PARLIAMENT OPENS

Patea Mail, 27 March 1936, Page 2

PARLIAMENT OPENS

PICT I.'EESQUE CEREMONY. , PROCEEDINGS BROADCAST. • Parliament was formally opened by a commission on Wednesday for the purpose of electing a Speaker. The commission, which consisted of the Speaker of the Legislative Council (Sir Walter Carncross), the Hon. Mark Fagan (Leader of the Council), the Hon. R. Masters, the Hon. 'T. F. O’Byrne, and the Hon. E.' E. Davis, were all in fit'll evening dross. After the members of the. House of Representatives had been summoned bv the Gentleman Usher of the Black Eod, they were addressed by Sir Walter Carncross, who called upon them to ‘ ‘ repair to the place where they usually sit, and there make choice of a fit and proper person to fill the/ high and important office of Speaker.”

Members' were also commanded to present the Speaker at Government House at II a.m. on the following day for His Excellency the Governor’s ap-. proval. The members of the House of Representatives then returned to their chamber, where the swearing in ceremony took place. This was carried out expeditiously by the Clerk of the House, aided by the Clerk Assistant, Mr. G. F. Botlxamley. Members were called forward in fours alphabetically and the oath administered by Mr. Hall. It was noticeable that several Government members, two Ministers among them, preferred to make the alternative affirmation ■ rather than take the oath. Then members signed the printed oath in the book which constitutes the official Parliamentary record. Yesterday the Parliament was opened by His Excellency the Governor General, the picturesque ceremony being broadcast for the first time in the Dominion's, history. Mr. W. E. Barnard (Napier), who had been elected .Speaker the previous day, occupied the Speaker’s chair. Mr. Barnard is ’ the tenth Speaker of the House of Representatives since the establishment of responsible Government in New Zealand in 1854. His predecessors were (in this order): Sir Charles Clifford, Sir David Munro, Sir Francis Dillon 8011, Sir William Fitsherbert. Sir Maurice O’Rorkc, Sir William Stewart, Sir Arthur Guinness, Sir Frederick'Lang, and Sir Charles Stathain.