NATIONAL UNITY.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 103, 10 May 1901, Page 2

NATIONAL UNITY.

NEW PARLIAMENT OPENED BY DUKE OF CORNWALLCOPING STONE OF UNITED ‘ AUSTRALIA. AN IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY. A WONDERFUL SIGHT. BUILDING FILLED TO UTMOST CAPACITY. SPLENDID DESCRIPTION. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Received May 9, 5.30 p.m. Mclboumo, May 9. The coping stone of a Unitod Australia was laid to-day by the opening of the Federal Parliament by His Highness tho Duke of York. THE WEATHER, Tho weather was lino and clear, with a

bitter and boisterous wind. THE ROYAL PROCESSION. From an early hour groat crowds lined the streets to”witness the Royal procession from Government House to the Exhibition Buildings. Tho streets were lined with the troops, those from New Zealand occupying the section betwoen King and Swanston streets. Tho procession consisted of two escorts, with a captain’s escort for His Excellency tho GovernorGeneral (Lord Ilopctouu), who preceded the Royal equipage. DUKE AND DUCHESS. Shortly after eleven o’clock their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall, occupying the carriage sent to Australia by His Majesty tho King, emerged from the Government House gates, and drove through tho streets of the city, amid ehoers, to the Exhibition Buildings, where tho ceremony of opening the first Parliament of United Australia took place. THE BUILDING. P) can scarcely be termed the most fitting placo for such an important occasion. It lacks the solidity and grandeur which one associates with a Temple of Lawmakers. It is more of the character of' a “ house of cards.” It is fragile in appearance ; yet for tho purposes of i spectactular effect its utility to accomi modato a huge audience is in its favor. To have opened the Parliament* in tho i State Legislature, which is set apart for the more serious labors of the Federal Parlialiament, would havo been to rob the occa- : sion of much of its glitter. No vast asi semblage could havo gathered there. 1 - GREETINGS TO THE II El It,

It is ’appropriate that the building which twenty years ago welcomed tho young midshipman of H.M.S. Bacchante should now greet him as the heir to the British Throne. What is lacking in stateliness is made up for in some measure by the beautiful decorations of the fabric. THE DOME—A THING OF BEAUTY.

Under tho great dome is situated the c * Royal dais. Tho dome itself is a marvel is of graded color. Looking upward, the _ n oye travels from deep blue and gold and “ drab tints upwards to a delicate blue bod, te with gold shades. The whole color 11 scheme is without a jarring note. On four pendant ives arc beautifully pointed figures of Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Y Hercules, typical of beauty(?),lo ve, war, and “> strength. On thg four spangles over the c * arches supporting the dome are allegorical J e lunettes, representing the Federation, °> Government, arts applied to peace, and 1G arts applied to war. The' figures of all the allegories rest on clouds through LG which stars gleam in tho various phases of morn, eve, and noon. Tho treatment is all academic. On the spacious -broad 10 dais facing the porth is a lunette 1 of arts qj as applied to peace, which shows Minerva with the lion of war asleep at her feet, , while literature, arts, husbandry, and agrii culture are grouped as, sylphs around her. jg Over the dais on' the S south side, Minerva rides a chariot through the storm ie clouds, flaring forth witli her attendant Amazons to battle, and picturing thus art ' applied to war. Over the eastern nave sits ’ the Government, between the figures of ' Law and Order. Over the western nave there is a figure of Britannia enthroned. le Above the shield of a Union Jack she welcomes the six federated States, as virgins ; surrounding her with their shields, which are blazoned with their several State coats of arms. -On the eight panels of the four piers are' two coupled schemes. One is that of thq seasons—Spring, Summer, y Autumn, and Winter. The other includes d two pairs, Night apd Morning, and Justice x and Truth, tho half-draped figures by s- which these are respectively typified, floating in mid-air among finely-balanced . planes of eloudland. They are very excellent works of the real, decorative, and e beautiful, alike in the color, drawing, d plasticity, and pose of tho scheme. h MAIN HALL. e The main hall is in strict harmony with r the coloring of the dome. The roof runs up through transparent amber to a tui--0 quoise sky, the supporting pillars being in s golden brown. The avenue from the .. southern door, through which the Royal , party approaches the dais, is carpeted with royal crimson, bordered throughout by banks of living flowers and ferns, surmounted by a dado of royal blue velvet, pleated with upright panels of crimson silk dado fireze, whilo tho enamel moulding is panelled with gold satin, and the filling of tho wall is draped with flat vieux roso silk, adorned with the Royal Arms in a floi-id setting of ample fireze above a rich plum-colored plush, with dainty > festoons of real white roses falling over it > like sculptured stone in architecture. The • vestibule doors are of dead white ivory . enamel, panelled with rose plush of a : little higher tone than the frieze on tho dais. A royal red carpet, diapered with gold and neutral green, with crimson, fell and covered the low. gallery which rises behind for the seats of the State Governors and the Royal and vice-Royal suites. The large orchestra occupied a largo platform opposite, and to the left of the Royal dais. PROCLAMATION. Prior to the advent of the Royal party, the Clerk of Parliament read the proclamation constituting the Parliament to / the members of tho Senate. A similar ceremony was performed in the House of Representatives, which occupied an , annexe. ‘ GREAT CROWD. Long prior to tho commencement of these initial proceedings is the great building filled to the utmost capacity. A j wonderful sight presented itself. Rising in a gradual slope from the floor of the ! main hall opposite the Royal dais to the northern 'transept was packed with people, including members and families of the ' various State legislators and officials, with here and there a dash of color in the shape of a military officer, Judges, Consols, church' dignitaries of every sect. s Immediately under the Royal position sat members of the Senate, with room for members of the House when the time came for their presence being desired from the other House. On the dais to tho loft of tho Royal party were the naval officers g and staff who came out by the Ophir. On the right sat the Lieut.-Governors of the .several States with their staff, and Admiral Beaumont and staff. Immediately F behind these again were the members of cc the press and representatives of the various States and Now Zealand. w ROYAL PARTY.

At noon His Excellency Lord Hopetoun arrived, and a few minutes later a fanfare from heralds at the southern entrance announced the arrival of the Duke and Duchess. As the group ascended the dais along the beautiful vestibule, the scene was magnificent. A rich effect was produced by the gorgeous uniforms of the high military and naval officers, the sight being most impressive. v ADVANCE TO THE DAIS. The Duke and Duchess advanced to the dais, accompanied by Lord and Lady Hopetoun, and the formal proceedings I then commenced.