OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24187, 21 February 1944, Page 4

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

APPOINTMENT OF SPEAKER LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL COMMISSION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, February 30. Parliament will open next Tuesday afternoon, so that a Speaker can be appointed for the ceremonial opening on Wednesday afternoon, when the Governor-General (Sir Cyril Newall) will read the speech from the Throne. The following six members of the Legislative Council will form a commission to conduct the opening: the Speaker of the Council (the Hon. M. Fagan), the Leader of the Council (the Hon. D. Wilson), the Hon. R. Mawhete, the Hon, Sir Charles Stalharp, the Hon. F. Waite, and the Hon. V. A. Ward. The address in reply in the Legisla(ive Council will be moved by the Hon. P. J. O’Kanc and seconded by Ihc Hon. B. Marlin.

ADDRESSTNREPLY DEBATE INTRODUCTION OF NEW MEMBERS (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, February 20. The Opposition is unlikely to move a no-confidence amendment to the Ad-dress-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives this session. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G, Holland), declined to commit himself to-day. but the conduct of the National Party’s election campaign suggests that the debate will not be confined to criticism of the Government, as it would be if a question of lack of confidence were before the House. The Address-in-Rcply debate gives members the widest, scope for constructive discussion of national questions as well as, in the case of the Opposition, criticism. With 17 new member, to introduce to Parliament and the public, the Opposition is not likely to restrict itself to an attack on the Government, when it has the opportunity to reveal more fully this marked accession to its strength. It is understood that the mover and seconder of the Address-in-Reply will be Lieutenant-Commander P. G. Connolly, D.S.C. (Dunedin West), and Mr A. E. Armstrong (Napier) i a son of the late Hon. H. T. Armstrong.