Chairman of Committees (New Zealand)
Encyclopedia
The Chairman of Committees was an elected position of the New Zealand House of Representatives
. The role existed between 1854 and 1992. The roles of the Chairman of Committees were to deputise for the Speaker, and to chair the House when it was in committee. The role is now carried out by the Deputy Speaker.
. Parliament first convened on 24 May 1854, and on 21 June of that year, Auckland
lawyer Frederick Merriman was elected as its first Chairman of Committees.
Historically, the Speaker of the House of Representatives
chaired the House of representatives, and the Chairmen of Committees presided in the absence of the Speaker, or when the Speaker requested this. These arrangements were based on the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. Until 1992, the Chairman of Committees was known as the Deputy Speaker only when presiding over the House. That year, the position of Deputy Speaker was made a permanent role, where the appointee is a full deputy for the purposes of the Standing Orders. The first Deputy Speaker was appointed on 10 November 1992. The role of Chairman of Committees was discontinued.
The Chairman of Committees ceased to hold office on the dissolution of Parliament, but was remunerated until the next Parliament first met, when it then had a chance to elect another Member of Parliament for this office.
New Zealand House of Representatives
The New Zealand House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the legislature of New Zealand. The House and the Queen of New Zealand form the New Zealand Parliament....
. The role existed between 1854 and 1992. The roles of the Chairman of Committees were to deputise for the Speaker, and to chair the House when it was in committee. The role is now carried out by the Deputy Speaker.
Establishment
The position was established during the first session of the 1st New Zealand Parliament1st New Zealand Parliament
The 1st New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. It opened on 24 May 1854, following New Zealand's first general election . It was dissolved on 15 September 1855 in preparation for that year's election...
. Parliament first convened on 24 May 1854, and on 21 June of that year, Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
lawyer Frederick Merriman was elected as its first Chairman of Committees.
Role
The chief role of the Chairman of Committees was to chair the House when it was in committee (i.e., considering a bill at committee stage).Historically, the Speaker of the House of Representatives
Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
In New Zealand the Speaker of the House of Representatives is the individual who chairs the country's legislative body, the New Zealand House of Representatives...
chaired the House of representatives, and the Chairmen of Committees presided in the absence of the Speaker, or when the Speaker requested this. These arrangements were based on the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. Until 1992, the Chairman of Committees was known as the Deputy Speaker only when presiding over the House. That year, the position of Deputy Speaker was made a permanent role, where the appointee is a full deputy for the purposes of the Standing Orders. The first Deputy Speaker was appointed on 10 November 1992. The role of Chairman of Committees was discontinued.
The Chairman of Committees ceased to hold office on the dissolution of Parliament, but was remunerated until the next Parliament first met, when it then had a chance to elect another Member of Parliament for this office.