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PARLIAMENT OPENED

GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S SPEECH WELLINGTON, Juno 28. Although the weather was thicatening throughout the morning, and although a cold wind from the south-west brought a threat of rain, the sky cleared in the early afternoon and the formal opening of the fourth session of the twenty-fourth Parliament of New Zealand took place in pleasant conditions. A large crowd assembled before the building half an hour before his Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, was due to arrive, and a guard of honour provided by the gen-

oral headquarters training depot at Trentham was drawn up for his inspection immediately in front of the main entrance.

At 2.15 p.m. their Excellencies left Government House, a salute of 19 guns being fired from the Point Jerningham Battery. With their Excellencies were Sir Cecil Day, C.M.G., C.8.E., official secretary to the Governor-General, Lieutenant J. C. Elworthy, R.N., and Captain J. W. Tweedie, A.D C. After the Governor-General had inspected the guard of honour, he was met on the steps by the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod (Mr A. T. Bothamlcy, 1.5.0.) and proceeded to the Legislative Council Chamber, where the councillors wore already assembled. The members of the House of Representa-

tives were called to the chamber, and Lord Bledisloe delivered the Speech from the Throne, reviewing tho important events and tendencies of the recess, and sketching the Government’s legislative programme for the coming session.

The scene in the chamber was most impressive and colourful, and imeiost was added to the proceeding, by tho presence of the recently-appointed Legislative Councillors, who took their seals for the first time, and of ."Wss Jean Batten, who was a guest in the gallery. Tn his Speecn from tho Thrine, Ins Excellency said:—

Hon. Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Members of the House of Representatives—j “As this will be the last occasion upon which 1 shall have the privilege of addressing you in Parliament assembled, li,desire to express to you and through u to persons of all classes and both races in this Dominion, my deep appreciation of the goodwill which has been Consistently extended to me as King’s representative and also to Lady BledisIbc during our sojourn amongst you in a period of almost unprecedented economic adversity and my earnest hopes for tho future well-being of the Hpople of this Dominion. We shall ><Uit its shores’ with much reluctance ybd with many happy memories. I Wiled hardly add that wo shall not fail, “ft'o'r’ leaving a country in which we Have experienced so much kindness, to grasp any opportunities which may hereafter present themselves to advance

its welfare. His Royal Highness, the Duke of Gloucester, will, with His Majesty’s permission, be visiting New Zealand as the guest of my Government for a period of some five weeks from tho .15th December next. I am confident that the people of the Dominion will, in pursuance of their steadfast loyalty to the Crown, and their affection for His Majesty, accord to him a very hearty welcome. “Aly ministers have followed the proceedings of the Disarmament Conference at Geneva with the closest interest and sympathy, and have consistently maintained their warm support of the cause of general disarmament and of the system of rriendly collaboration in international affairs through the League of Nations. . This policy they intend to continue.

“The Native race made the last Treaty of Waitangi the occasion for celebrating the dedication oi the Waitangi Esatc to the people of New Zealand and during the ceremony there were laid adjacent to the old British residency tho foundations of a carved Maori meeting house, which they desired to associate with the site now vested in the Waitangi National Trust Board. Tho assembly provided striking evidence that the Treaty of Waitangi has served to unify the various tribes composing the native race and perpetuate their loyalty to the British Crown, and the large combined gatheiing of pakehas and Maoris was a pleasing demonstration of tho friendship and comradeship so happily existing between the two peoples. “During your Parliamentary recess the trade agreement between His Majesty’s Government in Canada and Now Zealand which was executed in 1932, has been extended until the 24th May, 1935. The report of the Commission which was appointed on the 9th May, 19; 3. to inquire into tho Customs tariff of the Dominion, has now been received, and will be laid before you at an early date. Legislative amendments; of the tariff embodying inter alia the obligations undertaken by this Dominion at the Ottawa Conference will be prepared for your consideration during this session. The Commission appointed to inquire into certain matters affecting the administration of Native affairs has not yet completed its investigations. Its report will be submitted to you in due course.

Mr Speaker and Members oi tne House of Representatives— Dining the past year thcic has been a gratifying change for the Yetter in the economic position and the future outlook. The. steady progress towards trade recovery now being effected in the United Kingdom, which is the principal market for our exports, augurs well for this Dominion. New Zealand has already received substantial benefit from the market recovery in the price of wool and from the less spectacular but welcome improvemeat in that of meat and its by-products. As a result an appreciable section of our farming community are now receiving a more adequate financial return from their commercial enterprise. Not only is trade generally benefitted from the expenditure of this additional income, but as the result of psychol >gical reaction to rising prices, confidence is engendered iu business and ’he whole community is eriheartoned and initiative stimulated. The most serious problem awaiting solution is tl at of the dairy industry, which plays a part of ever increasing importance in the economic life of this Dominion. The export prices of butter and cheese have remained at low level and in addition, the welfare of the industry is threatened by an over-supply of these commodities to the markets of Great Britain. This is a problem to which my ministers have devoted much anxious thought and at present every aspect of it is being fully investigated by a commission.

“Past experience has demonstrated that an abundant supply of cheap credit is a powerful factor in overcoming economic depression and since the wide crisis, my ministers have steadily pursued a polcy calculated to lower interest rates within the Dominion. Following upon the successful conversion of the internal PubHc Debt, rapid progress is now being iradc with the conversion of the securities of local bodies. Tho success of this policy is evident from the fact that market rates of interest havff already fallen to a level appreciably lower than those fixed as a basis for the conversion operations. As part of the policy of economic readjustment it has been found necessary to effect by statute a general reduction in the rates of interest on mortgages. This was a temporary ’measure, but the position has now been generally stabilised by the fall of the market rates of interest for this clastf of investment to the stutory minimum rate and in some cpscs below

“The establishment of the reserve bank of New Zealand is new in progress and it is anticipated that the deliberate management of the monetary system, by a national institution specially constituted for that purpose, cannot fail to be of material benefit to the people of the Domiionn. As a result of the economic crisis there has been a widespread belief among certain sections of the commuity that serious defects exist in our monetary system. Accordingly, my ministers, in their desire to explore every avenue which might aid recovery >*br prevent a recurrence of serious economic difficulties, have set up a committee to consider suggested improvements in the existing system. The report of this committee will be placed before you at an early date.

“The improvement disclosed by the public accounts for the past financial year, as compared with the budget forecast, is a satisfactory and an indication of marked improvement in the- financial position of the Dominion in the conditions existing when the Budget was presented. A deficit exceeding £2.000,000 was contemplated and the reduction to approximately one-third of this estimated deficit, by reason of unexpected buoyancy in revenue and of economy in public expendituie, is a source of gratification to my ministers. Their earnest attention is being directed towards maintaining this improvement. Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Members of the

House of Representatives— The Government have given close attention to the question of land settlement and steady progress has been made, not only in the extension of general settlement under the Lend Act, but also in the placing of unemployed men on the land under the provisions of the small farms (relief of unemployment) Act. As the process absorbs a large amount of surplus labour and nt the same time tends to meet the demand for improved holdings at a minimum cost my Ministers are continuing the policy of developing and equipping with roads, area** of unimproved Crown land and partly improved estates acquired for that purpose. With the assistance of funds made available by the Unemployment Board since I last addressed you, many settlers have been successfully established on such areas and the blocks now in course of development will provide a large number of holdings suitable for diversified types of productive enterprise. Although unemployment still continues to be a difficult social and economic probleb my Ministers are gratified to state that the number of persons receiving assistance from the unemployment fund is appreciably lower than it was during the corresponding period of last year. There are indications of a gradual but definite return to more normal conditions and it is .confidentally anticipated that the reabsorption of registered unemployed in their usua.l occupations will continue to incre.nse. My advisers, however, are firmly impressed with the necessity of making every effort to accelerate this movement and are accordingly using all means within their power to stimulate tr'<de and industry in the Dominion and to encourage the opening up of further avenues of permanent employment. “The Mortgagors and Tenants Relief Act has afforded a welcome respite fi’om financial stress to the many mortgagors who found themselves faced with insuperable difficulties through recent adverse economic conditions. The several Commissions constituted in pursuance of this Legislation have, rendered valuable service in investigating and recommending cases of arrangement between mortgagor and mortgagee'. The provision made in your last session to include stock mortgages in adjustment schemes, framed under the Act, has conduced to its more equitable administration. To prevent possible hardship in the case of current mortgages it is deemed advisable to extend the effective period of this legislation for another two years, and proposals to this end will be placed before you. “With a view to improving the defences of the Dominion my Ministers have taken measures to develop their force to establish anti-aircraft batteries and to strengthen the coastal defences of the Dominion. Orders have been placed for the first instalment consisting of two flights of gcneia! purpose land planes, and for the first of a number of advanced trainer aircraft, with tho necessary spare parts aud equipment. The initial orders for anti-air-craft and coast defence armamerts will, it is hoped, be executed by the end of the current financial year. The establishment of a chain of landing grounds for aircraft throughout the country has also been put in hand. “ With the object of stimulating interest in the territorial for.’.e my Ministers have decided to grant pay for prescribed courses of training carried out locally. In addition to tra’nging camps, the existing charts of the New Zealand coast have been found to be insufficiently complete to meet the full requirements of ocean transport and ships are frequently delayed owing to difficulty in determining their exact position under conditions of low visibility. Navigation instruments are now obtainable by the aid of which these delays could largely be obviated if the coastline and neighbouring seabed were fully and accurately charted. My Ministers have been in communication with His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom and have been informed that a suitable surveying ship will be available to undertake this work in 1935, when it is contemplated that the question of providing the necessary funds will be brought before Parliament.

“Bills will be submitted for your consideration amending the law relating to British Nationality and status of aliens, cinematograph films, commercial trusts, distress and replevin, the slaughtering and inspection of livestock, river board’s, mining and poisons. “I earnestly pray that divine probidence may continue to direct your deliberations to the adbaneement of the welfare of the Dominion.”

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/KAIST19340702.2.20

Bibliographic details

Kaikoura Star, Volume LIV, Issue 51, 2 July 1934, Page 4

Word Count
2,112

PARLIAMENT OPENED Kaikoura Star, Volume LIV, Issue 51, 2 July 1934, Page 4

PARLIAMENT OPENED Kaikoura Star, Volume LIV, Issue 51, 2 July 1934, Page 4

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