BRITISH PARLIAMENT OPENED

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2999, 9 February 1917, Page 5

BRITISH PARLIAMENT OPENED

KING'S SPEECH FROM THE THRONE

GERMAN OUTRAGES "STEEL OUR DETERMINATION'

(Jto.c. February S, 5.5 p.m.) tiii . . . London, February 7. a ceiemouies connected with tho opening of Parliament were robbed of fVr/in°° r5? ll t sua l spectacular effect owing to the intense cold. Fifteen dcrnnfo . wcro re S' st ® r ®'l* There wero fewer pedestrians along tlio 1 t>n - "'lore was an absence of th c customary magnificence. The een- , . tone was Ivhaki. Even the Guard of Honour was in khaki. Almost the S-i! fi colollr prevailing w a s tlio escort royal of the Horse lnir " king and Queen were .loudly acclaimed both in going and comInstead of the historic royal gilt carriage, Their Majesties rode in a landau drawn by six hays. There were only four carriages in tlio procession. . or the Jirsfc tune in history the outer Empire found a place of honour in i ie.Wns Ugliest constitutional act. Its representatives rallied round their Sovereign. The mounted Imperial escort, which immediately followed ineir Majesties' personal guard, consisted of four British officers of the Indian Army, sixteen each from the Canadian, .Australian, New Zealand, and South AI ricau Divisions, four eacli from tlio Newfoundland and British West Indies Lorps. .('lk, crowd recognised and cheered with enthusiasm thc various nnilorins. MajorE. Dawson commanded the Now Zealanders. The, Imperial uuay-ds, perfect horsemen, .big muscular soldiers, made ;i line show, and was U'io most prominent feature of thc profession. Another Empire note was struck within "Westminster Palace. As the Jioyal procession swept from the robin g-room to tlio Houso of Lords, it passed tho ltoyal Gallery, in which wcr 0 four hundred wounded soldiers of the overseas armies. By the King's speo| n ]. direction they had been pprmitted, with their nurses and attendants, to occupy the gallery, and before the arrival of the Royal cortege, tlio Lord Chamberlain conveyed the King's appreciation _ of tho gallant services 0 f the wounded men and • or their comrades, and hoped that they would'have a speedy recovery '• atsd sate return to their glorious and great countries. When the procession 'passed, the King warmly returned th 0 men's salute. i Chamber was densely crowded, but never so dull looking, khaki and olac* predominating. The diplomats wore morning dress, no uniforms, which was a, departure from prepedenp. Sj r Thomas' Mackenzie (High Commissioner for New Zealand) bad a plac 0 in the Peeresses' Gallery with Mrs. and Miss Massoy and Lady Ward. The other High Commissioners sat in the Diplomats Gallery. Anew and \yelco luo fcaturo was. tho admission oE ono newspaper representative for each of tho Dominions, and also of neutral countries, to the Press gallery. The King's Speech. ! , His Majesty the King, in his Speech from the Throne, said:— "I l or the third time in succession I summon you to your deliberations, in the midst of w : ar. Certain overtures, of which you are aware, have been made by the enemy with tho view to opening peace negotiations, Tbeir tenor, however, indicated no possible' basis of peace. My people throughoutthe Empire and my faithful and heroic Allies remain steadfastly and unanimously resolved to'secure j\ist demands for reparation and restoration in respect to the past and guarantees for the future, which we regard as essential to the progress of civilisation. _ In iresponsp to an invitation by the United States, _ws outlined as far as is possiblo at present the general objects necessarily implied by these aims. Threats of further outrages upon public law and tlio common rights of humanity but serve to steel our determination. During the winter months my Navy maintained an unchallenged and ceaseless watoh on the seas, and rigorously enforced the blockade of the enemy. My armies conducted successful operatious not only in Enrppe, but in Egypt, Mesopotamia, and East Africa. Tbe.v are fully prepared to renew the great struggle. With _ tlio closo and cordial co-operation of my Allies in every field I trust our united efforts will carry the successes already, won to a victorious conclusion. "I have invited representatives of thc Dominions and the Indian Empire, which have borne so glorious a sliaro in tlio struggle, to confer with my Ministers upon important questions of common interest relating to the war. I trust this stop will conduce to tho establishment of closer relations between all parts of tho Empire. Tho accomplishment of the task to which I have set "my hand entails unsparing demands on the energies and resources of all my subjects. lam assured, however, that my peoplo will respond to every call necessary for the achievement of the success of tho cause with th'e same i'Jfloniitflhle ardour and devotion that lias filled me with pride and gratitude since tho war began. Therefore I confidently commend to your patriptisin the measures which will belaid before you, and pray that the Almighty may bless your counsels." Address- in-Rep(y. Mr-! M'Curdy, in pioving tho Address-in-Reply, said: "We all desire peace, but not in a hurry." There wero some things we wanted to do first. Our instincts revolted at tho thought of negotiations with the authors of the atrocities in Belgium and tho aiders andahettofs of' the niassapfes in Armenia until they wero. soundly and decisively defeated. Admiral Mens, seconding the nioti on, said that as tho Zeppelin menace had ended, it was not too mucli to hop o that the Navy would successfully counter the submarines.. The Navy felt completely confident. Speech by Mr. Asquith. Mr. Asquith said that the nation's only duty ought to lie in the peonlo's united determination to prosecute tlio war. Ho' paid a tribute to the King's continuous self-effacement and devotion. The King and Queen had set an example to their subjects. In a largo m easure tho efficiency of the blockade fend been duo to the self-sacrifice and gallantry of the mercantile marine.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn. Mr. Asquith inquired the scope and purposo of tho Imperial Conference, whether it would be wholly concerned with thc Empire's efforts in tlio war, or if it would consider the question of Imperial economic reconstruction after the war. _ He sought information on the Government's labour, ,food, syid shipbuilding schemes. Germany's latest threat was substantially a declaration of war on the neutral world. Germany had expeoted either ' acquiescence or' merely a verbal protost, and it was gratifying to note thc stern and resolute determination of the other great English-speaking community to frustrate this groat enormity which had been proposed by the enemies of the Human race. Wo must secure a victory whioh would pavp'the way to an peace and safeguard humanity's future. Two essentials were tlio closest coordination of the plans and operations of the Allies, and a complete concentration of effort on our liomo resources. He appealed to everyone to discbarge his duty, remembering that they wero as trustees of the greatest cause in existence. . * • Chancellor Reviews the 'Situation. Mr. Bonar Law (Cbancoljor of the Exchequer) said 'that Mr. Asquith's speech was the best possible testimony to tho country's i unity. Answering" Mr. Asquith on the point, he said that of.sixtythousandunesemptedmenwho were engaged in agriculture, it had bee n decided that twenty thousand should enlist, provided that substitutes could be found from tlio Army. He urged that gp critjcisni be put forward lentil the Government had developed its po]joy. Thp Government was requisitioning more and more merehKntmep, and some similar arrangement with regard to tho nationalisation of the railways had been decided op. Details would shortly be announced. The' Shipping Controller had already dpne valuable work in providing new ships. Whatever the ravages of the enemy's submarines might ho, we wero doing something to replace them by many all ips, which were being constructed with the utmost rapidity- The Imperial Conference had been arranged because the usual Colonial Conference had not been held. "It will consider questions pf common interest regarding the war, and will cover a wide, ground. It will ho impossible to lay down hard-and-fast limitations in regard to the matters which the visiting Prime Ministers will bo permitted to discuss. It has been arranged that the pverseas Prime Minister will sit as members when Cabinet is discussing questions Specially concerning them." Concluding, Mr. Bonar Law said: "The submarines are ono pf tho greatest dangers wo have heon fighting. Although I am only speculating, I canr not help feeling that Germany, is already doing her maximum, 1 and has absoi lutely no chance of starving Britain'and defeating us that way. The Navy's best brains are concentrated on tho submarines, and everything possible is being done. There has been a noted absence of disasters, and a favourable trend pf the war in the various theatres. Germany's aims in Rumania have been defeated, and slip lias been disappointed regarding the expected booty in com and oi)." Mr. Bonar Law also _referred with satisfaction to our accomplishments in Egypt, while tho position in Mesopotamia, was eminently satisfactory. Everything pointed to the Allies' ability to defend the position in which, we had beep placed at Salonika. \Vo had cleared the enemy out of Sinai. East Africa: was only a matter of a short time, and then the last German colony would be subdued. Our position oil the West front justified confidence. Owr frequent raids had been, invariably successful, and not a single counter-attack had succeeded. Tho result was_ tho complete Anglo i French moral ascendancy over tho sn<jmy. Our soldiers had again and again proved themselves more than a match for their enemies. Our inferiority of material had ceased, and with our superiority in fighting spirit and material we might ca-rly expect tlio best Seme people in this country had criticised President Wilson's efforts to do justice to our cause. Napoleon had roused the world because his lust of conquest, and tho same rcsplt was now apparent. - Mr. G. J. Wardle endorsed tho appeal for a united people, and hoped that Lalinur would ho consulted in important questions. 3rr. King urged a relaxation of tho censorship, and asked for a stater nient regarding Ireland. Pensions and National Service. Mr. G. N. Barnes (Minister for Pensions) announced that ho would introduce a Bill dealing with war pensions. Mr. Arthur Henderson announced a Bill for National Service. ■ , Tlio debate was adjourned.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.