PARLIAMENT

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2767, 10 May 1916, Page 6

PARLIAMENT

OPENING OF THE SESSION 1

THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH

WAR THE ONLY TOPIC

The second session of the Nineteenth Parliament of New Zealand was opened by His Excellency the Governor, yesterday afternoon. His Excellency was accompanied by the Countess of Liverpool. The guard o£ honour was provided, as last year, from troops of the. Reinforcements to the New' Expeditionary Force now in training in camp, and all the.military officers escorting His Exce<iency wore active service uniform. The officers present included . the ; Commandant .(Briga-dier-General Robin), Colonel Gibbon (Chief of the General Staff), and SurgeonGeneral Henderson, D.M'.S. There was a full attendance of members of both Houses present at the opening ceremonies, and crowds of the general public thronged the approaches to Parliament House. InBido the Chambers the: limited space available for the public was moro than comfortably filled. The opening ceremony was remarkable for its brevity. The reading of tho Speech by : His Excellency occupied only some three minutes. ■ Followiug is the text of tho speech :—. : "HONOURABLE GENTLEJIEN OP '.■■.. THE LEGISLATIVE CO IiNCIL, AND . GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE 01? REPRKSENTATIVES,- - "It has been found necessary to submit to you proposals for the extension of the powers of my Government in matters relating to toe war, and I have therefore found it necessary to convene Parliament at a somewhat earlier date than.usual.'

.- "It was my privilege' at the opening of the session of 1915 to read a message from His Majesty the King congratulating the people Dominion upon the splendid conduct and ■bravery displayed'by the New Zealand troops at the Dardanelles. The landing of our soldiers with their comrades of. the Australian troops and of the British, and Indian Forces at the Anzac Beach and at Helles on April '25, 1915,. was> the historic occasion of that message.. Though all the land forces of the Allies have.since been withdrawn from the Dardanelles, history -will record that our men throughout the occupation faced the dangers of battle and- disease and endured privation'and suffering;with unfailing courage, and that they,,with the Gov-' ernments and peoplos of New and. of the . Commonwealth, quietly and without demur acquiesced in and accepted the. necessity of retirement from the battlefield where no much honour had been won. My Ministers hope that when the terms of peace are' considered it may be possible to reserve for New Zealand and Australia the ground where bur men fought, and so many fell, in the'service, of the' Empire. ' . "MR/ SPEAKER AND .GENTEE- . MEN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRE- •'■ SENTATIVES,- ■' "In the Estimates prepared for your consideration you ' will, be asked to make full provision for the prosecution of the. war in addition to the. ordinary expenditure oh' the Public Services of the Dominion, y . ■'.":■■'■ ■ . ' "HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF '■ . REPRESENTATIVES,- "/ .

"Until the warfare in which New Zealand has.claimed..-to take her full part with the Empire'is terminated by.a peace ensuring for .the world ' freedom from -the tyranny, of German military methods, .all .political parties hare ..agreed''to'.;'abstain from con- : . troversy of a party character. .You will therefore.be invited to direct the . whole of your energies to the settlement of some cf the difficult problems . •■ which have arisen in consequence of the war,-and to the consideration of measures which have to . the existing exceptional conditions. '"I earnestly commend those matters to your consideration, and I pray that . Divine Providence may guide you in your deliberations.". THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL After His Excellency, had retired, the Council met as for the transaction of business. The Hon. SIR FRANCIS BELL said he had an announcement to make.' His Excellency the Governor, ho said/had been -given, permission that-morning by the Secretary-of State for the Colonies t3 announce that the Australian and New Zealand'troops are now in .France, and have takon : over a portion of the front. .The.'Council adjourned.,; at '2.45' ■ p.m. untilthis afternoon. THE HOUSE' The House of : Representatives met at 8.30; p.m., but immediately adjourned on receipt'of His Excellency's summons to attend in the Legislative Council. The • House resumed at 2.45"p.m.' ' The Expiring Law's Continuance Bill was introduced and read a first time. , Four days' leave of absence.was granted to Mr. R..F,.; Bollard on account of 6erious illness in hisfamily. "' Leave of, absence for the day was granted, to Mr. Tau Henare on account of urgent public busii;ess. -Mr. D. II; GUTHRIE (Oroua) gave notice of his intention to move': "That a respectful address be presented to His Excellency in reply to His Excellency's Speech." .; The House rose at 3.3 p.m.