THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 12793, 11 June 1909, Page 5

THE NEW PARLIAMENT.

Opening Qoremortles*

The First Bitting.

(From Our Parliamentary Special. — By Telegraph). WELLINGTON, June 10.

Tlie seventeenth session of the Parliament of New Zealand was opened to-day with the usual formalities customary at a first session. Parliament was opened by Commission, this being necessary from the fa«t that, until the members of the House are sworn in and have elected their Speaker, there is no House to meet the Governor. The proceedings were purely formal, and occupied but a few minutes. When the members returned from the Upper House the Clerk (Mr Otterson) announced that the Hon. Mr McGowan had resigned his seat as member for Thames, and that Mr Taylor had been elected in his stead. He also announced the death of Mr Hone Heke, the Maori member for the northern district, and the election in hie stoa<J o£ Te Hanffihiroa. The latter is better known as Dr Buck, but he has taken his Maori name for Parliamentary purposes. After this, some time was occupied in the swearing in of members, who were called up in batches of four. This important formality having been gone through, the House proceeded to the Jlection of a Speaker. This resulted in the, unanimous election of the Hon. Mr Guinness, who lias been for 25 years a member of Parliament, for 11 years Chairman of Committees, and for six years Speaker of the House. Mr Guinness thanked the House, took his seat in the chair, and was greeted with a round of applause. Sir Joseph Ward then rose in his place and made a speech of congratulation. He mentioned that, since 1854, there had been only seven Speakers of the House. Of these Sir Maurice O'Rorke had occupied the chair for eight terms. No other Speaker had occupied the chair for more than two terms. Mr Guinness, in entering upon a third term had, therefore, a record second only to that of Sir Maurice O'Rorke.

The Leader of the Opposition having added his congratulations, Mr Guinness again returned thanks.

The House then adjourned until 3.30 p.m., to enable Mr Speaker to submit himself for the approval of his Excellency the Governor.

The ceremony in the Upper House, where the Governor delivered his speech at 3.30, was witnessed by only a limited number of spectators. The lack of accommodation prevented the usual list of invitations being sent out. There was a fair attendance of members of both Houses, but, owing to the brevity of the speech, the ceremony was very quickly over. When the House resumed after hearing the Governor's Speech, the formal business, such as the presentation of petitions, the giving notice of questions, etc., was taken. This business occupied an hour and a quarter, after which various feeling speeches in regard to the late Mr Hone Heke were made by the Premier, Mr Massey, Mr Parata, Mr Herries, and Te RangihiToa. The speeches delivered by Mr Massey and Te Raugihiroa were especially fine orations. The latter will be a decided acquisition as a speaker to the House. He has a beautifully clear voice, and can evidently put in those "purple patches" so necessary on important occasions to redeem a speech from the commonplace.

The House then adjourned. It' will meet again at 10.30 to-morrow morning, when the actual business of the short session will be entered upon.