The Reminiscences of Zafrulla Khan — Page 253
237 REMINISCENCES OF SIR MUHAMMAD ZAFRULLA KHAN Zafrulla : I would say right of centre; that is, nearer to the Speaker of the House of Commons than to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. He has a little more to do than the Speaker - I don't mean to say that the Speaker hasn't got much to do; he's a very respected figure and convention has become so strong now in Parliament that whatever he directs is carried out. The Presidency is not so well entrenched in the United Nations yet, but it is gradually settling down. Yes, I would say nearer to the Speaker of the House of Commons. I do want to add that my experience was both revealing and very rewarding, revealing in the sense that I had no reason to expect that I would get such unanimous and continuous cooperation as I did. It really was, in that sense, a revelation to me. Not only that, but I think there was a sort of affectionate response all the time. I am sure on occasion many of them might have felt, "Well, well, he's doing this. We wish he had done the other. But that's alright; he is doing it with goodwill and in our interests. " But it is more than that. When I look back I find that all through the Session not a single point of order was raised. I cannot give any explanation, except that the Assembly must have made up its mind silently and without overt consultation: let us do the best we can. I had some apprehension in my mind that having the reputation - and often a reputation has some basis - of being a somewhat standoffish kind of man, I might find it difficult to carry them along, but it was a very rewarding experience indeed. People have talked to me afterwards and said, "Now, you are free from the strain of the Presidency," but I can say honestly, "I was under no strain at all. " The work was so interesting, and then it went along so well, that though my hours of work became long and I had to ask for leave to depart early from dinners that I attended so that I might get enough sleep, it did not require any other adjustment. The consciousness that my colleagues trusted me - and if I might say so here, my response in humility was, "What have I done to deserve their trust?" was more than sufficient compensation for any extra hours of work imposed on me. Question : This really is much more the House of Commons pattern where part of the lack of tension between the House and the Speaker is that, one, the Speaker puts himself at the service of the house; and two, he doesn't have so much power that it really becomes a contest, a