IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18325, 15 February 1923, Page 7

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEM. HOPE FOR IMPERIAL TRADE. LABOUR M.P.'S OUTBURST. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright (Received 9.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON, Feb. 13. The King and Queen drove to Westminster to open Parliament under clouded skies. The route of the Royal procession was thickly lined with spectators. The attendance of peers and peeresses was smaller than at the last opening. The Duke of York was seated at Iho head of tho Dukes' bench, and the Prince of Wales immediately preceded Their Majesties to the Chamber.' Sir James Allen, High Commissioner for New Zealand, and Sir Joseph Cook, High Commissioner for Australia, were seated next to the Ambassadors' gallery. Mr. H. S. W. Lawson, Premier of Victoria, was also present. Members of the House of Commons arrived as early as four o'clock, to reserve scats for the session, though it did not open till eight o'clock. When the Royal summons arrived there was a large attendance of Labour members, but Conservatives and Liberals were only moderately represented.. Mr. Lloyd George and Mr. Asquith were notable absentees. , _.._. Tho King's Speech, after references to', the Bfuhr situation and relations with Turkey, said that reductions in public expenditure remained essential 'to the well-being of the State. Serious unemployment caused His Majesty the deepest concern, and must continuously engage his Ministers' attention. He earnestly trusted that "the country might anticipate continued improvement- in both Home and external trade.- and looked forward particularly to the greater development of inter-Imperial trade in co-operation with the various Governments of the Empire.

In the House of Lords the Princo of Wales and the Duke of York listened to the debate on the Address-in-Reply, sitting on the front cross-bench with Lord StamforJdham. Lord WiJloughby da Brake moved, and Lord Hastings seconded tho Address. discount Grey said that unemployment was a very serious question at the present time; The condition of the country would never be really sound with the amount of unemployment existing. * The Address was voted. In the House of Commons, Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, Leader of the Labour Party, said that so tremendous was Uhe problem of unemployment that he appealed to all sides of the House to try to grapple with the question without passion or prejudice. Mr. J. Wheatley, Labour member for Glasgow, defending the hunger marchers, said that they were 'the victims of a capitalistic society. He wished the hungermarchers would blow up the town. All British history showed that if people made themselves sufficiently unpopular they would get what they wanted. Ministerialists were more interested in consuming champagne than studying social problems. . The debate was adjourned.