Parliament.

Woodville Examiner, Volume XXI, Issue 3572, 1 July 1903, Page 3

Parliament.

OPENING DAY. Parliament was opened by Commission on Monday. The Commissioners were the Hon. Sir H. J. Miller, theJHons. A.iPitt W.O.J Walker and Captain Baillie. The Hon. Mahuta, recently appointed to the Legislative Council, was also one of the Commissioners, but was not present. The members of the Lower House having come to the Legisla~ lative Council Chamber, the Commission was read, and the members of the House of Representatives then trooped back to their own Chamber to be sworn in, and to elect a Speaker. In the House, members were sworn in, in batches of four by Mr H. OttersOn, clerk of the House. There was a very full House, members absent being Messrs Fisher, fleke, Lang, T. McKenzie, Moss, Wi Pere, J. 0. Thompson, Wilford and Willis. ' Mr A. R. Guinness was elected Speaker, on the motion of Messrs McNab and Millar. Amongst those who tendered their congratulations were the Premier, Sir William Russell, Sir William Steward, and Mr Witheford. An Imprest Supply Bill was passed and the House adjourned. Tuesday. Parliaunpt was formally opened to-day. iLe Governor delivered the customary sWeeh and expressed bis regret that ibis would be the last time on which he would open a session of Parliament. Amongst the matters dealt with in the speech were the necessity for bringing the laws of New Zealand into line with those of other nations whose laws are prejudicial to New Zealand and the Mother country, the advisability of amendment in the constitution of the Privy Council Judicial Committee, the better feeling existing been Europeans and Maoris, the necessity for closer settlement, the general prosperity of the colony, the fiscal policy, development of trade with South African and other markets, State Fire Insurance, a State Bank and ether matters. -The Imprest Supply Bill passed through both houses.