Artist: Frederic Steiger
Portrait Hung: 1951

Election (27 January 1898) and Approbation (28 January 1898) of the Speaker (Journal)

“And the members having returned to the Assembly Room the Honourable the Premier addressing himself to the Clerk, who, standing up, pointed to him and then sat down, moved that Henry Youmans Mott, Esquire, member for the District of Burgeo and La Poile, do take the Chair as Speaker of this House; which motion was seconded by Roger Callahan, Esquire, one of the members for the District of Placentia and St. Mary's.

Mr. Bond desired to enter his protest against what he considered to be an irregularity in the mode of procedure in opening the House. According to the Rules of the House, the Clerk shall take the Chair in opening the First Session. The gentleman occupying the Chair to-day is not the Clerk of the House, not having been duly appointed such and sworn. The Clerk of the House who was appointed in the Session of 1894, Mr. M. Furlong, was still the Clerk of the House, and must remain so until superseded by a vote of this House. His services should have been availed of to open this Assembly. He, Mr. Bond, took this course in order to avoid any trouble with regard to Legislation enacted during this Session which might arise out of said irregularity.

No other member being proposed as Speaker Mr. Mott was unanimously called by the House to the Chair, and was conducted to the Chair by the members who proposed and seconded him. Whereupon Mr. Mott, standing on the step, addressed the House, expressing his gratitude to the honourable members for the high honor unanimously conferred upon him.”

(...)

18^th General Assembly, 1^st Session (27 and 28 January 1898).