caucus choice for Deputy Speaker was defeated in a secret ballot vote. St.

George's South MP Mrs. Grace Bell lost her bid to become Deputy Speaker when backbenchers who supported Mr. C.V. (Jim) Woolridge for the United Bermuda Party leadership threw their votes behind Dr. Clarence Terceira.

Instead of backing one of the two nominees from the Government side, the Progressive Labour Party put forward its own candidate -- Southampton East MP Mr. Stanley Lowe.

In the end, none of the three could garner the 20 votes needed to win. That means another election is to be held in the House of Assembly next Friday.

Premier Saul put on a bright face, insisting the first Parliamentary session under his leadership was off to "a positive start''.

"With a delay of one week, I have little doubt that we will get a conclusion next week,'' the Premier said just after the House adjourned for the day.

But Dr. Terceira, who saw MPs Mr. Woolridge, Mrs. Ann Cartwright DeCouto, Mr.

Trevor Moniz, and Dr. David Dyer break ranks with the United Bermuda Party Government to support him, gave Dr. Saul no cause for comfort.

Asked what would happen next week, Dr. Terceira said: "Probably the same thing again.

"Our five -- what I call the people's five -- will not alter our stand,'' he said. "It depends on others, if they so wish.'' Opposition Leader Mr. Frederick Wade said Dr. Saul -- a runner in his spare time -- made "a false start'' yesterday.

"He failed to command a majority of Parliament,'' Mr. Wade said. "That is the crucial test for any Premier.'' Dr. Saul was elected Premier in August after Sir John Swan resigned his longtime post in light of the `no' vote in the Independence referendum. But MPs who opposed Independence and supported Mr. Woolridge for the leadership abstained on their ballots yesterday.

Both Dr. Saul and Government Whip Mr. Richard Spurling said there was no "whip'' in place for yesterday's vote, meaning that Government MPs did not have to toe the party line.

"We will discuss that,'' Dr. Saul said when asked if a whip would be in place for next week's vote.

Mr. Spurling said he expected the UBP would "open the issue up afresh'' at its next caucus meeting. "Let's have nominations,'' he said. "Let's have a vote on who is going to be our rep.

"Let's get ourselves in order and get a consensus.'' When UBP MPs were initially asked who was interested in becoming Deputy Speaker, Mrs. Bell was the only one who spoke up. She gave up her new post as Whip to take the Deputy Speaker's job.

But Dr. Terceira, who originally was not interested, said he began to receive calls from supporters asking him to reconsider.

Saul fails unity test "They said, look, you've got the background for this really better than anybody else. You've got to think seriously about this,'' he said yesterday.

Dr. Terceira, who returned from England last night, confirmed that he wrote all MPs, including Opposition members, seeking their support.

Mr. Wade asked that the House rules be suspended so the vote on the Deputy Speaker could be held by secret ballot. His motion carried 18-15 when Mrs.

Cartwright DeCouto, Dr. Dyer, Mr. Moniz, Dr. Terceira, and Mr. Woolridge all abstained. Health and Social Services Minister Harry Soares was off the Island.

Under the rules of the House, a majority of all MPs present is needed to elect the Deputy Speaker. Since there were 38 MPs in the House, not counting the Speaker, 20 votes were needed to win.

Mrs. Bell received 15 yes votes, 17 no votes, and six abstentions, meaning that one PLP MP joined the UBP backbenchers and abstained.

"One member thought that by making it blank he was voting no,'' Mr. Wade said later. "I think it was an accident.'' But many suspected PLP St. George's North MP Mr. Leon (Jimmy) Williams did not want to vote against Mrs. Bell. Mr. Williams could not be reached for comment.

"I think by Thursday we'll have our people on board,'' Mrs. Bell said. "This little exercise has shown Dr. Terceira up.'' The former Education Minister, who was bounced from Cabinet when Dr. Saul took over as Premier, was defeated 33-5.

"He did what he thought was in the best interest of the House and the community,'' said Dr. Saul. "But clearly the support that he had counted on was not forthcoming.'' Dr. Terceira said the result was predictable. "The people's five stuck together and made our statement,'' he said. "We're going to make similar statements in the future.'' In the final ballot, Mr. Lowe was defeated 18-15, with five abstentions. "We have another day,'' Mr. Lowe said later. "I thought I had some more friends over there.''