THE KING’S SPEECH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12427, 16 February 1901, Page 6

THE KING’S SPEECH.

The development of Constitutional Go’ vernment has led us to expect the periodic speech from the throne to be colourless, but we'might have looked for some departure from the beaten track in the address of the King to his first’Parliament. Thera is no new or striking element, however, revealed in the cabled summary of the 'words in which King 'Edward -explained the “causes of summons” to the Lords and Commons. The inevitable reference to tha prolongation of the war in South Africa does, not indicate the opinion of the Government as to its possible duration, though we have no doubt that the Commons were given the unnecessary in’foiSma* tion that they would be asked for more money. Of special interest to the colonies is the promise that the constitution, of the Final Appeal Court of the Empire will ha revised.' The controversy concerning- tha famous Appeal Clause of ’ the Common 1 wealth Bill showed fairly conclusively that! the present system did not meet with unanimous, approval, and various suggestions, were made lor bringing it tadre into line with colonial'ideas. What shape tha ’ reform, will take -we cannot, of course, pred'et, but the colonies may at least expect stronger representation dh the Bench of the highest Judicial Court of the Empire. Ine visit of the Duke and Duchess of“ York to Australasia, as we have previously said, id ■something more than a compliment- to the , colonies. It is a recognition of the new place they have taken in the world. We need not traverse the whole Speech. Ita special interest arises, of course, from thO circumstances in which it was delivered. It is many yeans now since Parliament was opened by the Sovereign in person. Wo are naturally tempted to moralise oil the changes that have ccmfc over the relations of Crown and Parliament even during the past sixty years. Thursday’s proceedings show, however, that the death of the Queen has involved no change in the methods of government. There is one point in the Speech of an unusual character, though the conditions surrounding it are perfectly, regular. The King has atked for a renewal of*the Civil List on the same terms.-as those ruling during the last reign, probably, the first occasion since' the accession of George I. on which no change has been suggested in the grant. It 'was at the •Restoration that a distinction was first made between the civil andywar expenditure of the country, but until 1831 the proper, expenses of the Crown continued, to be regarded as part and parcel of the ordinary cost, of a dm. lustration. In that year Wiliam IV. was granted lh« suin' of £•510,0G0 to be devoted entirely to the privy purse, the . salaries and expenses Of "the Royal household, secret-service money ;imi pensions. On the accession of Queen Victoria, the civil list, which had long been the nature of a permanent- compact bstu cpu Sovrv’rgif and I’arlhmfint. was . on-e • v ;cl. The Queen -sinrendered (•;,/ !,;:.d.,icry rrvr.uui: of. the Crown, for life in con«ds ration <;f. a ycatly sum .Of £sßs,ooo,'charged against the Conecdidated Fund* ■“ to be devoted solely to the support

jof Majesty's household, and the honriur. »d dignity - of the Grown.” This sum, of bourse, does not include annuities and other grants, made by special Acts of Parliament to members of the Royal Family, and in addition the Queen had the power to grant pensions which amounted in the aggregate to (some £25,000 a year. Possibly the renewal of the Civil List may involve a change in the method of distributing the pension, grant, and other minor alterations may be made, but there is no reason to suppose that the general scheme will oe revised. In this, as in other, matters, it is apparently the attention of his Majesty’s advisers to maintain the practices and: traditions of the;/last reign, and if the-same; standards of . political, and social -life are also upheld: the progress and welfare of the Empire will be assured.