NEW PARLIAMENT HOUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 73, 25 March 1912, Page 9

NEW PARLIAMENT HOUSE.

FOTTJTOATIOK STOWB X.ATD.

SPfcECfi BY THE GOVERNOR.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Saturday.

About 1,200 people Were present at the ceremony of laying the foundation stoiie of tfcc new Parliamentary Buildings, Much was performed by his Excellency the Governor this afternoon in favotirabfci weather. The gathering included metribers of both Houses, military and civil authoritier, and a largJ gathering of the, genera', public, who wore present by invitation.

On arrival Lord Islington was presented by the Hon. R. McKenzie (Mm Uter for Public Works) with a silver troweJ, appropriately engraved. Hie Excellency then laid the stone, declaring it to be "well and truly laid." Ho then returned to the dais erected on the lawn for the purpose, and addrossed tboso present. The OPCa-sion, said the Governor, had fittingly and naturally attracted a concourse of the citizens of New Zealand to witness the initial proceodinga of the creeliun of the building, which, when erected, was to be so closely inter woven with the destinies nnd interests of tills country. Ho might ndd that those intorewts and fortunes would in no snuxll measure be intluenco-1 by tho work that would ho carried on hi tin , building. The necessity for the new building wns common knowledge to nil. Ifp detailed the events in connect! >n with tho demolition of tho old Parliament Buildings in 1007 by *flre, an act which had ruthlessly deprived the representative* of the Dominion of their place of assembly. He hail no doubt that many present could speak with feeling upon the subject. It was n> el less for him to s:iy the pre-ont accommodation for Parliamentarian* was inadequate, and could only be regarded temporary in chnractcr. TTIE FIRST PARLIAMENT, lli.s Kxce.liency then referred to th" first Pnrliainent Ruildin|;s in Auckland in 185-1, and the subsequent transfer of the capital site to Wellington, whrrr buildings were ercett*! in lHii.i, and njrnin in 1573. with subsequent rxU-n sions. Those building could claim to have produced a most creditable list t>l able and patriotic public men, who e.leh and all in their generation contributed their shnre towards thn political nnd social Hvsteni which found it i reflect i'm today in the standard of the life and well-being of the people of Ww Zealand, lie had only to mention such names a* Grey. Stafford. Hall, Atkinson. Ballame, and Seddon. amonc many others, who each in their turn contributed their share towards the social life of tile country. TRinrTE TO STR ,?. WAIiJ). Coming to more recent hUtory. the Oovrrnor said he would like to take tho opportunity of alluding to tho pr-e sent Prime Minister. Sir Joseph Wurd - (npplause)—who wa* about to relinquish tho position after n long nnd difltinguifihed earner. From hU own personal experience during the past two years, ho would like to say that he wmiM ever remember with pleasure and wiLh salUfaction the unfailing courtesy anil willing attention that had marked Sir Joseph Ward's relation* towards himselfas.hin. chief MinisU'r in th«-onieial position !ic occupied ns the representative of the Crown. Ah all were aware, ! t!:» broadening and extending of th-c British constitution was gradually removing the Crown and the Crown'" reprssfenUtites from the dust and heat of party controversy, which, after all, was fhp rsfonce, the very bland nnd marrow of that p.arty syst;m. I'ndiT our eonstjtution, the party system, thoueh it might in the minds of some possess imperfections" and anouinlics, wag tho fixed ulml ordered method of British Government which had been developed In the past, and since extended to .all thoRC distent regions throughout the world whore new nations of the Crown had been founded. FUNCTION OF A OOVERNOIBNT. Continuing, the Governor said he was aware that the function of a Government as the world advanced iv no way diminished in difficulty. Rather, it gradually increased, nnd demanded correspondingly more o! the highest intelligence to deal with the ever-increasing difficult problems whicli occupy the attention of n. modern Government. When the new building was completed it would take Hh place with the other Parliaments of self-governing Britizh nations. They had witnessed in recent years the inauguration of the Commonwealth and also the inception of the Union Parliament of South Africa, and now he, dcvi. ing it an honour, performed that national Imperial ceremony on behalf of New Zenland. He enjoined , the people of the country to select and fiend within the wnlls of the new building public-spirited and patriotic representatives to discharge the responsible tasks assigned to them. (Applause.) PRIME >JINISTER'S 6PEBCTI. Sir Joseph Ward said lie felt sure. after the very eloquent speech delivered by his Excellency, that all would realise the importance of the occasion. It wna a good thing to realise that the Governor's thoughts; had led him in the direction of welding such a link as goes to make the Kmpire. They had nn opportunity of realising , what it was to have n good man as the King's representative, lie expressed his high tvppreeia tion of the kindly words uttered regard. ! iufj himself. As ofie of his Excellency* i advisem nnd he could speak for the other Ministers, he had experienced nothing bat courtesy, kindness, and' eon.siderntion in every way. Lord Islington did not take a mere, passing interest in the events of the country. lie left no detail untouched, and spared himself nr» work to familiarise hiulsolf with tho work of the Dominion. ESTIMATED COST. Regarding the choosing of the site, ! Si)' Joseph Ward mentioned that pro- ! vision bad teen made for future eatenI sions of the ODvenvment buUdinos. The j sum of £40,000 hnd -been saved the. connI try as an outcome of the nltenitTons in i the original plan. He undertook to say ! that in less than twenty years from ' now those responsible for the governI ment of the country would set aside a i sinking fund that would wipe out the total cost of the election of thu new Governor's residence and Parliament I Buildings. lie hoped that the men who ■ tvere returned in the future cotinciln ' of the nation would he. riroatrniindcd. and would realise that they a,-ted ns trustees for the people arid had in their c.ire the interests of all classes. Hβ congratulated the (lovernnr on the performance of a function of great national j Importance. The Ron. 11. McKenzie m'u] not onn 1 shilling would be f.pont. on the building ! except what was absolutely necessary ■ Th*> building -would cost 2/2 per head oi 1 the population of tlie Dominion, and

when the whole scheme was completed the coat would bo 4/0 per heo.4- That could not be termed extravagant. There Was not a better site than the one selected in the whole city. The scheme was going to cost a-quarter of a -million. Referring to Sir Joseph Ward's retirement from tlie leadership of the Government, Mr. IVfcKcnJiic expressed rcjrref'. that such i>. step had been decided upon. iHe lodked forward to Sir Joseph's return to fhe head of affairs. Cheers for tho Governor nnd Sir Joseph and Liidy Ward terminated the. proceedings.