N.S. WALES POLITICS

Otago Witness, Issue 3098, 30 July 1913, Page 55

N.S. WALES POLITICS

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

SYDNEY, Julv 22.

The final session of the State Parliament was opened to-day by the Governor (Sir Gerald Strickland) with the usual ceremonies. The Governor's Speech covered ihe measures outlined in Mr Holman's policy speech on the 12th inct. The erection of grain elevators, the proposal for an underground city railway and vehicular ferry services between Sydney and North Sydney, and the creation of more model suburbs in tho metropolitan and country industrial centres were foreshadowed.

When the Legislative Assembly reassembled after the opening ceremony the Speaker (Mr Willis) caused a simmer of excitement by announcing that he had a communication to make in regard to the office of Speaker and interference with party politics by the Lieutenant-governor (Sir William Cullen). lie moved that the document he printed. After some demur on tho part of the Opposition to appoint tellers the motion was carried.

„ Mr Willis thereupon, amid wild Opposition cheering, tendered his resignation of the Speakership. The document which was tabled by Mr Willis traces the events leading to his acceptance of the Speakership and the terms of Ids acceptance. Mr Willis’s statement proceeds as follows :—“ The time lias arrived when I must report a grave abuse of constitutional practice by Sir William Cullen during the absence of the Governor (Lord Chelmsford) in England in 1911. While he was acting as Lieutenant-governor Sir William Cullen officially received and conferred with members of the Opposition—persons who 19 hoitrs previous to their meeting Sir William Cullen had disgraced the Assembly by an organised effort to prevent the election of a Speaker. At the conclusion of the interview Sir William Cullen informed the acting-Premier (Mr Holman) that he would not receive the newly-chosen Speaker. This attempt to cast an indignity on Parliament was averted by the Cabinet, which informed Sir William Cullen that if he gave a personal affront to the Speaker they would resign. Sir William Cullen then invited Mr Holman officially to meet Mr Wade, and the latter proposed that the newlychosen Speaker should be removed from office, Mr Wade undertaking to nominate one of bis party for the office. Mr Holman declined to agree. When Mr M'Gowen returned from England and resumed the Premiership Sir William Cullen invited him to meet Mr Wade, and a similar proposal was made, but Mi M-Gowen declined to assent.” The document concludes as follows :—- “ The Lieutenant-governor carried with him from Parliament a partisan bias in favour of bis old colleagues, and consequently lias shown himself to be unfit for the constitutional office of the administration of responsible government. His partiality encouraged the Opposition in its wanton abuse of me as Speaker. With pain my duty compels me to place on record the foregoing facts. I shall forthwith through the Governor report my complaint to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. 1 shall now voluntarily vacate the chair without delay, and tender my resignation of the Speakershin.” July 25. In tlie Assembly Mr Wade traversed the statements contained in the document tabled by Mr Willis. He said : “ This cowardly man before retiring from the Speakership endeavoured t-o throw discredit upon a man who is as high above him as the sun is above the earth. Mr Willis’s statement is deeply biassed, and based on a falsehood, and also involves a breach of confidence.” Mr Wade defended the action of Sir W. Cullen and himself in connection with the events following the choice of Mr Willis as Speaker, and gave a direct denial to the version contained in the document ns to what transpired at the meetings between Sir W. Cullen, Mr Holman, Mr M'Gowen, and himself. Mr Holman followed. The Premier said he had not seen any of the statements which appeared in the document, and was not in a position to say whether all of them were inaccurate, bat they cer-

tainly did not represent any conversations made by him to a third person. Regarding Sir W. Cullen lie never saw nor heard anything on the part of the Lieutenantgovernor which was not characterised by the eincereet regard for the rights of the people, and by a desire to preserve the constitutional rights o? Parliament. July 24. Mr Holman gave notice of motion to rescind the authorisation of the printing of the document tabled by Mr Willis attacking the Lieutenant-governor, and that the document be expunged from the records of the House. The document was not. read when Mr Willis secured his motion for printing it, which the Government supported. Mr Holman, after reading it, therefore decided to move that the motion be expunged. THE NEW SPEAKER. SYDNEY, July 22 Mr H. D. Morton, a member of Ilia Independent party, was chosen as Speaker. THE LOAN PROPOSAL. SYDNEY, July 24. In the Assembly the Treasurer (Mr Cann) stated that he proposed asking for a special Dill authorising the raising of £5,000,000 in London for railway duplication and other works. Mr Wade strongly attacked the Government, principally on its financial administration, to which he attributed the present high cost <ri living. He concluded his speech by moving a direct want-of-confidonce motion. July 25. In the Assembly Mr Holman made a spirited reply to Mr Wade in defence of the Government and its policy. The House and the censure debate stand adjourned till Tuesday. Mr Holman's motion for the expunging of Mr Willis’s document will be taken on Wednesday.