OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 16, 19 January 1901, Page 5 (Supplement)

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

MR. P.ALFOUR OX PAP.LTAMEXTARY 'TRADITION.

To Sir .James I'VrgiiKson as a father of the House, of Commons fell the honour of proposing that "The 111. Hon. William Court Gully do take the chair" last Monday. Sir James, who is, as you know, a fluent speaker, said that he had reason to believe that the choice of the right lion, member for Carlisle by the House would be unanimous. In 1895 his re-election was proposed by the Father of the House. He himself could not claim the distinction of prolonged continuous service such as the late Sir J. .Mowbrav's, but he confessed to a cor-

tain antiquity, as it was 45 years tha day since he was first returned to Parliament. He believed that alone among present members he sat in the Parliament of 15512, and he believed that he was now the oldest Privy Councillor representing a Parliamentary constituency. (Hear, hear.) Such seniority would be coveted by few, but it helped to give him the privilege of proposing the re-election of a Speaker who had been fully

equal to the best traditions of his high place, and who hail shown that

after many centuries of its existence increased weight could be given even to it. (Cheers.)

Dr. Farquarhson seconded the motion, and then the dignified Speakerelect, being conducted to the chair, returned thanks in a few stereotyped sentences. Air. Balfour offered Mr. Gully his congratulations, aim in ordinary terms' barring the following distinctly line passage. Speaking of the Speaker's onerous duties, lie said: "But there is a spirit that presides over this Assembly which is something more than any rule, which no manipulation of your standing orders will confer if you have it not, and which is sutlicieni largely to supplement any technical defects which our rules may possess. Thai spirit has survived the shock of faction, great constitutional changes, immense extensions of the suffrage, great and inevitable changes in the political forces which the Empire obeys. But that spirit has survived through all These changes untouched and untarnished; and 1 do not believe that if a witness could rise from the grave acquainted with the distant traditions of the past, he would see anything in the debates as we conduct them today under your auspices unworthy of the highest traditions of this House. (Cheers.) Of those traditions you are the embodiment, and you are the guardian; and it is because you have proved yourself so worthy a guardian in the past that it is with the fullest confidence and with absolute unanimity that this House again elects you to fill the great office which you have consented to accept. (Hear, hear.) I beg to tender you on behalf, not only of my friends," but of the whole House, my warmest congratulations on the event which has just taken place. (Cheers.)