THE SPECIAL SESSION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10846, 11 March 1921, Page 6

THE SPECIAL SESSION

OPENED YESTERDAY BY VISCOUNT JELLIGOE

IMPORTANT SUBJECTS FOR IMPERIAL CONFERENCE

" CONTINUED COHESION OF THE EMPIRE ”

With customary ceremony the special session of Parliament was opened yesterday. It was the second session of the twentieth Parliament. The day was fine, but at about the hour fixed for the ceremony the weather became chilly and dull. However, a largo crowd gathered in Parliament grounds and their vicinity to witness the arrival of tho Governor-General. The main entrance .to Parliament Buildings was suitably draped with flags, .and the new Legislative Council Chamber, m which the ceremony was held, looked to be a little nearer completion than on the occasions of former openings. The galleries within the * Chamber were thronged by onlookers- No seat was vacant. e •At about 2.20 p.m. a salute of guns signalled the departure of His Excellency from Government House for Parliament Buildings. On his arrival at Parliament the H.M.S. Chatham band played the National Anthem. The Governor-General was accompanied by Lady Jellicoe, and was attended by Captain. Curtin (private secretary), Mir A. C. Day (official secretary), Captain Mundy and Captain Southey (A.D.C.’s), Commodore Hotham (of H-M.S. Chatham),. General Sir Edward Chaytor (O.C. New Zealand Forces), and other officers. THE SPEECH BUSINESS OF THE SESSIONAddessing 'the members of both Houses, His Excellency said: — Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives,— Addressing you in Parliament assembled to-day lor the first time since my assumption of the office of GovernorGeneral of New Zealand, I wish, to assure you of my sincere desire to cooperate -with you in all our efforts to advance the prosperity of this Dominion and to promote peace and goodwill among its people. During the visits which I have been privileged to pay to the principal towns an-1 to some of the country districts of the Dominion I have been deeply impressed by the spirity of loyalty to tho Grown which, is so greatly in evidence, and by the cordial welcome extended to me a s His Majesty’s Representative. The Imperial Government have informed the several Governments of the overseas Dominions and dependencies of His Majesty’s desire that an Imperial Conference should 'be held in London in the month of June of the present year, and that it is of the utmost importance that the Prime Ministers of the British Dominions should be present in person. My Ministers have accordingly advised me to convene the present session of Parliament, and to ipvite your consideration of the proposal that my Prime Minister should represent New Zealand at the Oenference. It will also be necessary to make provision for tho financial requirements of the Dominion during has absence. The legislation to be submitted to you will be limited to statutory extension of appropriations, the continuance of certain expiring laws, and some matters which. cannot without causing inconvenience stand over. A second session will be convened later ia the year for the transaction of the ordinary business of Parliament. My Ministers believe that honourable members of both branches of the Legislature recognise the gravity of the matters which must be considered at this Imperial Conference, and that it is essential that the Prime Ministers of tile self-governing Dominions should take personal part in the discussion and determination of questions which involve the relations of the latter to each other, and also the relations of the British Commonwealth, as a whole with otner nations of -the world, so that there may be no question as to the continued cohesion of the Empire itself. I pray that Divine Providence may guide your deliberations.

Rave notice of his intention to move the Address-in-Reply. A NfflV BILL. Mr R. MoCallum (Wairau) gave notice to introduce the Mortgage Extension Act Amendment Bill. HOW MANY MORE!* Mr Wilford asked the Prime Minister to inform the House at the earliest opportunity as to the number of bills he proposed to take this—aession; also, possible, the order in which they would be taken; and would he tell the House, too, the day on which the Address-m-Reply debate would begin, and whether he would take Monday sitting. Personally, said 'lr Wilford, he believed that the House should sit on Mondays; and he was sure the hon. members would like to hear the answers to these questions. Mr Massey: Certainly, * I propose to ask. the House to sit on Monday. Mr Wilford: At what time? Mr Massey: At 2.30, and to take the Address-in-Reply at 7.30 that evening. He added that he could not answer the other question, though it was quite a proper one to ask. But he did not think there would be more than three bills. Replying to a further question by Mr Wilford, the Prime Minister asid that he did not propose to take to-day for anything other than the usual purpose jof passing resolutions of condolence and sympathy in relation to members of the Legislature who have passed away since last session: A FIRST READING. Mr Massey moved that the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill be read a first time pro forma. This was agreed to, and it 3 p.m. the House adjourned till 2.20 this afternoon.