BRITISH POLITICS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1381, 16 February 1905, Page 2

BRITISH POLITICS.

PARLIAMENT OPENED BY KING AND QUEENBy Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright London. Feb 14, Their Majesties the King and Queen opened Parliament in semi-state. The Royal Speech promised a representative constitution for tho Transvaal, a Butter Adulteration Bill, and :one dealing with aliens. Steps would also -be taken for the redistribution of seats.

A BRILLIANT CEREMONY. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright Received 10.23 p.m., Feb. 15. London, Feb 15. The opening of Parliament was a brilliant ceremony. The King received an enthusiastic and popular reception. His speech stated that foreign relations were friendly and the strictest neutrality was observed. The condition in the Balkans was ameliorated, still there were causes for anxiety. The Anglo-French Convention strengthens the friendly relations. The North Sea Commission apportions the responsibility of that deplorable incident. Steps towards tho establishing of a | representative constitution in the Trans- ' vaal were receiving earnest consideration. He hoped the result would be substantial progress towards the ultimate goal of complete self-government. The groat difficulties of the Thibetan mission had been brilliantly surmounted, placing relations on a satisfactory footing. China had sent a commission to Calcutta to negotiate a convention of adhesion to the AngloThibetan agreement. The Scottish Church question required legislative intervention. The Commissioners’ report would enable Parliament to frame proposals tending towards the promotion of peace and goodwill. Proposals would be submitted diminishing the ' anomalies of electoral areas. The .Bills to be brought down would include aliens’ provision, permanent machinery for dealing with unemployed (the King noticed with profound regret and sympathy ths abnormal distress during the winter months through want of employment), Scottish education extension, workmen’s-oompensation, improving the status of local government, boards of trade, establishing a Minister of commsroe and industry, renewal of Agricultural Rates Act, and prevention of butter adulteration.

| Received 10.41 p.m., Feb 15. • London, Feb. 15. I Mr Asquith moved to-day that as the I various aspects of tho fiscal question had I been fully disoussed for the last two years I the time had come for submitting the I issue to the p-tople without further delay. I Reoeived 11.34 p.m., Feb 15. I London, Feb 15. | Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman, after a I tribute to the late Sir W. V. Haroourt, I deolarod that the fiscal question overI shadowed everything else. The country I was still groping in the dark 'respecting Mr Balfour’s policy. . The Opposition I pressed him for a candid declaration, and I indeed would ask tho House to express an j opinion that it should be freed as soon as I possible from the confusion resulting from metaphysical sophistications, since the 1 country had expressed the opinion unequivocally that Mr Balfour’s contention that the Governmeut were entitled to remain in office while the Parliamentary majority refrained from mutiny was un- ! constitutional and ill-advised. The Opposition held that Mr Balfour’s policy was the same as Mr Chamberlain’s. He caustically oriticised the results of the sugar convention. It was a microcosm of ths Government’s financial policy. He applauded Lord Lanadowne’s action in regard to tho Dogger Banksffair. He asked for an opportunity to. efiscuss constitutional changes in the Transvaal. The programme of legislation was largely show.