PARLIAMENT OPENS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 26, 25 October 1918, Page 7

PARLIAMENT OPENS

./ THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH

LEGISLATION FOR THE SESSION

Tho fifth session of tho nineteenth •Parliament of New Zealand was opened liy His Excellency the Governor-General, llio Earl of Liverpool, yesterday afternoon,'under very wintry weather conditions. A detachment of the Forty-fourth l'oinforceiucnU formed a guard of honour lor His Excellency, and tho Trentham Hand was in attendance. The vice-regal jmrty arrived at about 2.30 p.m., tho A'ational Anthem being played by tho band.

II pern the arrival of His Excellency, who was also accompanied by the Countess of Liverpool, the usual ceremonies incidental to the occasion wero observed. Their Excellencies proceeded to the Legislative Council Chamber, where the Act-ing-Speaker, the Hon. Aα 7 . C. F. Camcross, and Councillors wero in attendance. The Prime Minister and members of tho Cabinet and House of Rerjresentatives having been summoned, itis Excellency delivered his Speech, which' was iie follows:—

Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, :

AVhen. 1 addressed you on' April 0 of the present year at,tho opening of- iijst session the- position of the Allied armjes on tho AVestern front was such.as to give grave cause for anxiety. In that Speech, sifter stating that tho . then present jnoment probably marked tho crisis of- the ••war in which the Empire had so long ■been engagjed, I said, "We are welbasKiired that the , courage and endurance of «ur armies, now tried to the uttermost, vjll not fail in the present or the future. We have the record, of the past threo years, to justify that confidence.''' Soon after the termination of that session tho strategy of Marshal Foch and Ihe splendid valour and endurance of the Allied armies under his single command changed the course of the war from defence to continuous attack upon the enemy's positions, and thenceforward victory has followed victory until there lias come first the unconditional surrender of Bulgaria and then urgent proposals for peace from the. other enemy countries, while the Allies occupy large parts of Belgium and of France which for four years had been under the domination of Germany. In tho operations on tjie Western front our New Zealand Division Jias been constantly in action, and has given tho Dominion renewed cause to be jproud of our soldiers' record of courage iind discipline. In the East also our mounted forces .have had part in" the wonderful series of successes by which the array wider General Allenby's com 1 inand has driven the enemy far beyond the bounds of Palestine.' . . ." ■

Tho position to-day is one of extreme tension, and 'there are strong reasons i>; , believing that peace .will not .bo 10/g delayed,, but any relaxation of effort on our part could.only have the effect of .endangering our satisfaction, with tho Dominion's war effort thir enemies must bo convinced that there will be no termination of tho war until they submit, to just and adequate proposals for reparation, and ,givo sufficient' guarantees against renewed attempts* to ignore the law of nations and disturb the peace of the world. ' ' / :

Tho Imperial War Cabinet 'and the Imperial , War Conference which my Prime 'Minister and Minister of Finance attended during the recess, together with, representatives of all the oversea .Dominions.nnd India, mark a great development in the constitutional history of the Empire. Opportunity was thus given for the views of this Dominion on many subjects* to be fully considered from. the standpoint of tho whole Empire. My tv:o Ministers were also enabled to, advance the interests of • New Zealand in many important respects'. Measures. will bo .submitted for your consideration granting power to local bodies to initiate hydro-electric schemes J'or: theij; respective districts; for 'tho prevention of the aggregation of laud; lor the prevention of the acquisition of land in New Zealand .by ' persons of enemy origin; for the better- protection' 'of'soldiers and their' wives and dependants; for the prevention of traffic in military decorations; and the unauthorised use of badges assigned to-soldiers', (issuciations; for the necessary preservation of New Zealand forests; and for the limitation 'of export of timber..

It is intended to submit .to PavliiV tiient certain necessary legislation relating to tho present constitution of the Legislative Council.

You will also bo asked to consider the subject of the increase in tho cost of living consequent on the war, and to devise such remedied as may be possible. In order to promote educational progress proposals will be submitted.

Mr, Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives,— I desire to congratulate you upon your removal into surroundings more in accordance with the dignity and importance of your deliberations than the rooms you have occupied since.the- destruction of tho Parliamentary Buildings. . -':

. The public accounts and the Estimates which will be laid before you will «f----i'ohl proof that economy lias boon and v being -exercifcd in the .various Departments of tho State. The increaso in expenditure is largely due to the cost of the war and the growing interest and sinking fund on the Dominion debt. A comprehensive scTieme for demobil-

isation and repatriation has been prepared, and will bo submitted during tho present session, Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Gentlemen of tho House of Representatives,— I trust that in your deliberations Divine Providence may guide you to the advantage of our Sovereign, of his Empire, and of this Dominion.