HC Deb 06 February 1961 vol 634 cc34-6
The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. R. A. Butler)

I am sure that the House would like to pay a short tribute to our late and much-respected Speaker, Lord Dunrossil, whom we knew as Speaker Morrison.

We were all sorry when he indicated that he could not continue in your office, Mr. Speaker, which demands long hours and imposes much strain on the patience and on the physique. He discharged the great duty of Speaker with Scottish philosophy and native humour. His origin was from the romantic west of Scotland. He took his title from there, and I think we may say that his sense of humour, which was so marked, came also from there. His education was at Edinburgh, and he had great experience in the Services in the Great War. He rendered varied services as a Minister and left his mark on the life of this Chamber.

His death came as a shock not only to the people of Australia, who had already learned his worth, but especially to those of us who had lived our common life with him, some, like myself, since he first came into the House in 1929.

With those few short words of heartfelt tribute, may we send our warm sympathy to his widow, who often used to attend our debates, sitting in Mr. Speaker's Gallery, and to his four sons.

Mr. George Brown

In the unavoidable absence of my right hon. Friend the Leader of the Opposition, may I be allowed on behalf of my hon. and right hon. Friends to associate myself with the words which the Leader of the House has just used.

For many of us, the memory of Lord Dunrossil in the Chair will be of his very great natural dignity, which was impressive at all times, but perhaps at no time more impressive than when he was able, often with no more than a word or two, to quell the most tumultuous scenes which happened here and to bring the House back, very easily and very naturally, to its ordinary sense.

For myself and very many others, it will be not only a memory of him in the Chair which will abide, but the very great friendliness and charm with which he met all of us out of the Chair whenever we had to approach him. We wish very much to associate ourselves with the expression of sympathy to his widow and his sons.

Mr. Grimond

On behalf of the Liberal Party, may I associate myself with what has been said. Everyone liked and respected the late Speaker. We, too, grieve at his death, and we, too, should like to send our regrets and our sympathy to his wife and family.