normal thing is "Bad light causes children work- cept malik bars.
frequently
for his eyes to deteriorate. He or ing under such conditions to strain Modern offices have
explained. "That leads to enough light, but often it is badly she gets a defect of the eyes called forward over their books," the ex- spaced, to throw shadows on to the presbyopia, which is simply a weak pert
Myopia can get steadily desks. Smail private offices, where ening of the eyes due to advancing stooping, and that may lead to
eye work has to be nge.
lighted, "The stories one hears of 'my dear worse until adolescence is passed. It done, are rarely sumclently and I have found feaks at which old granny, 94, and never used glasses can be checked, but it can never be typists must work with one-fifth of in her life, are all nonsense. If the cured. It is a permanent defect, be light requir
required for proper sight. old Indy can see to read, then she once a child's eyes have suffered Children in the London County cannot see well at a distance, and from li, Counell schools are well cared for in although she may not wear glasses, General Health Lowered. the matter of light, but when they she should,
"The total of people in the British
the
stented
on what George Meredith called Ono shades and nice feelings.
An Insulting epithet thrown across the floor by one member may be a much worse offence against Parliamentary law and order than when used by another.
There are occasions, too, when the Speaker must be conveniently deaf-when he falls to hear an unruly phrase and passes on 63 nothing has happened.
A
It may be late at night when the tempers of honourable gentlemen
when are getting trayed, or member has been righteously pro- voked or a genuinely indignant.
In times like these Mr. Speaker can afford to forget the offence.
For it must be remembered that upon the Chuir self largely falls the responsibility as to whether there is a scene or not.
O
VER
and over ngoin
have seen developing an ugly situation which has been avoided by the fact and understanding of the Speaker in handling an unruly member.
It is a human crisis of this kind which calls for all the Speaker's He must be power of judgment. able to sense at once whether the disturbance is a spontaneous out- burst or whether it is a carefully- manufactured demonstration.
Each episode must be judged on its merits, not by any rule of thumb methods.
And then, like all of us, he has Once the smaller worries of life. elected, he is supposed to be out- side of politics altogether, but that puts him in an awkward predica- ment when, as at the last General Election, Captain FitzRoy, the present Speaker, was challenged by Labour in his Daventry con- stituency.
A possible way out of this dileming is that once elected the Speaker should be transferred to
newly-created nominal consul- Luency call it St. Stephens, or what you will-and this may hap- pen one of these days.
L
Helous
men, wor-
IKE all public 15 the Speaker ried by cranks. A de- Coronation episode was the protest.of some extreme tem- perance advocates against his old- fashioned rumbling coach being drawn to the Abbey by brewers' horses!
But these are only the minor troubles in a wearing life.
Small wonder if Speakers some- times tap impatiently as the prize bores drone oa. And can they not be forgiven if when, driven to desperation by platitudes and irrelevances, there come from the depths of the chair biting little sotto - voce remarks about the quality of the debate and the capacity of the orator?
Captain FitzRoy, the present oc- cupant of the Chair, has done a good deal to raise the standards of the House.
long Ho has frowned on speeches; he has appealed for more cut and thrust of debate, But response in slow. The House finds it dimcult to escape from time- old customs. Still, future Speakers may yet rejoice in the fact that M.Ps have learned how nearly anything can be said in twenty minutes.
N the meantime, the position of Speaker re-
mains one of the hardest and most responsible in British public Ho. Always, ho must be a man rather set apart from his fellows an austere. figure an essential part of our system of ordered freedom.
His is a Job which many would like but which few could do. Labour has never yet.contributed a Speaker to the House of Com- mons,
When it does it will be a man with the fine qualities which Lord Enell has shown in hi Own1 sphere, a man who will best carry on the high traditions of this great office.
-To-day's Thought AGGRESSION grows by what it feeds on, and the idea of justice la blurred by the habitual toleration of injustice.
HENRY GEORGE.
will become presbyopic several years "Those are the two defects of sight before the normal age of 45.
"The other thing that bad. Ight' Ro home in the evenings to do their homework they nearly always alt in Isles who have defective eyesight, oan do to the eyes is to bring on a light that places a severe strain on therefore, is about 17,050,000, or ap- presbyopia, from which everybody their eyes at one of the most import- proximately 38 per cent of the entiro suffers after 48 at an earlier age.
Opticians find that "People in their thirties, particu- which bad and insufficient lighting ant times of their lives for preserv- population.
more women than men consult them larly their late thirties, who work most usually causes. ing-the health of their sight.
"Bad lighting affects the health in Glare is a losser evil of artificial for defects of sight-the proportion and live in insufficient artifcial light,
A BOB ROYAL
DELL RINGERS from all over the
BEL world seldom come to London
without turning their steps in the direction of St. Paul's Cathedral. There R "College Youth" on the end of a bell rope means something more than ordinary bell ringing, if one may judge from practice night at the enthedral, and the Peal Book of
of Ancient
College the Youths, old csin
Association of bell ringers. But these "Youths" have been ringing brate their tercen- bella for 300 years
they are to celebrate tenary on November 5-80 perhaps that they have it is not surprising
mastery of the technique of Kained
to overawe bell ringing street. No
the merc
Icss awesome are the terms used to describe the changes they ring- "Bob Royal," "Stedman Triples,' "Grandstre Catera," "Superlative Surprise Major," to name only a few
change
when the "College Il la evening Youths" meel to practice ringing in the great domed cathedral of St. Paul's, Some nights
London other famous at churches Southwark Cathedral, St. Mary-le-Bow, and
two Or
PRESIDENT LINER TRAVEL SERVICE
is Yours to Command
Treldent Liners' frequent settings and their unique stopover privileges allow you ta travel jest ennelly na you choose. And Dollar Stasmukilp Lines, and American Mati Lire worldwide offers and agents are maintained to serve you ashore in whatever place you chance to be. Make your next trip more enjoyable, texvollis "The President Line way?""
TO SAN FRANCISCO NEW YORK AND BOSTON
Via Shanghai, Kobe, Yokohama, Honolulu, San Francisco, Panama Canal and Havana,
TO SEATTLE, VICTORIA "THE EXTRESS ROUTE"
Via Shanghai, Robe and Yoko- Huma,
Pres. Coolidge Noon July 24 Pres. Jackson Midnight Aug. Pres, Tott
10 Pres. Jefferson Noon Pres. Hoover
Pres. Lincoln
Pres. Coolidge Pres. Wilson
Aug. 21 Pres. McKinley
Midnight Sept. Noon
Sept
8.00 a.m. Oct.
EUROPE. NEW YORK
AND BOSTON
Via Manila, Singapore, Penang. Colombo, Bombay, Suez Canal, Naples, Genoa and Marseilles. Pres. Harrison 8.00 am. Aug. Prez. Folk
Pres. Plerco Pres. Van Buren Pres. Garfield
they
Pres. Hayes
three
others but to-night it is to be St. Paul's, the Ringing Headquarters of
Society.
Buses swirl and swoop
the
around the
the tray, islanded building,
but
The
the
Its steps are almost deserted, for the workers thronging the sidewalks of Ludgate Hill are hurrying home- wards or surging in the direction of Shaftesbury Avenue's theaterland, in search of entertainment. As City becomes quiet, the bell ringers get busy, for a stern duty or is it play7-awaits them in the chamber high above the street. Whichever it is they seem to derive a great deal of ent from the exercise of 1 their
ing
bell ropes hang in the ring- ng chamber, ready for the "Youths" It is a who filter in one by one. bare, businesslike room. ita walis made memorable by Inscriptions of record peals which have been rung in this chamber.
While the ringers are assembling. "Youth" who says he has a veteran been ringing bells ever since he was a chair boy takes me up above the ringing chamber into the bellry. Up the dark and narrow stone staircase we stumblingly feel our way-round and narrower and nar-
und
rower,
til I am glad to be assured that no one is likely to be coming down at this moment--one-way traffle only is thinkable. To attempt to get into reverse would be at least disconcerting At last pale daylight We are in the belfry, medis high up over the Cily, above even the flying pigeons. Here the twelve fixed in their frames,
us.
Arc
bells upward, cloppers resting to:
one side of each bronze lip, quietly waiting for the tug of a rope to turn them into music.
In the bell chamber below, each of cleven ropes now has its man. The twelfth-that of the tenor bell-has two men. This mighty bell, which weighs 62 cwt., is said to be one of the heaviest ringing bells in Eng- Innid.
Each
ringer wooden platform
on a little standa
onto which two leather loops are fastened. Into these he pushes his toes so that he shall stand firmly.
commands
"Go," Immediately
the conductor, the bells peal out, one by one, then the changes begin, and the ringers arc OT,
pulling their ropes, knitting their bell sounds in- intricacy, to patterns of melodie while at the other end of the bell ropes, the great bells are whirling and turning, throwing their music into the air.
nie
Bell ringing seems to be a vigorous affair, even on practice night, but the records of the Society show that on occasion a leam of "Youths" kept on ringing for twelve hours, completing minutes, twenty-five 21,303 changes. This feat was per- fouined at St. Lawrence, Appleton, in 1922, and I am told that it is the world record for non-stop ringing by a single set of men. I believe it. A ringer comes and sits on the bench by the wall. "Do you always
the same beli?" I ask. ring
"Yes, as a rule..."
"What note
But the ringer is not sure, though he can tell the number of the bell.
After all, it isn't necessarily music alone which makes bell ringers. Precision,
on, timing. permutations and combinations, and mastery of techni que and method, play a large part in it. it as well. As one "Youth" put
"mak- the ringers "weave patterns,"
7 Pres. Grant
18 Pres. Jackson
6 Pres. Jefferson
30 Midnight July Midnight Aug. 13 Midnight Aug. 27 Midnight Sept. 10 Midnight Sept. 24 Midnight Oct. 8
MANILA
THE MOST FREQUENT SERVICE
Next Sallings.
1 Pres. Jackson 8.00 am. Aug. 16 Pres. Harrison 0.00 a.m. Aug. 29 Pres. Tast 8.00 a.m. Sept. 12 Pres. Jefferson 8.00 a.m. Sept. 20 Pres. Hoover 0.00 nm. Oct. 10 Pres Polk
2. 1
0.00 p.m. July 8.00 mm. Aug. Midnight Aug. 3
0.00 pm. Aug. 9.00 p.m. Aug.
8.00 a.m. Aug.
MOST FREQUENT SERVICE ON THE PACIFIC
DOLLAR STEAMSHIP LINES
AMERICAN ·
PEDDER BUILDING-HONG KONG. CANTON BRANCH:-21, PRENCH CONCESSION,
LINE
VIA HONOLUL
TO
BY EMPRESS
CANADA, U.S.A., & EUROPE
EMPRESS OF JAPAN EMPRESS OF ASIA ENLINESS OF CANADA
EMPRESS OF JAPAN
at Noon Aug. (th
at Noon Aug. 17th ..at Noon Bept, 3rd
at Noon Oct. 1st.
18 15
Air-conditioned equipment carried on Trans-Continental Trains. Frequent Canadian Pacific Atlantio sallings from Montreal and Quebec, down the smooth St. Lawrence Beaway, lo Europe.
Telephone 20752.
Canadian Pacific
BARBER-WILHELMSEN LINE
MONTHLY SERVICE
To
NEW YORK
Via LOS ANGELES & PANAMA CANAL PORTS. NEXT SAILING
M.S.
"
' TARONGA
on
18th August.
EXCELLENT ACCOMMODATION FOR 12 PASSENGERS.
#
DODWELL & CO., LTD.
ing intricate and delightful patch- Hỏng Bank Bldg.
work out of bell toner.
Do they play old tunes for their diversion? Or familiar
melodies?
No. It's the "changes" again. So I n "Youth," "Do you never play Ask tunes?"
"Oh, no, indeed. Anybody can do that. Change ringing is much more dimcult. So I leave it at that.
The conductor of the famous non- stop poal of 1922 is conducting the ringers now. He looks as though he could go on forever.
R. D.
Dull other ways through the eyes. lighting means that one must strain the eyes. In order to read at all; a glare puts an extra strain on read- Ing.
"Both conditions lead to head- aches, weariness and a lowering of general health, expressing itself in signs of irritability and bad temper. rectify damage already caused, and The remedy is simple-spectacles to and selenilfically-placed adequate artificial lighting in home and at work to prevent any further damage.'
Agents.
Telephone 28021.
TRAVEL A.-O. LINE
To AUSTRALIA, Calling at Manila, Thursday L., CAIRNS Townsville, Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne,
':+ (Oil Burnor=}} CHANGTE-TAIPING British Steamers:
FASTEST & MOST UP-TO-DATE STEAMERS IN THE SERVICE OPEN AIR SWIMMING POOL
ELECTRIC LAUNDRY, BARBER SHOP, SURGEON AND STEWARDESS CARRIED. Enjoy Your Leave in Australia and New Zealand. Hong Kong to Sydney-10 Days.
FIRST CLASS FARE TO SYDNEY, £70 RETURN
#
STEAMER
CHANGTE TAIPING CHANGTE TAIPING
LONDON (vin Australia) from £127.15. (Australian Newspapers on fo)..
Duo H'Kong Leaves HKong Leaves Manila Due Sydney
5 Aug.
18 Aug.
16 Aug.
1 Sept.
7 Sept.
14 Sept.
8 Oct.
15 Oct..
17 Sept. 18 Oct.
3 Oct.
3 Nov.
9 Nov.
16 Nov.
19 Nov.
4 Dec.
AUSTRALIAN-ORIENTAL LINE, LIMITED.
Sailings subject to alteration without notice. Butterfield & Swire, Agents-Hong Kong-China-Japan
for Freight or Passage, apply to:-