N.S.W. PARLIAMENT.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 976, 17 November 1910, Page 5

N.S.W. PARLIAMENT.

GOVERNOR'S SPEECH. LABOUR INNOVATIONS. THE SPEAKER DISCARDS HIS ROBES. By Telegraph-Pros? Association-Copyright. (Eec. November IG, 8.20 p.m.) ■ Sydney, November 16. The Governor officially opened Parliament to-day. The Speaker (Mr. Cann) dispensed with the Speaker's official robes, and a number of other small innovations in regard to formalities and marked the commencement of Labour rule. The Governor's Speech (which was a very short resume of Mr. M'Gowen's presessional address) promised a brief session and the buoyancy of the revenue. The finance will be' arranged to meet the serious diminution of revenue from the' Com.monwealth which the State will shortly have to face. In futuro accounts will be prepaid showing receipts and expenditure in public business undertakings, and tho sale of public assets separate from the ordinary accounts and general Governmental services. The eight Independent members of the Legislative Assembly met and decided to support the Government as long as its proposals were ■ in . the interests of the whole community. THE FREEHOLD. I AMENDMENTS TO ADDRESS-IN-REPLY MOVED. (Rec. November 17, 0.55 a.m.') Sydney, November 16. Tho Legislative Council lias adopted the Address-in-Reply. In the Assembly , Mr. Lee moved an amendment regretting as inimical to the best interests of the State the conduct of the Government. in connection with the administration of public lauds in refusing tho'people the right to acquire in futuro the freehold of such lands for settlement purposes. After some warm discission the Houso adjourned till to-morrow. WHAT WILL THE OPPOSITION DO? In. Parliamentary circles there is naturally some curiosity as to what the Opposition will do When Parliament meets (says, the Sydney "Daily Telegraph" of November 12). The illness of Mr. Wade complicates the position,, and delays ' a meeting of the party. Should a vote of censure bo determined upon, there is, it is thought, ample ground on which to base it.in .the administration of justice during tho short period the Labour Government has been in power. Mr. M. F. Morton was entertained at a conversazione on November 10 by his friends and supporters, and congratulated on his .re-election. Mr. Morton, in responding, argued that as the Labour party would put one of their number into tho Speaker's chair and another would bo elected as Chairman of Committees, the parties would be equally • divided. Even if the Government were able to carry on with support of independent Liberals, it was unlikely that the . Upper House would • pass legislation of a drastic character that might' .be sent up to it.. Ho prophesied that as the Labour Ministry would not be able to give effect to its legislation, and it would bo impracticable to swamp • the Upper House, tho Government would be forced to hand in its resignation, when Mr. Wade would be spilt for and as ho could not carry on a dissolution would follow. He. gave tho Government credit for honesty of purpose, but being elected in opposition to them it . could not lie expected that ho would support them in.a crisis though he would sc.pnort any measures brought forward for tho good of tho country.