OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume 84, Issue 13208, 25 June 1915, Page 4

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. WELLINGTON, Thursday. The first session of the 19th Parliament of New Zealand was opened by commission this afternoon in the presence of a fair number of tho public, at half-past two o'clock. The three commissioners were Sir Francis Bell, Sir C. ('. Powen, and the Hon. Dr. Collins. Sir C. ('. Bowen, chief commissioner, rend the commission appointing them to open Parliament. The commission then directed the members of the House of Representatives to elect a Speaker. Mr Newman said it gave him great pleasure to propose Mr [<\ W. Lang for the position of Speaker. The nomination was ,<:e oiidcd bv Mr Scott.

There being no other nomination, Mr Lang was; conducted to the steps of the chair, whore he thanked his proposer and seconder for their graceful tributes concerning his past services and the House for again reposing its confidence in him. He pointed out that with parties so evenly divided the difficulties of his position would be considerably increased, but he looked to members to assist him, and especially at such a time as this he trusted that party differences would not unduly obtrude themselves, but that all would combine to heln the Mother Country in the hour of her need.

The Prime Minister and Sir J. G. Ward congratulated Mr Lang upon his re-election.

The Speaker thanked the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition for their felicitations, and on the motion of Mr Massey the House adjourned until 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.

WELLINGTON. Friday

Hon. F. W. Lang, tho newly-elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, was presented to the Governor for vice-regal approval at Government House this morning. His Excellency congratulated Mr Lang upon his reelection, after which the Speaker formally claimed the privileges of Parliament, especially freedom of speech and free arcess to His Excellency whenever occasion may require it. The Governor formally acceded to. the Speaker's request.

SWEARING !N MEMBERS.

Members were sworn in in batches of four at a time in alphabetical sequence.-, and the consequent composition was not devoid of interest. Thus, Mr C. J. Parr, the newly-elected member for Eden, found himself called up in company with Mr John Payne, the elect of Grey Lynn, this being a combination that gave rise to an audible titter. Mr Tau Henare, the member for the Northern Maori District, whose party leanings have been a matter of keen interest ever since his election, took his seat alongside Mr J. G. Coates (Kaipara), and was sworn in in company with MiHarris (Waitemata), Hon. A. L. Herdman, and Hon. W. H. Herries. ' Mr J. McCombs (Lyttelton) and Mr P. C. Webb (Grey), two of the Labour members, made an affirmation in lieu of the oath.

THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

(By Telegraph.) WELLINGTON, Friday

His Excellency Lord Liverpool attended at the sitting of Parliament this afternoon, and delivered the following address:—

Hon. Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:— It is with pleasure that I meet you in Parliament assembled. During the session of 1914 Parliament was suddenly called upon to pass enactments of an exceptional nature to provide for circumstances which immediately arose or were anticipated consequent upon the outbreak of war. lam able to inform you that most of such legislation has been proved by experience to be efficient and has enabled my Government to meet and deal with the emergencies which have arisen up to the present, but in some respects it has been found that this special legislation requires amendment and extension, and measures will be submitted to you with that object. The preparation and consideration of the legislation to which I have referred formed but a small part of the novel and urgent duties which the existence of a state of war cast upon myself and my Ministers. The administration of the ordinary and regular business and affairs of the Dominion of New Zealand has been attended to with care, but my Ministers felt that their duty and obligation to the Empire has become the paramount consideration, and that the Parliament of New Zealand would recognise that the Imperial functions which in time of war devolve upon the Governments of the various dependencies of the Crown must claim their first and most urgent attention. As the representative of the Sovereign my time, and that of my personal staff, has been largely occupied in communications constantly necessary between the Imperial Government and that of the Dominion, and many duties not ordinarily incidental to the work of the Governor of a self-governing Dominion have fallen to be performed bv myself. Each of my Ministers has been called upon to undertake duties foreign to the Departments which he ordinarily controls. The officials of the Public Service, and especially the heads of- Departments and the Public Service Commissioners, have also been required to undertake much arduous and difficult work of the nature of which there has been no previous experience in New Zealand. My Ministers desire to acknowledge the loyal and public-spirited support which has been given by all the servants of the Crown.

The work of the Military authorities and of the Department of Defence has been the most strenuous and difficult—as it has been the most important. My Ministers feel that a special debt of gratitude is due from the Dominion to. all those officers and non-commissioned officers of the Imperial and of the New Zealand service vho have yielded to their request to remain in New Zealand to guide and direct the training of our recruits. Only through their constant and diligent care has it been possible to bring the officers and men of expeditionary forces to the state of real efficiency which I am happy to inform you they have attained. The response of men of both ranks in this Dominion to the Em-

i-ji'e s c;jj| I;; ~ been s .-,; i;rcc < i' pride to the people of Now Zealand and of satisfaction to myself and my Ministers. Not only have the men come forward in the numbers required, but they have cheerfully accepted the drudgery and hardship of training, and have been only to anxious to be ready at the earliest possible moment for active service.

You will remember that a section of the First Expeditionary Force was despatched in August last to Samoa. The German authorities surrendered to our force on the 29th day of August, and German Samoa has since been administered under the direction of the Imperial Government, Colonel Logan of the New Zealand forces being administrator in command of a garrison of New Zealand troops. The second part of the First Expeditionary Force travelled via Australia to Egypt where the men were in camp for some months completing their training. Large reinforcements have been sent at intervals—the fifth left our shores during the present month, and further reinforcements in large numbers are now training at the Trentham camp. Of the conduct, efficiency, and courage of our troops in action we have every reason to be proud.

Shortly after the New Zealand and Australian troops were landed at the Dardanelles a gracious and most welcome message was received from His Majesty the King in the following terms: "I heartily congratulate you upon the splendid conduct and bravery displayed by the New Zealand troops at the Dardanelles, who have indeed proved themselves worthy sons of the Empire.—George Pi." To this I replied as follows: "On behalf of myself, my Government, and the people of New Zealand, I desire respectfully to thank Your Majesty for your most gracious message. We are all proud of the manner in which the New Zealand troops have acquitted themselves, and we eagerly look forward to hearing further details of the operations in the Dardanelles .—Liverpool.''

There has been a long list of casualties, but we may rest assured that those who have fallen have done and those who are still in the line will continue to do their duty gallantly and fearlessly. You will be asked to make due provision by pension and otherwise for the families of those who have given their lives and for the men "ho have become disabled in the service of the King and country and for their dependents, and I commend this subject specially to your careful and generous consideration.

It has been our privilege to take part with all the dependencies of the Crown and with the armies of the United Kingdom and those of our brave Allies in the struggle for liberty and free government, but we could not have taken that part, we could hardly have sent any force from cur shores had not the safety of our transports on the seas been ensured by the protection of His Majesty's ships of the Imperial and Australian squadrons conjoined with the navies of our Allies. To the Navy we owe also our presertt sense of safety and security, and the practical immunity of the high ways of our commerce from clanger.

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:—

The Estimates have been prepared for your consideration with due regard to economies, but the abnormal expenditure consequent en the war has been and will continue to be very large. Doubtless you will determine that some proportion of the cost should be provided from loan moneys. You will be called upon to consider a measure for the provision for that part which should be supplied from revenue. Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives: My Ministers r re satisfied that at the present juncture when we are all united in our determination to prosecute the war until an honourable peace is arrived at, no legislation, the discussion of which would involve party strife, should be submitted to you. In addition to legislation arising out of and consequent on the war to which I have previously referred you will be invited to give your attention to such amendments of the existing Statute law as appear to be urgently required. You will have in addition the measures of purely local interest which may be submitted to you from the various districts in the Dominion.

I trust that Divine Providence may guide your deliberations to the advantage of our Sovereign, of his Empire and of this Dominion.