FINANCE AND DEFENCE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 632, 8 October 1909, Page 4

FINANCE AND DEFENCE.

• .'•■- .. • — |>. BUSINESS OF THE SESSION OUTLINED.

[' ' Tho spectacle of tho opening of Parliament I, la not what it used to be Tho broad expanse { ' of grten sward before tha old Parliament V ' Buildings offered ait setting for military I ' pomp and glitter, and tho softer charms of r ' beauty going beautifully. But tho cramped !> s frontage boforo tho presont affords | jmall room for display, and when tho volunl ' tcors and rtavals are draw'n up m line, and r " upaca left for tho dashing Herotaungas to urge I their prancing steeds before and after tho J • Tico»regnl carriage, a fow hundred spectators f are fortunafo if they can view 1, thd brief disL play Insido tho Legislative Council Chamber f ' thero is only room for a mens score or so oi I If female relatives of legislators to hoar the ' < Speech' deliTOred as members of tho general public i But tho ceremony of opening Parliament is tho samo as it has always been, and, therefore, " ft detailed description of yesterday's proceedj jngs would be moro wearisome than a twice- \ told talo Tha Ttoyal Now Zeahnd Artillery jf furnished tho guard of ( honour to his E^celt lencv/, ,and tho hring party for \tho Eoyal I salute, while the Garrison 'Band and blues' jackets from HMS Prometheus, wero also ? present The Goicrnor arrived prompt to [ ' time, mombors ofthe House of Uepresontativei £ wero summoned to tie othor Chambor, and the jt i Speech— Tory long, but containing nothing that f was not expected—was reed in the usual man- |' ncr f Colonels Robin, Collins, and Tuson, y members of the Council of Defence, with Capf tain Dawson, commander of the Prometheus", | wore present on tho of the Chambor I Lady Ward,, Miss Ward, "and -Mrs P,ndlay S- J tcto alao present, ihd bouquots wero proleented to the wives of tho Prime Minister'and Attorney General L It was thought- po«siblo ' that the Govornor would male somo special reference to tho'fact that he cleaving the Dominion next .year, but ho did not sea fit to do 60 The entiro function lasted loss "than half an hour.