THE IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 4014, 21 February 1903, Page 1

THE IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.

LONDON, February 17. The King and Queen, accompanied by splendid pageantry, opened Parliament in person. The speech from the throne made references to the trouble in the Balkans the Venezuelan crisis, the Alaskan boundary question, the Kona campaign. Referring to Mr Chamberlain's tour the speech expressed a sanguine view of the restoration of civil order and a revival of prosperity in South Africa the Bills to be introduced include Education, Mr Wyndham's Irish Land Bill, Licensing in Scotland, Modification of the Scottish Education Act and Bills to regulate the employment ot children, and adulteration of dairy produce. J a . „ February 18. . ten- Henry Campbell-Bannermann, in the Mouse of Commons, said that tho Kings speech in referring to Venezuela curiously ommltted to mention Germany. Sir Henry Campbell-Banner-jA&nn trusted that relations had im proved. - --- ,' Mr Balfour said Venezuela would have pitted one against the other had Britain and Germany acted separately. The King and Queen remained sealed throughout the opening ceremony. The Prince of Wales, Lord ;Saliabiuy,aiid the ' Archbishop of Canterbury were present. King Edward, in a clear voice, read the speech, The House of Lords has agreed to the Address-in Reply. There are no' indications except on the question of army reform that the debate in the House : of! Commons on the Address-in-Reply will be protracted. Mr Macnamara, member for North Camperwell, moves an amendment to the Address-in-Reply, urging immediate legislation to remove the hardships caused by the lack of workmen's homes. February 19. The King and Queen's visit to the County Council's model dwellings,, which were erected on the site of Mil bank prison, coincided with the debate on Mr Macnama«ra's motion, which was rejected by 205 votes to 1(16 votes, Mr John Burns emphasised tho King's interest in the problem, and urged urged that the condition of London's sixteen thousand paupers anc] lunatics was largely duo to drink, be? gotton of low wages, prevcntiblc poverty and insanitation,. Tho persons who formed the large proportion at the unemployed demonstrations were, he said, born in the slums and rearedon gin and fog. | Mr Long claimed that the Local 1 Government Board was active in the matter of improvement, and announced a bill extending the period for tho repayment of local sums on buildings.