THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4146, 4 July 1874, Page 4

THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

The fourth Session of the fifth Parliament of New Zealand was opened yesterday afternoon, by His Excellency the Governor of the Colony, the Right Hon. Sir James Fergusson. The Banks proclaimed a half-holiday for the occasion, and had it not happened that, from the fact of two English mails leaving yesterday and to-day, unusual pressure was brought upon, other offices, many of them would have followed the example. As it was, with the usual disposition for holiday-making on the opening-day of Parliament, large numbers of people found their way up to the Thomdon end of the City during the hour before the ceremony was commenced. No great show on the part of the military was permitted, the only corps that was called out being the Wellington Artillery and the Scottish Company. They assembled at the Drill-shed, in Willis Street, at one o’clock, when there was a very fair muster of both companies. The corps were formed two deep inside the Prill-shed, and proceeded along the footpath on Lambton Quay, the fine baud of the Artillery playing several martial airs on the march. By the time the buildings were reached, there was a large assemblage in front of the main entrance, and the Scottish Company wore drawn up to keep the way clear for the passage of the Governor’s carriage; the Artillery, who were told off for the special duty of acting as the guard of honor, taking up their station at the outer entrance to the Legislative Council chamber. Meanwhile members of both Houses had been assembling in the library and antechambers of tbe House. By some mistake of the orderly, or other official in charge of the duty, the flag which was to denote the Governor’s movements was hauled down as Lady Fergusson’s carnage left the door of Government House, and the Artillery detachment in charge of the guns on the reclaimed laud,” in obedience to their orders, which were to commence firing the salute as soon as the flag* was lowered, fired the first gun, followed in regular succession by the others, the mistake not being perceived until it was too late to remedy it; Lady Fergusson thus virtually received the Royal salute instead of tho Queen’s representative. While the salute was still continuing, His Excellency’s carnage, in which were seated the Governor, Captain Fergusson, A.D.C., tho Rev. F. A. Hare, M.A., Private Secretary to His Excellency, and Captain G. S. Nares of H.M.S. Challenger, left Government House escorted by mounted troopers of the Armed Constabulary force, and was driven rapidly up

to the entrance to the Legislative Council Chamber, the guard of honor presenting arms as the Governor left the carriage and entered the Chamber, accompanied by Iris suite, and by officers of the Challenger. As His Excellency entered, the members of the Council rose, andhewasconductedbytheHon. Major Richardson, the Speaker, to the chair, over which the Royal Arms were conspicuously presented. To the right of His Excellency were the officers of the Challenger'. On the left were seated Lady Fergusson, Lady Bell, Mrs. Fergusson, Mrs. Elwyn, and Miss Bell. A small number of Legislative Councillors filled the body of the hall, and on each side of the space whch was railed off for the members of the House of Representatives below the bar, chairs which had been placed there were occupied by ladies. In the gallery, at the end of the House facing the Speaker’s chair, which was reserved for ladies, nearly all the seats were occupied, and the gallery on the left of the chair, usually reserved for members of the Lower House who may wish to watch the proceedings of the Council, was crowded to excess by the fair sex, and others found places in the public gallery. Another bevy of ladies occupied the Speakers’ gallery. The Aide-de-Oamp having delivered his message to the Representatives, they shortly afterwards appeared at the entrance, preceded by their Sergeant-at-Arms bearing the mace of authority, and led by their Speaker, Sir Francis Dillon Bell. They advanced as far as the Bar of the House, the Speaker being in the centre, the Premier (the Hon. Julius Vogel), the Hon. Edward Richardson, and Hon. W. Reynolds being on his right hand, the other Ministers following. His Excellency, in a clear and distinct voice, read the Speech, and, having done so, handed a copy to the Hon. the Speaker of the Council, another copy having been handed by His Excellency’s Private Secretary to the Speaker of the House of Representatives. The guard of honor of the Artillery which had remained at their places during the ceremony, again saluted the Governor as he took his departure for Government House. Again, however, a mistake occurred : the orderly, mistaking Lady Fergussou’s carriage, as before, for His Excellency’s, gave the signal, and the guns were again booming before His Excellency had finally left. The Artillery and Scottish, after the ceremony were marshalled in the broad space in front of the building, and marched back to the drill-shod, where they were dispersed. The numerous company left the Council Chamber immediately after the vice-regal party, and a few minutes afterwards, the Council began the real work of the Session.