Parliamentary.

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 July 1901, Page 2

Parliamentary.

(Our Parliamentary Reported,) Wellington, This Day. Col. Penton goes South to-morrow to meet the returning contingents. It has been raining steadily all morning, and the sloppy state of the streets will not interfere with the attendance at Parliament at the opening ceremony by the Governor. Wellington, This Day. The Cabinet sat till 1 30 to-day, putting the final touches to the speech from the throne. It was decided that Collins should move and Wilford second the Address-in-Eeply, The Governor’s Speech. His Excellency the Governor was pleased to make the following speech at the opening of Parliament this afternoon : Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlenen of the House of Representatives : It is to me a great pleasure to meet you again in Parliament assembled. Since the last session of Parliament an event of a striking sad character has overtaken the nation, in the death of Her late Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, who passed away on the 23rd day of January last. On her demise becoming known one great throb of grief went forth through out the civilised world. It was our late sovereign’s constant desire to promote the best interests of her people and to maintain their liberties and improve their conditions. Her greatness and good works will live lor ever and her reign has added imperishable glories to our Empire. In the death of our late good Queen Victoria, the world has suffered an irreparable loss. She was beloved and revered by her subjects and her memory will ever be enshrined in their hearts, and well may it be fervently said that “Her grave was watered by a nation’s tears.”

Messages of sincere sympathy and condolence were forwarded by mo to His Gracious Majesty the King and the Royal family, to which the following reply was received from the Secretary of State for the Colonies: — “ His the King and the Royal Family command me to express their sincere gratitude in which His Majesty’s Government join for the sympathy of New Zealand in the lamented death of. Her Majesty Queen Victoria.” On the death of his beloved mother — the late good Queen Victoria —His Majesty assumed the throne as King Edward VII, and the people of this colony most loyally acclaimed the reign of the new King, and his assumption of tho throne was with fitting ceremony proclaimed at the threshold of our Parliament buildings. In almost every city, borough and county throughout the colony similar functions took place, and the people with one voice exclaimed “ Long live tho King.” [The remainder of the Speech is coming through as we go to press, and will appear in to-morrow’s issue.]