THE SESSION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 530, 10 June 1909, Page 6

THE SESSION.

TO-DAY'S OPENING CEREMONY. : COVERNOR'B BPEECH THt3 AFTERNOON. POIiEnoAl NEWS AND NOTES. In order to mvo time, it was decided yes- ; terday that/ the Governor's Speech will be - ' given this afternoon, after the formal opening of: Parliament by Commission, instead of to-morrow afternoon, in accordance with tho ■ usual custom. 'Ilhe! Commission which is to open Parliament at 11.30 a.m. to-day, will consist of ; the Speaker of tho Council (the Hon. C. C. , tho'-'Hon. Dr. Eindlay, and tho Hons. .G.. M'Lcan, T. Kelly, T. Thompson, S. Thoni(>.Qeorge, ! and Captain Baillio: Alter the formal opening; which usually takes only a few. minutes, tho members oi tho House of Representatives will adjourn, to their own ; Chamber ,to elect a Speaker. - At. 2.30 p.m. the successful candidate will .; report his : selection ■, to his Excellonoy. the Governor, and Lord I'lunkot will deliver the Speech at 3.30 pjn. : The Heretaunga Rides ■: willi • form an 'escort- for • the Governor. As regards the-subsequent business of.the| session, it is expccted that precedent will be v . neglected to an unusual extent for the sake'l of accelerating the proceedings. It is reported that Bomo 6f tho Government' members, anxious, possibly, to assist their chief. Bud it; extremely•,inconvenient. ; ; to stay.'.long in , . at the present juncture; and that { . business will be pushed ,on with all urgency on .'their account, as well as that of Sir , Joseph Ward. For this . reason; it is. stated . that the Hotiso .-will probably be : asked to sit on. Saturday, and porhaps also on Monday. Usual)y thore are 110 Saturday or Mon- .. . day sittings; till the 'session'.is . well ■ advanced.

Tho Governor's Speech. i It is expected that tho Governor's Spocch, to i bo delivered this afternoon, will bo of a pure-1 ly formal nature,;-and that tlio usual outline of the-Government's policy will be given in the Speech which his Excellency will deliver ihon Parliament resumes after the, prorogation. In 189/, when Parliament adjourned to allow the - Premier to attend the Diamond Jubilee celebration in London, the Governor's t Speech ' before! the first short' session o£ |; Parliament ■' was* i ■ of. .. very ! brief dimensions. , His Escelleacy ,'' stated., .that :Parliament, would bo'asked,.to. adopt respectful . addresses arid congratulations to the So^eroign,, and- continued; as follows"My, advisers' do riot'deem- it expedient'to' bring before you any measures except such-as are necessary to" give' effect • to 1 the' wishes' of' the; people • of' New Zealand, that this colony. should: be: worthily represented at the celebration,.Jof .'.the completion l - of; the-60th year of her Majesty's memorable reign.; In order,;, however, to remedy certain defects a the present law. relating to the election 0 '-'iv 1 1 •Pecker of the .Legislative Council,. tt -fi j nas: been prepared, and will/be submitted, for your consideration." His Excellonoy also informed' the House of Representatives that a statement showing approximately the' financial position of the colony would be placed before them. The Address-m-Keply ; oconpied a single sitting, and the y, 076 ™" 8; policy,;speech was reserved until the following session. • It is probable that the Speech -..to-day,, : will contain little more than a reference to tho NaVal Conference, and to tho proposed • adjournment.

The Speakcrshln. It is tmdorstood that thojHon. T. I Dnnran mil move,: and Mr. J. A. Hanan, member for Inyercargill, second a motion, when tlie House of- llepresentativca meets this morning, that the Hon.A.ll. Guinnoaa bo elooted Speaker., It, is stated that the Government will support Mr. Guimiess's candidature^.

"Mr. Gninnesa would receive two rotes lor everyone that might bo given for another candidate," was the verdict of an Independent member on that' gentleman's chances for the Speakership. It ia understood that in addrtaon to iS. Gninness's al- ' leged-indiscretion on the West Coast, ho gave umbrage last session to certain members of his_ jparty by- insisting in committee on divisions being • taken on ... cortain_aspecta of tho arbitration ques-' ' il on ," Tho supporters of., Mr. Guinness urga . . . that his reported utterance during the recess should ,not bo allowed to affect his candidaturo, smco his tennro of the Speakership ended at the conclusion of last Parliawent, ponding re-election, and he was after,n position of an "Independent . member. Before his first appointment to . the Speakership, Mr*. Guinness was for eleven years Chairman .of Committees, and Bir Maurice held the SMaker,|hip during several Parliaments, also juali- , iod in the first place by about ten years' experience of the minor office. " The fact that tho deliveranco of the Go-' Vornors Speech is set down : for 3.30 p.m. to- • W, suggests that not much time is expected to bo required for; tho ,election of a Speaker, and strengthens the impression that Mr! uuinnes3 will he elected,, probably without opposition.

Government caucus, ' ; ; A caucus of the Government party has been called for 9.45 &".m. to-day, and it is expected that' the questions of the Speakersnip and Chairmanship • of Committees vrili * re^; * Wr v T. H, Davey, member for. Christchurch: East, as well as "Mr. „Wilford, is said to have a strong chance for. the chairmanship, and in view of this probable double candidature it. is suggested: tha't the appointment of a chairman of oommittees jnay deferred'until next session.

A Crlevanco. ' > ■ >| The ingenious drop-desks ;that 'have been, provided for members of the House, of 80-; prosentatiyes are, in the opinion of some members, nioro ingenious than convenient. Iho disadvantage, of. the'desks is that .when tho desk is down, a member cannot' rise -,to speak till ho has closed it,, and- if the desk is covered with notes and papers the act of humcd closing is likely.,to lead to-sad con- 1 fusion. At least one. member of long experience in the House has declared that he wilt havo his desk removed.

The Press Callory. s■ ■ A meeting of the • Parliamentary Press Gallory wasneld yesterday, at which Mr. P. Reovos ("Evening Post!') presided.Mr.. W. ■ .D.. Lusty (Auckland "Herald"),, whoi was; vice-chairman of tho.Gallery last year, was • .elected.-chairman,', and Mr,; J. J. Greaiish ("Evening Post") was appointed vice-chair-man. The retiring chairman; Mr. Reeveß, , made acknowledgment ,'of. the consideration . . .flhown to tho Gallory in the matter x>f 'work•«':,ing- conveniences by the authorities; Mr. Lusty stated .that -Mr.' ,W; : . J. : Gcddis, ; of ' Auckland, had. promised the Gallery a photo- • graph of their, of-1885. 'A photograph of this early staff, 'which was ■ previously possessed by .the Gallery,;was de^ • ; stroyed in the .Parliamentary fire. 'It ' was .. decided to write a letter of thanks .to Mr. s Geddis. A welcome wak given to new members of the Gallery, and a vote of thanks passed to the outgoing officers, special acknowledgment being also mado of the ser- , vices of Mr. Wheelor. ("Now Zealand Times") .: to the Gallery during the recess; \

Government Whips. It is probable that Mr. Jennings, mom- ' ber for Taumartinui, will be. appointed . junior Government whip.: The-senior whip is Mr. Laurcnson, membor for Lyttelton. Report of Addlngton Commission. : '"All the rumours that are current • with .' respect to the; report of the Addington Com- ./■ mission are absolutely, false," remarked tho Minister for Railways (the Hon. J. A. Millar) to a Dominion reporter yesterday. Mr. . Millar went oh' to say that it was impossible for any member.(as had been suggested) ' to 'have a copy .of .it. jj.As a matter of fact it had already been printed, but it had not been considered. He could not say when its consents '.yculd : be . made public.' Bio report . might be presented when Parliament met, but it was Just possible that it. migiht bo kept ov?r : until the second' session. Then aeauu

when tho matter came.before Oabxzrefc it might bo resolved ;tlhat iit stwold bo' made puflio at once. "

Tha Hon, A. W. Hogg on Borrowing. I ,Upon'tho qraeiaan of borrowing, the views of thoHon. A. Vf. Hogg, Minister for Roads and Bridges, have undergone a total change. "It ia not very long ago," be told a Dominion reporter, "that I was as much'against borrowing as anyone. I thought that we were adding to the country's debt at an imprudent rate. To-day (he went on to say) I hold quiteanother opinion/ The money that is being spent now on public works is fully reproductive. But more money is urgently needed to develop tho country roads and bridges, and in a less degree for railways, which must keep paco with our development. I,say unhesitatingly that the sooner more money is oxponded in the directions I have .indicated the sooner will the Dominion be placed on a sound footing. Personally I am now in favour of borrowing as" long as we can for expenditure, in a proper, direction, so as to push on tho dovelopincnt of;the country. The only condition in connection with doing that would be that the money pin'be obtained at a rear sonablo rate. To develop* tho country, thereby increasing our products; : Should be our aim." It is interesting tovadd'that Mr. Hogg made theso remarks shortly after a meeting of Cabinet. As a Loan Bill is to be brought down during .the'coming session, may ifoy not be": regarded.as significant? '.