PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2498, 26 June 1915, Page 3

PARLIAMENT

/ VICE-REGAL SPEECH A KHAKI CEREMONY TROOPS FROM CAMP REGULAR BUSINESS BEGINS , Parliament was opened regularly for the transaction of business' yesterday by His Excellency the Governor (the Eaxl of Liverpool). The outstanding feature of the ceremony, as different from that of other years, was the absence of all the usual splendour of the dress uniforms of the military. Hitherto it has been the custom of officers of tho New Zealand Staff Corps to wear the_ uniforms of their own Imperial regiments, or the dress uniform of their rank on tho New Zealand Staff, but this year all the officers in attendance .wore simple- khaki, the active service uniform. • * The guard of honour was a half-com-pany from the Sixth Reinforcements, iruardiug the route and the approaches were a section each of Mounted Rifles Ind Field Artillery from the Sixth Reinforcements, and a platoon of the Trentham Regiment (the Earl of Liverpool's Own) lined the corridor from the entrance to the Chamber. Probably the men had been selected. _ At any_ rat© ft .is a fact that the civil population of (Wellington has never seen such absolutely perfect rock-steadiness on parade as that shown by the troops on this occasion. Particularly was this noteworthy in the men of the Trentham Regiment, standing to attention in the crowded corridors. They were splendid physical, speoimens, and although the ;ciroumstances were most distracting, placed as. they were at about four paces interval, and more or less jostled at times, not a man fidgeted, not a mail turned his head ever so slightly, and not a man changed his position. They .were universally admired, as tbey deServed to be. 'ITie soldierly bearing of the men was remarked upon as being, as it was, in fact, unanswerable evidence of the thoroughness of the training given to the men of the Reinforcements at Trentham camp. Tho Camp Band was in attendance with the troops, and the whole parade was under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Fulton, Officer Commanding the Ist Battalion |of the Trentham Regiment. His Excellency, who wore Court dress, iwas accompanied by the Countess of Liverpool, and assisted by his private secretary, Mr. Gavin Hamilton, and two aides-de-camp. A number of military officers were in attendance, among them ■Brigadier-General Robin, Acting-Com-mandant, Colonel C. M. Gibbon, Chief of the General Staff, Lieutenant-Colonel Fulton, Lieutenant-Colonel Potter, Camp Commandant, Colonel Purdy, Director iof Medical Service, Colonel Collins, Commanding the New Zealand Hospital Ship, and officfete'of the New Zealand (General Staff. All the. 'limited gallery space was ihronged, and also the-space on the floor of the Chamber reserved for ladies; The Speeoh occupied only some minutes ■in leading. HIS EXCELLENCY'S SPEECH

REFERENCE TO WAR. legislation only. His Excellency was pleased to make the following Speech, when the Council met at 2.30 p.m.:— Honourable Centlemsn of the Legislative Ceunoll, and Gentlemen of the House of RepresentativesIt is ' with pleasure that I meet you Jn 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. I am able to inform you that most of such legislation has been proved by experience to be efficient, and has enabled ay Government to meet and deal with ifcho emergencies which liave 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 Sou with that object. Novel and Urgent Duties. The preparation and consideration of She 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 jny Ministers. The administration of the ordinary and regular business and affairs of the Dominion of New Zealand has been attended to with care, hut my Ministers felt that their duty and obligation to the Empire had be-come-the paramount consideration, and that the Parliament of New Zealand Jiraiild 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 communication constantly necessary between the Imperial Government and that of the Dominion; and many duties not ordinarily incident to the work of the Governor of a self-governing Dominion have fallen to he performed by myselt. Each of my Ministers has been called upon £o undertake duties foreign to the Departments which he ordinarily controls. fThe officials of the Public Service, and iespecially the_ Heads of Departments .and the Public Service Commissioners, .have also been required to undortako i.jnuch arduous and difficult work, of the ■.nature of wliich there has been no previous experience in New Zealand. My Ministers desire to acknowledge tho loyal .and public-spirited support which has been given by all the servants of .the Crown. V Good Work of Defence staff. The work of the military authorities tad of the Department of Defence has teen the most strenuous and difficult, as it has beeu 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 Services who have yielded to their request to remain . in N?w Zealand to guide and direct the training of our recruits. Only through their constant and diligent care lias it been possible to bring tho officers and men of the Expeditionary Forces to the state of real efficiency which I am happy to inform you they have attained. The Call and the Men. The response of men of both races in this Dominion to tho Empire's call has :fcoen a. source of pride to the people of New Zealand, and of satisfaction to myself and my Ministers. Not only have tho men come forward in the numbers required, but they have cheerfully accepted the drudgery and hardship of training, and linve been only too 'anxious to bo ready at tho earliest possible moment for active service. You fwill remember that a section of the [First Expeditionary Force was dispatchied ia August last to Samoa. The German authorities surrendered to our Jotce on August 29, and German Samoa

has since been administered under tho direction of the Imperial Government, Colonel Logan of tho New Zealand Forces, being Administrator, in command of a. garrison of Now Zealand troops. Tho sccond part of the First Expeditionary Force travelled via, Australia to Egypt, whero the men were in camp for some months completing their training. Large reinforcements _ have been sont at intervals. Tho Fifth left our shores during the present month, and further reinforcements in largo numbers are now training at tho Trcntham Camp. The King's Message. Of the conduct, efficiency, and courage of our troops in action Ave have every reason to be proud. Shortly after tho New Zealand and Australian troops were landed at the Dardanelles a gracious and most welcome message was received from His Majesty tile King in tho following terms: — "I heartily congratulate you upon tho splendid conduct and bravery displayed by the New Zealand troops at the Dardanelles, who have indeed proved themselves worthy sons of the Empire.— George R." To which 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 tho New Zealand troops have acquitted themselves, and wo eagerly look forward to hearing further details of the operations in the Dardanelles.— Liverpool." Those who have Fallen. There lias been a long list of casualties, but we may rest assured that those who have fallen have dor-e, 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 who have become disabled, in the' service of their King and country, and for their dependents j and I commend this subject specially to your careful and generous consideration. What the Navy has Done. It has been our privilege to take partwith all the Dependencies of the Croivn, 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 our 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 our present sense of safety and security, and the practical immunity of the highways of our commerce from danger. Ways and Means. Gentlemen of the House of Representatives,— The estimates have been prepared for your consideration with due regard to economy, but the abnormal expenditure consequent on the war has been, and will continue to be, every large. Doubtless you will determine that seme proportion of the cost should _be provided from loan moneys. ' You will he called upon to consider measures for the provision of that part which should be supplied from revenue.

No Party Strife. Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen of tho House of Representatives — My Ministers are satisfied that at the present juncture, when we are all united in our determination to prosecute tho war until, an honourable peace is arrived at, no legislation tlie discussion'ot 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 of the Dominion. I trust that Divine Providence may guide your deliberations to the advantage of our Sovereign, of his Empire, and of this Dominiou.