POLITICAL NOTES

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 149, 25 June 1915, Page 8

POLITICAL NOTES

THE GOVERNMENT'S 41. A statement in a contempbrary today is: "The Government caucus has still to take place, but the number of members present cannot exceed 40, and there is quite a possibility that it will be only 39." Thiß sentence conveys a suggestion that the Government ha 3 still cause to be in suspense about the attitude of a member or two in the Ministerial tally of 41. The text of the mysterious passage would be correct in regard to any caucus meeting of Government men between now and Monday, but the simple explanation gives the assertion quite another colour. The Speaker never attends a caucus. Therefore, with the elimination of Mr. Lang, tho maximum attendance for the caucus is 40. Mr. E. Newman, member for Rangitikei, is detained at home by illness in his family, and he cannot arrive earlier than Monday. Thus the present maximum strength of a caucus is 39. THIS AFTERNOON'S CEREMONY. An old-time ceremonial atmosphere was^ imported to the opening of Parliament by His Excellency Lord Liverpool this afternoon An incident almost unique in New Zealand history was that uien who are now virtually regular soldiers provided the guard of honour, and certainly if there is a parallel case it must be far back in the annals of the country. On this occasion the Guard of Honour was chosen from the Infantry of the 6th Reinforcements, each company providing an equal number of men, the total comprising three officers and 100 men. The Guard of Honour was flanked by -« squad of twelve men, under a noncommissioned officer, drawn from the Trentham Mounted Rifles and Artillery. These troops were drawn up in the Parliamentary grounds in front of the Parliamentary Buildings. Crowds of people gathered about. The Trentham Gamp Band played the National Anthem when His Excellency drove up with the Countess of Liverpool, and the troops presented arms. His Excellency, who was in his Governor's uniform, and escorted the Countess of Liverpool by the hand, was met at the door by the Black Rod (Mr. A. T. Bothamley) and White Rod (Mr. G. Hamilton). Inside the vestibule were 13tig.-Gen. Robin, Acting Commandant of the Forces, and the chief staff officers and honorary aides-de-camp to His Excellency drawn up in two lines, who saluted as His Excellency arrived. Black Rod then led the way down the corridors to the Council Chamber, the way to which was lined by twenty-four | soldiers from Trentham, standing statuesque, with rifles at the shoulder. As Black Rod led the way along the corridors the officers fell in behind, and after them marched solemnly White Rod, immediately conducting the Governor and the Countess of Liverpool. Hi* Excellency's aides-de-camp brought up the rear. AN OLD CUSTOM. It is an old cu«tom that the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall be presented' to His Excellency the morning after his election, to receive i the Vice-Regal approval. On this occasion, the Speaker formally lays claim to the privileges of Parliament. There is set phraseology which both the Speaker and His Excellency, in reply, use. This . morning the Hon. F. W. Lang, the reelected Speaker, accompanied by several members, motored to Government House to comply with the requirements of tradition. On such occasions, members are attired in the conventional dress, which members of Parliament in New Zealand do not often employ.