UNION PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 529, 9 June 1909, Page 8

UNION PARLIAMENT.

THE SESSION OPENED.

. Tho/'ealleries" were almost as well filled as tlie. floor of the t House" when this winter's session of the Wellington Union Parliament was opened_at the Y.&I.C.A. last night. . The formality of. opening by Commission" was gone through with sufficient verisimilitude, and the having been asked to suppose ■that,the members of the'Houso had returned to .the place ;whero they usually sit" (though they had really stayed just where they were), they proceeded to the election of a fit and proP° r ' Person to be their Speaker." The qnalifications of -Mr. A. H. Casey - were. so generally recognised that hvs proposer and seconder (Mr. A» ii. Bud(L&nd Air. A. C. Bretherton) did'not need to make speeches in his favour, and he was elected without, opposition. "Tho Speaker," m returning thanks for his election, made tho usual promises about preserving the dig'riitr .and decorum of tho House and holding the balance «v«nly between contending parties. It Uau, however, already become apparent that Mr. Casey had to; carry . other burdens "thai those of Uio Speakership. He acted also-as a sort; of dramatic " chorus," to explain the action - and • persuade the spectators Chat tomorrow had arrived,, that the Legislative CounciUois were present, or that Mr; H. N. Holmes ¥ Z ? Uel t cy Holmes, i j j ■ zi™ when tho nnnd's eye was olosed,. and . the physical eye was open, Mr. Casey appeared to be really the chairman of tho meeting . It must have been in that capacity that he stood.beside tho "Governor" when,the latter was delivering his Speecli.' mien-ho finally settled down into the Speakership, his - dignity was inviolable, - and his rulings t deserved the respcot which they commanded. A lively and much-intorruptcd Ad-drees-in-Reply debate was carried on by Messrs. N.J. Bennington, F. Castle, A. C. Bretkerton (' Xeador of the Opposition"), D.; J. Conchie, £^ n '] lc 1 '? remior "J' G. T. Hall, A. E. Budd, and A. Hobson. Tho "Houso" adjourned'at 10-pjn. • v