Page:My Life in Two Hemispheres, volume 2.djvu/389

 become its representative, and although I was suffering from bronchitis caught during my voyage, and could not attend the election, I was triumphantly chosen against a candidate whom the squatters as usual were pleased to send out against me. When I returned to the Assembly Sir James McCulloch was again Premier, and the Opposition was led by my late colleague, Mr. Graham Berry, who had infused a much more democratic spirit into it than existed in my time. An attempt was being made to compel the Government to dissolve Parliament by what was called "stonewalling," that is to say standing as firmly as a stone wall in front of their measures. In spirit and purpose the Opposition was a forecast of the Labour Party which has since arisen. To demolish the Stone Wall the Government established a Standing Order popularly called the Iron Hand, but its authority was seriously damaged by its being used for the first time to authorise an expenditure on the Chief Secretary's constituency, to which decisive objection had been made. In a few months the dissolution 1 came, and I visited my constituents, expounded my opinions, and was re-elected.

When Parliament was about to assemble, Mr. R. S. Anderson came to me on behalf of Sir James McCulloch and his other colleagues to say that they had reason to complain of the part the late Speaker took in a difference between them and Mr. Francis, that they could not support him again, and that if I accepted the office they would support me. At the same time Mr. Berry came to talk over the situation. His party had no doubt a majority, he said, and the battle had been so habitually fought in his name that the leaders of the organisation considered him bound to accept the first place. I told him I was of the same opinion; that after the efforts which had been made for him, he would create just discontent if he shrank from doing so. He then said very cordially that he had the pleasure of offering me any office in the Government I selected. I told him frankly that I was not prepared to act in a secondary position after having occupied the first, and I mentioned the overture made to me by the Government. He said the Opposition would support this proposition and make it unanimous. Before the election of Speaker came off the two parties changed places, but the agreement was carried