WHEN LEGISLATORS MEET

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 519, 28 May 1909, Page 3

WHEN LEGISLATORS MEET

SOME MATTERS OF PROCEDURE. THE INSIDE OF THE HODSE. •'".-■ The informal meeting of members of'both Houses of Parliament, 'on Monday, Juno 7, at :tho invitation of Sir Joseph Ward, is looked forward to with a good deal of curiPeople are asking v.-liethor tho public and the reporters will bo admitted, who will preside, whother the Hansard staff,will be.on duty, and. a host of. other questions. No authoritative information is yet forthcoming, but as the meeting will not bo a meeting of Parliament, there will'be'no necessity to fol-' low Parliamentary, procedure'. '.-. It-, will, no doubt, bo held in the newly-enlarged chamber of tho House of Representatives, and oven if all tho members of. both .Houses are present, .there will, bo'room for all, as.thero is space for quite a number of chairs between the angles of tho chamber and tho outer 6omi-circlo of upholstered benches. The preparation of tho building now keops alargo staff working up to ton o'clock every night. The floor of the chamber was scrubbed yesterday, and the linoleum is to bo laid to--day. Tho placing of the desks and benches will also bo begun. Paperliangors have been busy during the las|j day or'two covering the .walls with paper of a restful shade of. green; , Opening by Commission. ; ,The openuig of Parliament by Commission on.Thursday, Juno 10, is not a matter for any such speculations as are excited by the prospect of tho gathering of tho preceding Monday. Tho programmo is absolutely stereotyped, and is repeated every third year with no variation save-identity of the persons taking part. Tho Legislative Council will meet at 2.30 % and the Chief Commissioner (tho Hon. j>ir.' Bowen), who is : also, the Speaker of tho Council, willsay: "I have to acquaint the Council that his Excellency the' Governor,- hot being able to.be personally present here this day, hath been pleased to cause'a Commission to be issued in order to the opening and holding of this Parliament." Tho Chief Commissioner will then command the Gentleman, Usher of the Black Rod to inform tho members ,of tho House of Representatives that their presonco. is. requested in the Legislative Council Chamber. When they havo come in, tlieChief Commissioner will very briefly address them in a set form of words, and the Letters Patent constituting the (Commission will be read. ' The Chief Commissioner: will then announco that -his Excellency the Governor will deliver his Speech in person at 2.30 p.m.- on the following day in the Legislative Council Chamber. Ho will also, on behalf- of the. Governor, request thb House to""proceed to..tho elcc■tion of a fit and proper person to fill tho high and" important position" of Speaker, .and'to present him to the •Governor at 11 .'a.m. on the next day for his Excellency's approval. Tho members 'of the House will then withdraw, and tho Council will;adionrn. The wholo "function will have occupied about ten minutes, and ih'ero will be nothing spectacular or dramatio about it. '".-'' When members of the House havoreturned to. their own chamber after hearing the Commission read, the oath will be administered to them by Mr. H. Ottersonj Clerk of the House, and they will then elect their Speaker. Tho Hon.- A. R. Guinness, who succeeded Sir Manrico O'Rorke in 1903, and has thus filled the position for two Parliaments; will again bo a candidate. On tho.two previous occasions, ' Mr. Guinness haß been elected unopposed. ' /;';■'• Whorfl Members Will Sit. : -Plans.showing the seating in tho new Houso of "Representatives were sent Out:.to [members,a.few weeks ago, and nearly ail of them have.chosen'the places which they deBire.to occupy. In cases.where more than ono member, wanted the same Beat, matters havo been adjusted as fairly as seemed possible by tho Clerk of tho Houso, but no doubt there will : be.a fow- changes; when members moot, so as to enable friends to sit together.-The seats,-as already explained, run in semicircles, struck from tho Speaker's desk as a centre; and thepassagos botweon them taketho direction of radii from the same point. The result is that, while every member will sit facing tho-Speaker, tho benches may bo regarde'd.as'divided by the'principal passages .nearly, equal 'blocks; ono on tho Speaker s right, one in front of him; and ono ."".""Mr*™'- 'The- right-hand and front blooks will, bo occupied by Government supporters and the loft-hand .block by the- Opposition : lihirteonof tho seats, nearest the Speaker on his right havo been, reserved for Ministers and Government Whips. -. . These -■ gontlemen will be seen very welt from tho Ladies' and 1 übhc Galleries, and the Press. Gallery -will bo close behind them. . ■...'.■ ..i : The front Opposition bench, beginning on the_Speaker's extreme loft, will bo occupied by Messrs Massoy, ..Allen, .Hemes,,- X Eraser. Mr. Buchanan will sit closo behind M -n H«. rrlos » nnd Messrs. Hardy and Lah<r will be just at the back of Messrs.. Allen a n 3 Massey. The plan shows ; Mr. Hordman's name in the middle of the third row,- where Galler ', B s uar « l y Awards the Ladies' ',Mr. T. B.'Taylor has bespoken a place in the Opposition clock, next to Mr. Okey, but with; Sir, Wi ham ■ Steward just across tho passago on the. Government side. Probably : Mr. iaylor?s.choico is to ; be attributed not to any. intention to.throw in his lot with tho Imposition, but to a disposition to iiisi.* on , his right to have a Beat in whatever part of the House_ he prefers. Mr. Fißher and Mr; Wright, the two Wellington -Independents, are to occupy a double bench at the back oi the.Opposition territory. ••■■■, . .. _ Among the ..most familiar'', figures on the boyernment, sido may bo mentioned Mr Lawry, Mr. Field, Mr. Wilford, and Mr Davey; who,will,be located close behind the Ministerial reservation. Messrs. Remington, Laurcnson, Hall, and Graham will sit immediately in, front of tho Speaker;: Messrs . Arno 'a. Sidey.-and T. Y. Duncan will bo just at their backs, and Messrs. Colvin (formoriy/.Government Whip), Scddon, JenniiiEs, ; and Baume'willbe.a littlo further'in the ro .?, r - -: i %, srs - J- P- L«ke and D. M'Larcn will sit side by' side in, tho last. row of: the same Week. /.;,.'. '.'" ' . . '"Sfrangers." - ; The-galleries for- the ladies, tho public, and tho Legislative Councillors will; be onlyslightly raised above tho floor of the House. ..They, will contain respectively 31, 20, and 13 chairs. Councillors wishing to hoar the eloquence of the Commoners will come in from, tho members' lobby, but tho ladies and tbo general public. will havo a special, .entrance from.the garden front on the east, sido of the building., There aro two ample waiting rooms for them, and the largo tearoom is closo at hand. ..'..,-.•