PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1954, 29 May 1880, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

[FEOir OUE OTO COKHEBPONDKNI'.] WELLINGTON, May 28. Comparatively few members were present at the opening of Parliament this afternoon ; only about a dozen Legislative Councillors and twenty-eight members of the House of Representatives. On members assembling in the Lower House, before the summons to the other chamber, they were scattered about indiscriminately without anything like an attempt at party grouping. No two members seemed inclined to chat together, excepting at one time, whan Messrs Oliver, Swanson, and Murray held a brief casual colloquy. I noticed among the members present Messrs Dick, Beetham, Wallis, Thomson, Speight, Mason, Brandon, and To Wheoro. Mr Bailor went straight to his scat, and sat in an attitude of calm expectancy. Then Mr Hall entered the House, wearing anew white hat. With an air of cheerful ceufiden eho spoke to the Clerk about some Bills, and then Mr - peight came up and exchanged a few words with him, but, on the whole, members simply straggled about, and the most ingenious could deduce no conclusions as to party prospects from anything like their association in cliques or knots. Meanwhile the Legislative Council chamber was crowded with ladies, especially on the floor, to which portion admittance apparently had been conceded much more i freely and generally than usual. Those present included the Hon. Lady Robinson and her two daughters, Miss Robinson and Mrs St. John. The galleries we-e hardly so thronged as usual, probably owing to so few members having arrived. The Hons. Whitaker and Dignan were the only members of the Council visible. Members of both Houses were summoned for two o’clock, but it yvas generally understood that the actual ceremony would not begin before half-past. However, at 2.10 p.m , the Governor entereo the building, attended by his private secretary and A. D.G, also by the German and American Consuls. ( Tessrs ICrull and MTntyre) in full uniform. Sir tiercnles wore the Windsor uniform, with the star and ribbon of St. Michael and St. George. Ho was received at the entrance by the new volunteer corps, the Wellington Guards, a fine soldierly body of men, whose scarlet 1 grenadier uniforms, and big bearskins, looked very well and imposing. Tbey were under the command of Captsin the Hon. Randall Johnston, M.L C. 'J he Artillery corps wore stationed on the tennis lawn on the west side of the parliamentary buildings, under command of Captain Moor house, M.H.R, with their Armstrong fitJd pieces. The weather was fine, bnt dull and chilly. A vast crowd of spectators assembled on all sides, and on the arrival of the Governor the artillery fired a salife of seventeen guns, and the Guards’ baud plated the National Anthem, the Guards presenting arms. His r xcellency, on entering the Council Chamber, bowed slightly to those present, and proceeded at once to the Spoikor’s chair, escorted by Sir William Fitzherbert, Speaker of the Council. The Governor being seated, Captain St, John, A.D.0., was despatched to fetch the Commons, departing in a very free and easy manner, without the u-ual series of profound hows. During the intervi w p-nding the arrival of the VLH.R.’s, the c-.lm atmosphere of the Lords was disturbed by the sudden entrance of a stranger, who evidently had lost his way, and was clearly dumbfounded at the august pre.-ence m which he so unexpectedly found himself, and with being the cynosure of so many eyes, masculine and feminine. As he stood there, speechless and motionless, he was promptly collared by two messengers and run out with remarkable swiftness. At length the members of the House of Representatives entered, headed by Mr O’Rorke, the • pe iker, and attended by Major Panl, Sergeant-at-Arms, with the mace. The Hon. F. Whitaker then handed the speech, which was engrossed on parchment, to the Rev. C. Meysey Thomson, private secretary, who passed each sheet to his Excellency as required. The Governor read the speech with re a ark able clearness and distinctness, seeming to dwell with special force and emphasis when alluding to the necessity for care and economy regarding the public finances. The speech was unusually brief, but the general VO' diet was that it was practical and to the point, and it appeared to create a favorable impression on the whole. On concluding the Governor handed the speech to bir J. Fitzherbert, and the M.H.B.s having withdrawn, his Excellency retired amid renewed salutes from the cannon and loyal strains from the hand. Ihe whole proceedings occupied less than a quarter of an hour. On the Speaker of the House of Representatives resuming his scat, Sir W. Fox was introduced by Messrs Hall and Brandon, and duly sworn in. Mr Beetham, on behalf of Colonel Trimble, gave notice of l:;c address in reply. Mr Hall gave notice of the three Electoral Bills loft over from the last session, and also of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Bills. Mr Bryco gave notice of a Native Bill, and Mr Rolleston of a Native Reserves Bill. Mr Levin gave notice of the New Zealand Bank Amend ment Bill. A despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies was presented conveying thanks to the House for the vote of condolence on the death of the Princess Alice. A large number of parliamentary papers were laid on the table, chiefly formal returns and despatches of no special interest.

they include forty-eight letters from the AgentGeneral on emigration to New Zealand, the dates ranging from May 10th. 1879, to March 220 d, 1830; Post-office and Savings’ Bank Accounts ; papers relating to the Suez Mail Service and Sydney Exhibition ; treaties of Commerce and Navigation between England and Foreign Powers ; despatches to and from the Governor and Secretary of State, &o. The Hon. Mr Grace will move the Address in Reply in the Legislative Council. It is understood that the Colonial Treasurer will brirg down his financial statement on Tuesday week Jnno Bth, unless any nnforaeen delay should take place in debating the Address in reply. Indeed, should this and other Parliamentary business bo got through with exceptional despatch, it is po' Bible that the statement may be made on Friday next; but this is not looked upon as a very probable contingency. A rumor was afloat in the lobbies this afternoon that a direct no confidence motion was to be tabled immediately by the Opposition with a view of testing the relative strength of parties at once. Another report is that tho first aggressive movement of the Opposition will take the shape of an amendment on tho Address in reply. Nothing will ho definitely known, however, until more members arrive. The general opinion seems to bo that the Government are safe for tho session unless they fall on the property tax. Ministers are very roti •at as to their intention on this, bat

the Opposii ion members freely express their conviction that it will be modified in some w;y, so as to soften the most objectionable features. It is believed that Ministers themselves are not altogether satisfied with the mode of collection and assessment. Nothing, however, is yet definitely known on the matter. The Hinemoa, with the first batch of Northern members, did not get in till daylight this morning, and the Arawata, with the Southern men, until late this afternoon, after all the ceremony had been concluded.