PARLIAMENT OF BRITAIN

Taranaki Daily News, 9 February 1928, Page 9

PARLIAMENT OF BRITAIN

ROYALTY OPENS SESSION KING'S speech was meagre LABOUR’S DISAPPOINTMENT By Telegraph—Press Assn. —Copyright. A-PA. and Sun London, Feb. 7. The customary enthusiasm greeted the procession of the King from Buckingham Palace to the House of Lords. The Queen, who is suffering from a cold, watched the depart tire from a window. To-day was the first occasion since King George’s accession that' Queen Mary has not attended the opening of Parliament. Her absence created a problem regarding the conduct of the ceremonial proceedings and the authorities eventually decided to remove the Consort’s throne from the House of Lords on this occasion. The King, in hie speech, at the opening of Parliament, said: “Relatione with foreign Powers continue to be friendly. It is the constant effort of my Government, in co-operation with the League of Nations, to secure the settlement of international differences and promote the cause of peace. I have invited the King of Afghanistan to visit me in March, and I look forward to welcoming His Majesty. It will be a particular pleasure to receive His Majesty on his first visit to Europe. “The position in China has so fat improved ae to permit of reductions iA the naval and military forces sent to protect British and Indian subjects and concessions, but the internal disturbances and civil wane, and consequent insecurity of life and property, still cause anxiety. Despite these discouraging circumstances, my Government will adhere to the declaration of policy made a year ago as the basis on which it is prepared to meet Chinese aspirations when the Chinese can assure satisfactory protection of British lives and property.

NEW TREATY OF ARBITRATION.

"The United States Government on Pecember 29 communicated with the Ambassador at Washington, as a basis of negotiations, the draft of a new Treaty of Arbitration to replace the Treaty of Arbitration of 1998. The draft is being carefully and systematically studied by my Government and Will be considered in communications with my Governments of the Dominions.

“Although the condition of some or the principal- industries continues to cause serious anxiety, I am glad to observe many encouraging signs of progressive improvement, both in Home and external trade, justifying the hope that, with co-operation and goodwill, Steady progress will be made during the coming year. My Ministers are pow inquiring into the possibility of relieving industry and agriculture from the burdens of local rates and the ehanges in local Government thereby Involved.”

Proposals will be submitted during the session amending the parliamentary and local Government franchise. Measures will be presented relative to national health insurance and increasing credit facilities for agriculturists. In the House of Commons, the Rt. Hon. Stanley Baldwin, announcing the death of Earl Haig, gave notice that he would move a resolution on the mat ter to-morrow.

Lieut.-Colonel Lambert Ward, in moving the Address to the King, aroused laughter by pointing out that the results of general elections had always been on the knees of the gods, but the extension of the suffrage would mean that it had been transferred to the laps of the goddesses. Mr. Ramsay MacDonald said that this was the most meagre King’s Speech he had ever heard. The Government evidently thought that the session was going to be a long holiday. Well, the Labour Party would see about that. WELCOME REFERENCE TO CHINA. He welcomed the references to China. AR sections in China should be aware that Britain hoped to co-operate with that self-governing Nationalist State in the friendliest way. He asked why the Factories Bill was omitted from the speech or references to the Washington Convention. Moreover, there was not one word about coal. Mr. MacDonald added that victory had been secured for the coal owners by the Prime Minister’s being used by the owners to enable them to be the owners of the men. The iron that was entering into the souls of the miners was not the iron of poverty, but the iron of human degradation. Mr. Lloyd George expressed satisfaction at the reference to China, which would make possible the withdrawal of some troops. The disastrous failure of the Geneva Conference had made more necessary some treaty of arbitration between Britain and the United States to exclude the possibility of war, or even discussion of war. If it were known that every question in dispute would be the subject of judicial references between the two countries it would remove all discussion about rival armaments and bring about a new temper. Lieut.-Colonel Lambert Ward's speech included a pleasantly phrased reference to the Speaker’s chair at Canberra, which would serve as a bond of union between the British and Dominion Parliaments. He trusted that all proceedings at Canberra would be characterised by the courtesy which was traditional in the Mother Parliament. The visit of the Duke and Duchess of York had given great satisfaction to Australia and NewZealand.

The Liberals have decided that Mr. Lloyd George shall move an amendment regretting that the speech does not include an indication that the Government appreciates the hardships of social and industrial life or contemplates amelioration by measures for the development of work for unemployed, or the solution of the slum problem.