NEW PARLIAMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24824, 22 February 1944, Page 4

NEW PARLIAMENT

START OF SESSION

FORMAL OPENING TO-DAY (0.c.) WELLINGTON, Monday

The formal opening of Parliament will take place to-morrow. It will be held in the chamber of the Upper House and will be performed by a commission of six members of the Legislative Council. after which members of the House of Representatives will go to their own chamber to be sworn in and to elect a Speaker. For this office the Government will nominate Mr. F. W. Schramm, member for Auckland East. The ceremonial opening by His Excellency the Governor-General, Sir Cyril Xewall, with the speech from the Throne, will take place on Wednesday. The opinion that secret sittings of Parliament should be confined to matters which could not be divulged publicly was expressed to-day by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland, in replying to a question regarding the session. He said he h.yl no information from the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. I'. Eraser, regarding the business of Parliament or whether it was intended to hold a secret session.

Jn his view secret sittings should be strictly limited to the opportunity of asking for and getting information from the Government which in no circumstances should be disclosed publicly. They should go no further. Mr. Holland added that he thought a good many things discussed in secret sessions could and should be publicly debated by the House.

Mr. Holland stated that during his travels he had found that great interest was being taken by the public regarding the future proceedings in Parliament, and a particularly keen interest in the 17 new members of his party. He indicated that the Opposition was not out for party sniping in the coming session.

A caucus of National Party members will be held to-morrow. THEFTS AT AWANUI NEED FOR LOCAL CONSTABLE (0.C.) KAITAIA, Monday . The need for a resident police constable at Awanui n-as stressed by Mr. Raymond Ferner, S.M., in the Kaitaia Court, when two Maoris from Awanui were sentenced to imprisonment on theft charges. Mr. Ferner said that there had been many prosecutions for theft from the Awanui wharf and from other parts of Awanui. The remedy was increased police supervision, and he would recommend that a permanent police constable should be stationed at Awanui.

The natives concerned were Joe Svlva and William Waitohi. Both pleaded not guilty to a charge of the theft from the Awanui wharf of a keg of beer, the property of the Air Force canteen. On conviction, both men were sentenced to six months' imprisonment. THREE PEOPLE INJURED

CAR AND TRUCK COLLIDE (0.C.) DARGAVILLE, Monday Three occupants of a motor-car were injured and admitted to the Northern Wairoa Hospital as a result of a collision between a motor-truck and car on the Tikiuui main highway yesterday morning. They were Mrs. R. K. Constable, of Tikinui, abrasions to the face and shock; Mr. William Constable, her husband, shock; Mr. Arnold Hay. abrasions to the arm and face. The condition of the injured this morning was reported to be satisfactory. TIMBER YARD FATALITY CIRCULAR SAW ACCIDENT (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, Monday A sawyer was fatally injured when working in a timber yard this afternoon. He was Mr. Gilbert George, aged 38. Deceased was operating a circular saw when a piece of wood flew off, striking him on the head. He was sent to hospital by ambulance, but was dead on arrival. ELDERLY MAN INJURED (•0.C.) WHANGAREI, Monday Struck by a delivery van while leaving the Kawakawa railway station this morning, an elderly man, Mr. Rivers Lowe, of Takapuna, Auckland, was seriously injured, and was admitted to the Kawakawa Hospital, suffering from internal injuries, severe abrasions and shock. His condition is serious. Mr. Lowe is a visitor to Russell, and had arrived in Kawakawa by the morning train to risit friends.