PARLIAMENT OPENED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 154, 30 May 1940, Page 7

PARLIAMENT OPENED

SPEECH FROM THE THRONE EMERGENCY LEGISLATION INTRODUCTION IMMEDIATELY Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 30. Parliament was opened with the customary ceremony this afternoon, when the Speech from the Throne was read by His Excellency the Gov-ernor-General (Viscount Galway) in the Upper House.. The weather was beautifully fine for the occasion. Following tlie formal opening, emergency legislation placing all persons and their property at the disposal of the State will be introduced in the House.

PASSING OF PREMIER. The text of the Speech from the Throne is as follows : Honourable gentlemen of the Legislative Council and members of the House of Representatives.—Since I

last had the privilege of addressing you, the Dominion has suffered an irreparable loss in the death of the late

Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. Michael Joseph Savage), whose outstanding qualities of broad judgment, tolerant understanding, and love of humanity -had endeared him to all. The affection and esteem in which he -was held in New Zealand and elsewhere were indicated, in full measure by the universal expressions of sorrow on his passing. The late Prime Minister’s high sense of justice and morality were fully exemplified in his outspoken detestation of international injustice and aggression, and his whole-hearted support of the determination of the British Commonwealth and its Allies that aggression must be resisted. INTERNATIONAL SITUATION. The exigencies of the' international situation and the critical stage that has been reached in the conduct of hostilities with Germany have rendered it desirable, in the opinion of my advisers, to assemble Parliament at a date earlier than was otherwise contemplated.- My Ministers have considered it proper in the present c-rcum-stances’ that Parliament should be convoked with the minimum ot delay in order that my Government may lay before the representatives of the people an account of the steps that they have found it necessary to take, and in order to afford the fullest opportunity for consideration and discussion of the further measures that may now be | deemed requisite. | My Ministers have spared no effort, to give effect to the undertaking made bv them on the outbreak of war that this Dominion 'would co-operate in the common cause to the full extent of its resources, and as soon as the necessary precautionary steps had been taken to provide;for the defence of New Zealand against- possible raids or attacks my Ministers initiated the appropriate preparations to enable this Dominion to play its full part overseas. Tlie_ two cruisers of the New Zealand Naval Forces were at once placed under the operational control of the British Admiralty, and the gallant conduct in the Battle of the River Plate of_ ILM.S. Achilles, manned la.rgelv by New Zealanders. has b-'en a source of justifiable pride to us all. AIR TRAINING. Preparations were forthwith made to expand with the utmost rapiuity the organisation of the Royal i\ew Zealand Air Force, and seven new training establishments have now been provided. My Government were represented towards the end of last year at the conference in Canada which led to the adoption of a Commonwealth air training scheme of immense pro portions.. In this scheme New, Zealand is taking its full share, and it is contemplated that when the proposed arrangements are completely in opera-] tion this Dominion will be able to | supply personnel for the Royal Air Force at the rate of some three thousand annually. The magnitude of this undertaking is. sufficiently indicated by the financial commitment involved —- approximately £22 000.000 spread over a period of three years. Quite .vapart from this scheme and from the_ expansion of the Royal New Zealand Air Force there are. in addition, over six 1 , hundred New Zealanders now serving in the Royal Air Force, some of whom have' already achieved distinction. A OVERSEAS SERVICE. Asone of their first steps,' my Ministers decided to offer a division of all arms with ancillary troops for service overseas* and _ proceeded as speedily as possible to make the necessary arrangements for the accommodation and instruction of the large numbers of men involved. Training lias proceeded rapidly and efficently, and it is a matter of particular gratification to my Government that it has been possible to comply with the request of the Maori people for the establishment of a special battalion composed of members of their own race.

The Dominion lias been fortunate in obtaining the services of that distinguished soldier, Major-General B. C. Freyberg, V.C., C. 8., C.M.G., D. LL.D., to command the forces in the. field, and my advisers are confident that, under his leadership, the New Zealand Division can be relied upon to maintain the great traditions of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force of 1914-18. RECRUITING RESPONSE. My Ministers decided to raise all forces on a voluntary basis, and the response has been most creditable. For the Army alone 41,600 men have enlisted for service overseas, arid when account is taken of enlistments for the Air Force and for the Navy more than 58,000 individual and voluntary offers of service abroad have been received, of which more than 32,000 have up to the present been accepted. ' Indeed, the response to my Government’s call for volunteers has enabled them, to their great satisfaction, to j comply with the suggestions made by His Majesty’s Governihent in the United Kingdom that further subsidiary units in addition to the division should be formed. ' Proper co-ordination in New Zealand of the measures necessary to render the. best possible ; help towards the joint Commonwealth effort was materially assisted by the visit of riiy Prime Minister (then Deputy-Prime Minister), to London in October of • last year, where lie was afforded most generous and valuable opportunities of obtaining at first hand all the necessary information and advice.

FOODSTUFF SUPPLIES. The assistance that this Dominion can render is not confined to the provision of men for the 'Fighting Services. A very- important function of a country such as this is the supply of foodstuffs and raw materials, and my Ministers have accordingly arranged for the purchase of all the meat, butter, cheese and wool and other primary products of the Dornin- ’ ion, all of wlrch have been placed at the disposal of His Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom. The arrangements thus made are capable of considerable expansion as circumstances may require. My Ministers, with this object in view, have taken steps to encourage production to the fullest. extent and. in order to meet the situation created by the withdrawal of men to the Fighting Services from commerce, industry, and- agriculture, they have arranged for the preparation of a national register of man-power, and have established district councils with the object of ensuring an adequate supply of labour for purposes of public necessity. In this connection it' is recognised bv my -Ministers that further reductions in the number of men'employed on public works are essential if necessary labour requirements are to be fully met. and steps are being taken accordingly. . My Ministers have established a substantial organisation to deal with questions of supply, including the raw materials arid other commodities necessary for the industries of the Dominj ion, as well as many of the require--1 meats of tile Armed Forces. Steps have been taken also to control the consunwtion, of petrol with the object of eliminating • wasteful expenditure of. a commodity vitally necessary in time of war. and at, the same time conserving foreign exchange, which is essential to facilitate the purchase of materials required for the Allied cause. COMFORTS FOR TROOPS. I ani happy to say that the provisions made by my Government for controlling the collection and expenditure of public contributions for] the purpose of providing comforts, amenities, and relief for the members of the Armed Forces have proved effective, and the organisations established for this purpose are performing a most useful function in ensuring the efficient and economic administration of the large sums so generously subscribed by the public. CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS. Notwithstanding the outbreak of the war, the 100th anniversary of organised settlement and government in New ; Zealand was celebrated with enthusi- ; asm throughout the Dominion. The National Centennial celebrations at Waitangi and Akaroa were successful in a marked degree, not only as historical and commemorative functions, but as a means of cementing the national spirit so vital to the country < at the present time, and of strengthening the determination of our people to defend and safeguard their inheritance. OVERSEAS TRADE. Mr Speaker and. members of the House of Representatives.—Exports for the year ended March 31, 194 U, amounted in value to £59,643,000, an increase of £1,776,000 as compared with the previous year, and exceeded only in the year 1937 and 1938. Imports for the year ended March 31, 1940, totalled £45,571,000, compared with, . £54,408,000 for the previous year, a decrease of £8,837.000. This substantial decrease is "attributable, firstly, to my Government’s import selection policy —a policy designed to cnsure-Yhat the Dominion’s overseas funds are utilised according to the relative importance of the demands for goods and services; . and, secondly, to the .physical difficulty of obtaining imports which is the result of war conditions. In giving effect to the policy of import selection, preference is given where possible, firstly, to goods, of United Kingdom* origin; secondly, to goods from other parts of the British Commonwealth; and, thirdly, to goods from other countries within the sterling area. SURPLUS FOR YEAR. The Public Accounts, which reflect very intimately the economic conditions within the Dominion, closed with a surplus of £319,000, full details of which will be given to honourable members during the present session of Parliament. This surplus was achieved notwithstanding the . extra expenditure incurred as a result of the introduction of the social security benefits. - AVAR FINANCE. In accordance with the legislation passed during last session, a AVar Expenses Account lias been Established to which is credited the special war taxation that has been imposed and against which are charged the various costs and expenses resulting from 'the war. It i.t satisfactory to record that a substantial amount has also been received into the account from the public in the form of donations or loans i free of interest, and these will be of material assistance to the -Dominion’s war effort. Further measures will be, submitted to honourable members with a view to meeting the abnormal expenditure consequent upon the war.

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