THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20582, 4 December 1928, Page 10

THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

ARRANGEMENTS IN THE HOUSE. ALLOCATION OF SEATS. MR TAVERNER ON MINISTERIAL ‘ BENCHES. (Special to Daily Time*.) ■ _ WELLINGTON. December 3. The seating accommodation for the new metubprs of the House of Representatives has now_ been arranged and is of more ■)• than ordinary interest. Interest is natur.adly centred .on the seating of the mem- , of the i new Opposition,. which may ba taken to indicate to some extent the allotment of portfolios in the new Cabinet, which it is expected will be formed upon , the ■ defeat of the present Government. The seating to the other side of the Chamber is now occupied by tho Government. i We find Sir Joseph Ward in the seat of honour, witlj Mr G. W. Forbes on Lis I loft as first lieutenant. On the bench on the left will be eeated Mr T, M. Wilford and. Sir Apirana Ngata. On the left of the Wilford-Ngata bench will bp’seated Mr W.; A. Veitch and Mr W. B. Taverner, and on the right of the Ward-Forbea . , bench are Messrs < H. Atmoro and E. A. • Ransom. These eight, if the seating goes for anything, may-be taken as likely to be the leading members of the Cabinet. , Ofi the bench immediately behind, the seats are allotted as follows:—Messrs W. J. Poison, J. B. Donald, P. A. de la Perrelle, A. J. Murdoch. G. C. C. Black, .G. S. Smith, A.. J. StaUwor.thy, and J. G. Cobbo. The rear back benches are to be occupied by Messrs W. J. Broadfoot, 6. H. Clinkard, W. A. Bodkin, H. R. ■ , Jenkins, T.' W. IM'Donald, D. M’Dougall, , J. A. Macpherson,, and T. Makitinara. Mr C. Wilkinson has taken a back seat below the gangway. Tile front-bench Labour men are Messrs H. K. Holland, P. Fraser, M, J. Savage, E. J. Howard, D, Q. Sullivan, and J. M'Comhs. • THE WHIPS. . Judging from the seats to be occupied by members, the whips of the United Party will be Messrs P. A. de la Perrelle and xt; J. Murdoch, * each of whom has had experience in a former Parliament. Mr J. Bitchener (at present Government • Whip) has now as hi’s bench, mate Mr a:• A.. M. Samuel; It is customary to have the North Island and the South Island represented in these appointments, ' LABOUR CAUCUS. .. The Labour Party held a lengthy meeting in caucus this afternoon, wnen no : ( doubt tactic* in connection with cial were discussed. The party, - however, decided to keep the proceedings , . secret, so the Whips had'nothing, to say to .the press. This secrecy may be ominous.-' ' 1 ■ DEPARTMENTAL STATEMENTS. . Before the present Government retires from office it will present to Parliament a detailed statement; of the position of ■ each department. This is an interesting and. a business-like action on thel part, of the . Prime Minister, and'.one that may prevent much disputation in future de- . bates. , . THE OPENING CEREMONY. -; ,HIS. EXCELLENCY’S COMMIS- • SIGNERS. (PiR United Press Association.) i ' WELLINGTON, December 3. *. Parliament will be opened at 2.30 .p.m, to-morrow 1 , by commission. The .*■' "Commissioners appointed by his Excellency the / Governor-General are Sir , - ..Walter Cafncross, Sir, Francis Belli Sir • /Heaton Rhodes, and Sir-William Halli iJones. : ]■ ■ . ■■■' ■ ; 1 .• , ADDRESS-IN-REPLY. ' V- '■ J;- .. . • . ■ L- ■ - ■: \ DURATION OF THE, DEBATE. THE POSITION OBSCURE. . .{Special to Daily Times.) . WELLINGTON, December 3. Nearly all the members of the new vParliament have now arrived in Welling-■-ton for the opening of Parliament to-mor- , ■ row, when the proceedings will bcformal. ■, -It is expected that Sir Charles Statham •will be elected Speaker for the term of the Parliament. ‘ The official opening of Parliament by , Excellency the Governor-General >w}ll take place fit 2.30 to-morrow aftcr- •, noon. , Hjs Excellency will be received I ion arrival at. Parliament Buildings by 'a Guard of Honour consisting'of 100 men ‘.from the Central Depot of the New Zear land Corps of Signals under Captain . Ashbridge, and the Artillery Band,: ' under Captain Herd, will be in attend--ance. It is understood that the 'Governor-General’s speech will be brief, wnd will merely set out the reasons for. summoning Parliament for an extra- . ordinary session. j ! At the time of writing it is not settled ■ ..whentheAddress-in-Replj- d'ate will be .commenced. The 1 mover of the Address-in-Reply will be Mr A, E. Ansell (Chalmers), and the seconder Mr R, W. Hall .(Hauraki). Sir Joseph Ward’s amend--ment of no-confidence will, in any case, probably be reached on Thursday. It is Impossible to forecast accurately the duration of the debate. It may be brief, or a surprise move by the Labour Party -may prolong it. ■ The unemployment question may be debated. It is antim- , paled that the fate of the Government will not be decided until the division on Sir Joseph Ward’s no-confidence amendment. , Some think it may not take place sbon as was 'generally expected. After/the election of a new Parliament it is customary to take a vote some time In Jnly on the question' as to 'whether alcoholic liquor* shall be dispensed in Bellamy’s, No such vote is taken in an extraordinary session like the. presen, one, so. that the question will remain in abeyance for the meantime. : Among the visitors to Wellington is ‘Mr T. K. Sidey, who *s in 1 close touch •with Sir Joseph Ward and Mr Masters, .the executive head of the United Party. POLITICAL PARTIES! ’ .(Per United Press Association.) . - WELLINGTON, December 3. The caucus of the Labour Party was held to-day, but it was stated that there were no decisions to be made public. There was a meeting of the United Party, but it was more in the nature of » social function with a view to bringing the members closer together. - The names of members elected to Parliament have been gazetted.