EMERGENCY SESSION OPENS

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 79, 12 March 1931, Page 6

EMERGENCY SESSION OPENS

PAGEANTRY AT WELLINGTON VITAL PROBLEMS FQR DOMINION LEGISLATORS THE WAY PREPARED FOR PRESSING BUSINESS WELLINGTON, March 11. The emergency session of Parliament called for the purpose of dealing with urgent legislation arising out of the prevailing depression and the Hawke s Bay earthquake, was opened at 2.30 this afternoon by tors Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, with traditional ceremony.

SALUTE OF GUNS ARRIVAL AT PARLIAMENT The Vice-Regal party left Government House at 2.15 p.m., their departure being signalled by a salute of It) guns fired by the R.N.Z.A. from Point Jeringham. Their Excellencies were accompanied by Major A.. H. Bathhist (Military Secretary), ■ Mr A. C. Day (Official Secretary), Captain Sir John Hanham and Lieut. J. C. El- .• worthy 1 (Aides-do-Camp). Tim guard ,of Honour was mounted opposite the entrance to Parliament House and was formed from the Wellington College ! Cadets. Several cadets from Napier were included in the guard. Their Excellencies were met at the foot of the steps by the General Officer Commanding the Military Forces (MajorGeneral R. Young) and the Senior •Naval Officer (Captain J. S. G. Fraser), the opening bars of the National Anthem being played as the ■Vico-Regal party alighted from their .motor tars. His Excellency then inspected; the guard, while Lady Bledisloe was escorted to her place in the Legislative Council . Chamber by the Clerk of Parliaments (Mr E. W. .Kane) attended by Mr Day and Lieut. Elworthy. , Her Excellency was for:mally presented with a bouquet of pink carnations by the Speaker of the Legislative Council (Sir Walter Camcross), who also presented Mrs Forbes with a bouquet of pink roses. An innovation on this occasion was the presence on the floor of the Legislative ’Council Chamber in their robes of office, of representatives of the Supreme Court bench. Arrainged on the left of the Throne were the Chief Justice (Sir M. Myers), Justices Reed, Adams, MacGregor, Ostler, Blair and Smith. As usual the other seats on the left of the dais were occupied by the wives of Ministers of the Grown and other ladies. Procession to Council Chamber.

Entering Parliament House after inspecting thy guard,, his Excellency was met bv the Gentleman, Usher of the Black Rod (Mr A. T. BothamTey) and naval and military staffs, -nd forming into a procession the party proceeded into tho Legislative Council Chamber where the Members of tho Council were assembled in the following order: Black Bod, Colonel F. Symon, Brigadier W. L. M. SinCluir-Burgess, Captain J. 8. G. Fraser, Major-General Young, Lieut.-Colonel T. btaudish, WingCommander S. Grant Dalton, Commander J. T. V. Webster, R.N., Colonel W, H. Cunningham, the Govemcif-Geii-e'raii Major Bathurst, Captain Sir John Hanham and Lieut. Elworthy. Taking Kis seat in MY Speaker’s chair, his Excellency commanded Black Rod to summon the Members of the House of Representatives, who shortly filed in and took their seats at the. rear Of the Chamber. They were preceded by the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Sir Charles Stathara),. who occupied a position in the Centre of the Chamber facing his Excellency. The speech from the Throne was then 'delivered by his Excellency. Members returning to the House of Representatives, the new member for Western Maori, Mr Taite Te Tomo, for whorn Messrs Bitchener and J. A. Nash acted as sponsors, was formally sworn in.

Notice was given of intention to introduce, the following Bills: Locab Elections and Polls Amendment (MiMason');, Death Duties Amendment’ (Mr p'olsort); Gaming Amendment (Mr Armstrong); Currency Bill (Mr Mason); Crimes Amendment (Mr Mason); Property Law Amendment (Mr Mason);■ Rating Amendment (Mr Mason). Trip to Earthquake Area.

Mt Barnard (Labour), asked the Minister of Railways whether he would arrange for a special train to convey members to the earthquake area over the week-end. lion. W. A. Veiteh said'-mat if Mr Barnard would* inform him how many members’ desired to make the trip he would then ascertain what would be the cost of a special train or whether an ordinary train would be sufficient to meet the requirements.

Replying to Mr Barnard Hon. J. G. Cobbe stated that the pensions office at Napier would be re-opened as soon as possible. In the meantime the office was Ideated at Palmerston North, and the Registrar paid regular periodic visits to. Napier. There were a great many Napier people living in the vicinity of Palmerston. North at the present .time,-and to them the office was in the most convenient centre.

Hon. J. B. Donald informed Mr Barnard that charts recording the old and new soundings of Napier harbour and roadstead had been prepared. Mr W. L. Martin (Labour, Raglan), a,sked whether the Government, would see that a full supply of fertilizers .was available for all farmers, many of whom were handicapped by the fall in. prices for' produce. He pointed out that, it would bi .a loss to the country if farms were allowed to deteriorate. Hon. J. G. Forbes said the matter was under consideration by tho Minister of Agriculture. Mr. G. O. Black (United, Motueka), asked whether members would be given an opportunity of discussing the stoppage of work on the Midland Railway. Mr Forbes said that the matters coming before the present session would be those of urgency. Other questions would bo dealt with in the ordinary way at, tho ordinary session. Mr Vincent Ward was granted ten days leave on account of absence from the Dominion. Address-in-Reply Mr Jail (United, Waipawa) gave notice to move that a respectful Address-in-Keply be presented to the Governor-General. Mr' H. E. Holland gave notice of intention to move an amendment to the Address-in-Reply to the effect that the Government did not possess tho confidence of the House or country. The usual motions expressing appre-

elation of services rendered New Zealand and sympathy with relatives were adopted in respect to the -following deceased legislators: Hon. John Barr, former Chairman of Committees, of tho Legislative Council; Hon. T. Shailor Weston, member of the Legislative Con il; Mr George Hutchison, former M.P. for Patea. The Prime-Minister said that the late Mr Barr’s sympathies had always been with the workers and with those who wcio in difficulties. ’ Hon. J. G. Coates stated that Mr Barr was one of the finest men it, had been Ills privilege to know. Other' members endorsed his remarks, including Messrs McCombs, H-. Holland am! Sullivan. Referring to the Hon. T. Shailer Weston. Mr Forbes said his genial presence would be missed at Parliament, House. He had never failed to do his best for the benefit of his country. Mr Forbes said that New Zealand had lost a very faithful, very sound and useful citizen. Similar tributes were paid by Messrs Field, Fiaser and Williams. Tho Prime Minister stated that Mr George Hutchison was the first member pi Parliament to sit in the House at the same time, as Ins father (the late WCiiam: Hutchison), and ho roI called tho able manner in which tho former hud participated iu the debates. ,Mr Coates said that the name of Hutchison was stiongly associated with the early history .of Now Zealand. Tributes also were paid by Messrs Dickie end Field. The House, at font p.m., rose till 2.30 to-morrow as a mark of respect to the deceased legislators. Legislative Council The Legislative Council met-at 3 pm., when Sir James Allen gave notice of liis intention to move an Address-in-Reply on Friday. The Council adjourned at 3,5 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. to-morrow. LENGTH OF SESSION HON. FORBES’ ESTIMATE. WELLINGTON, March 11. Asked if he adhered to his former estimate of three weeks for disposing of tho business of tho emergency session, Hon. G. W. Forbes replied that ho hoped to see the work ended in time to enable Parliament to adjourn until the usual date of summoning Parliament in June; , No committees would be appointed this session,