NEW SESSION

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 125, 23 November 1932, Page 7

NEW SESSION

BRITISH PARLIAMENT

OPENED BY THE KING;

PICTURESQUE PAGEANTRY

PASSAGES IN SPEECH

(British Official Wireless.) (Received 23rd November, noon.) BUGBY, 22nd November. The King, accompanied by the Queen, drove in state from Buckingham Palace to the House of Lords, where at noon His Majesty opened the new session of Parliament. The route was lined by detachments of the Guards Regiment and police, and the pageant was witnessed by a vast crowd of people. Their warm cheers were acknowledged by Their Majesties, who travelled in a magnificent State coach, drawn by eight bay horses, with mounted equerries and Yeomen of the Guard on foot in their picturesque uniform in close attendance. The ladies and gentlemen of the Royal household followed in five State landaus, each drawn by four liorses, and the Sovereign's escort of Household Cavalry accompanied the procession. Before the procession arrived, the Prince of Wales in a State landau drove to the House of Lords, accompanied by an escort of Household Cavalry, and was accorded a popular reception along the route. The Dukes of York and Gloucester were present in the Chamber, where, with customary ceremonial, in which- the great officers of State and State officials took part, the King and Queen made their progress from the robing room to the throne in the House of Lords. ECONOMIC OUTLOOK. The Speech read by the King from the Throne included the following passages:— "In accordance with the conclusions reached by the Conference at Lausanne a World Economic Conference is to be convened by the League of Nations and will be held in London as soon as possible next year. It is my earnest hope that the Conference will be able to reach an agreement on the measures required to deal with the causes which have brought about the present economic and financial difficulties of the world. "The Conference for the reduction and limitation of armaments now sitting a^ Geneva embodies the hope' and effort of mankind, to induce the greatest measures of general disarmament that can be attained. My Government will continue in full co-operation with all olher members of the Conference to work for an international convention which will be the foundation, for lasting peace. ' ' ' "• "My Ministers.and other members of both Houses are meeting in conference representatives of the Indian States and of British India. They hope thereafter to place before you proposals for further constitutional* development in India. The decisions to be taken will be of great moment to the whole of my Empire, and I shall watch your deliberations with deep interest. BACK TO THE LAND. ' "Although the various conversion schemes which have been successfully carried through offer a prospect of large reductions in tho service of the National Debt, it is still necessary to exercise careful supervision over public expenditure both national and local. The measures already taken to assist British industry in. the Home market and to improve our markets overseas have created a feeling of greater confidence. My Government will continue to do everything in its power to stimulate the recovery of trade. "Agriculture has long been depressed by the general fall in the wholesale prices of its products. My Ministers recognise that, though the measures recently taken in. regard.to -meat and other products have been of real assistance to the producers, further plans are necessary to enable agriculture as a whole to take its proper place in the economy of the nation. "My Government intends to bring forward ideas dealing comprehensively with unemployment insurance and with the treatment of those unable to obtain work." .

ADDRESS IN REPLY

3IACDOXALD SPEAKS

UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM

(British Official. Wireless.)

(Received 23rd November, noon.) RUGBY, 22nd November. -There was a large attendance in the House of Commons this afternoon when the debate on the Address-in-Eeply to the King's Speech began. Members of an parties cheered when Mr. AVinston Churchill made his first appearance since his recent illness. Both members tor the City of London exercised their ancient right of sitting on the Treasury Bench at the opening day of the session. '

The Prime Minister spoke early in the debate and dealt with the criticism levelled at the Government's policy by the Opposition Leader. Mr. Lansbury.

Regarding unemployment, he said that the Labour Party had tried to deal -svith the problem by the provision of relief work, but when the expenditure had reached its highest point, the unemployed figures were going rapidly up. The conditions and state of unemployment two years ago vrero much worse than at present. The Government would encourage every normal municipal enterprise, but rates and taxes must not be drawn upon extravagantly.

The Government had faced up to the fact that when trade had recovered to a degree -which they could reasonably expect, there -would still be a large residium of unemployed. It was therefore not a question of temporary relief. They -were continuing to -work out schemes with, the Departments concerned, and the help of outside bodies. A revival of agriculture was essential to these plans. A much larger percentage of people must be put in direct contact -with the land than had been the case during the development of the factory system.

Regarding the foreign outlook, the Premier said that the World Economic Conference was finding some obstacles in its way. The British Government would continue to press for its earliest possible meeting. On disarmament he would say nothing beyond what tho Foreign Secretary had said in presenting the British proposals, except that the whole House would almost unanimously support him in expressing complete "confidence in their representation in Geneva by Sir John Simon.

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