PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 148, 24 June 1915, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

OPENED TO-DAY FORMAL CEREMONY The formal opening by Commission of the first session of the nineteenth Parliament of New Zealand this afternoon aroused a fair amount of interest among the outside public. At 2. 1S p.m. a small crowd had assembled outside Parliament Buildings, and a few people took their seats in the gallery of the Legislative Council, while the gallery seats in the Lower House were filled. There 'was much handshaking and a general buzz of conversation on the fiopr of the Council as the councillors took their seats. Punctually at 2.30 p.m. the Commissioners, Sir C. C. Bowen (retiring Speaker of the Council), Sir Francis BeU (Leader of the Council), and the Hon. Colonel Collins, M.L.C., arrived. and took their places. The last-named wore his military uniform. After Sir C. C. Bowen (Chief Commissioner) had. announced that His Excellency the Governor (Lord Liverpool) would not be present, the Black Rod summoned the Cab' met Ministers and members of the Lower House, who, for the first time since the inception of the Legislature in ' New Zealand, took their scats " during the Opening proceedings. The > Chief Commissioner then read the following message : — "Honourable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives,—His Excellency the Governor, not thinking fit to be present here this day in person, has beeu pleased in order to the opening and holding of this the First Session of the Nineteenth Parliament of New Zealand, to cause, Letters Patent to be passed under the seal of the Dominion, con* stituting us, and the several honourable members therein named his Commissioners to do all things in His Excellency's name on his part necessary .to be performed in this session of Parliament. 'This will more fully appear by the Letters Patent themselves, which must now be read. The Letters Patent were then read by the Clerk, and a following further statement was then made- by the Hon. tho Chief Commissioner to the effect that at 2.30 the following day His Excellency would declare in person the causes of his calling Parliament together. The members of the Lower House then returned through the corridors tp their places, and weio duly sworn-in by the new Clerk of the House, Mr. Lowe. * .On the motion of Dr. Newman/ seconded by Mr. Scott, Mr. F. W. Lang was re-elected Speaker unopposed.