General Assembly of New Zealand.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 8, Issue 391, 5 July 1866, Page 2

General Assembly of New Zealand.

We take the following report from the New Zealand Advertiser of Monday last, »2nd July:— LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The First Session of the Fourth Parliament of New Zealand was opened in the Goneral Government Buildings on Saturday last, at 12 o’clock noon. The Commission appointed to open Parliament, consisting of the Hon. the Speaker of the Legislative Council, the Hon. John Johnston, and the Hon. J. Prendergast, entered the Legislative Council at a few minutes after 12 o’clock. The Proclamation calling the Parliament having been read, a message was sent to the Lower House, requesting the attendance of the representatives. On the arrival of the members of the Lower House, — The Speaker read the Commission from His Excellency the Governor. The Speaker then informed the. members of the Lower House that it would be their duty, on retiring, to take the oath of allegiance and to elect a Speaker for the present Parliament. The members of the House of Representatives then retired from the Legislative Council chamber. The Speaker then read the letter from the Colonial Secretary containing the Governor’s acceptance of the resignation of certain members of the Legislative Council, and the appointment of others in their places. The Speaker and members of the Council then took the oath of allegiance, after which the Council adjourned to Tuesday. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. On returning to the House of representatives, the Clerk read the proclamation from the Gazette calling the House together, also, the order that members should take the oath of allegiance, after which, they should proceed to the election of a Speaker, who should present himself to his Excellency the Governor on Monday, at 1 o’clock, for the confirmation of his appointment. His Honor Mr Justice Johnston was then ushered iu having been commissioned by his Excellency the Governor to administer the oath to members. The following members took the oath of allegiance-G. Armstrong. A. S. Atkinson, T. Ball, A. Beauchamp, F. D. Bell, C. B. Borlase, J. B. Bradshaw, J. Bryce, J. Bunny, A. J. Burns, 11. Campbell, jum;., J. Cargill, H. Carlton, A. Clark, A. Cox, 0. Curtis, J. E. Fitz Gerald, G. Graham, D. Hankiuson, E. A. Hargreaves, T. M. Haultain, F. H. Hull. F. Joilie, A. Ludlam, D. M‘Lean,D. Munro, J. Newman, A. R, Oliver, Chas. O’Neil, j! O’Neil, J. D. Ormond, G. M. O’Rourke, Chas. Parker, J. Paterson, Donald Reid, W. H. Reynolds, J. C. L. Richardson, A. J. Richmond, J. C. Richmond, E. W. Stafford, E. C. J. Stephens, W. W. Taylor, G. Ward, W. Wells, L. Walker, F. Whitaker, J. Williamson, J. C. Wilson, W. Wood. ELECTION OF SPEAKEB. Mr Dillon Bell then rose, and said that he rejoiced at its falling to his lot, after a lapse of five years, to ask the House to proceed to the election of a Speaker, and he rejoiced the more because he had to propose ttie re-election of the same gentleman who had held the distinguished office of Speaker during the last Parliament. There had always been an absence of scurrility or acrimoniousness in the debates of that House, and for this they were mainly indebted to the Speaker who had presided over them. He would propose to the House the name of Sir David Munro, and in doing so he believed that he interpreted the feelings of almost every member of the House. (Hear, hear). It would be a mattter of congratulation to them all that the Queen had been pleased to confer the honor of knighthood on that gentleman as it showed the recognition by the Imperial Government of the importance of that Assembly. He could not but express his regret before sitting down at the absence of so many familar faces; they would no longer hear the vigorous eloquence of Mr Fox, the debating powers of Mr Sewell, the wisdom of Mr Domett, or the sarcastic humor of Mr Manteil; they might, however, congratulate themselves on some of the new names that had been added to their list, and amongst them that of the bon. member for Parnell, Mr Whitaker, whose parliamentary ability and experience in the affairs of this country would make them all rejoice in having his assistance in the conduct of the business that would be brought before them. He had, however, omitted a name which was in his heart when he spoke (hear, hear) —the absence of Mr Weld from'that House would be to all who had taken a part in the affairs of the country for so many year*

a subject of great regret. (Hear, hear.) He held, perhaps alone, among the public of New Zealand the place of a man whose word Was never doubted, whose honor was never questioned, whose advice was always sought, And whose counsel was never refused in cases of public difficulty. (Hear, hear.) With these words he would beg to propose the name of Sir David Munro as Speaker of the House.

Mr H. Ca.ei.eton seconded the proposition.

Sir David Munro said that he felt very sensible of the honor they proposed to confer upon him, in giving him a position which he did not think it would be denied, was as honorable as any in the Colony. It had been his fortune to occupy the chair during the last five years, and he thought that he was justly ’’entitled to presume that his* conduct had been such as not, at all events to deter them from asking him to come forward for election once more. It was a matter of congratulation to him that his proposer and seconder were gentleman who had been in the House since the establishment of self-go-vernment in the Colony. He did not enter upon his duties without a considerable amount of diffidence, when he consider the prominence of the proceedings of that House, not only in this Colony but out of it, the gravity of the debates that would take place, and how their successful result would be affected by the order and regularity with which the business was carried on. While there was this diffidence there was, however, no little encouragement in the fact that the House had attained a high position, and its debates had, up to the present time been marked by trying circumstances which might have produced most opposite results, and he thought that they might safely foresee from the part what would be the action in the future, and he felt sure that he would receive a liberal, courteous, and large-spirited cooperation from the House in conducting its proceedings. (Hoar, hoar.) It now became his duty according to the formality in these matters to offer himself, and if it was their pleasure that he should take that chair, it would always be his object and endeavor to maintain the high reputation that the House had hitherto maintained.

Mr Bell and Mr Carlexon as proposer and seconder then led the speaker elect to the chair.

The Speaker elect then formally, returned thanks for the honor that had been conferred upon him. Mr Stafford then moved the adjournment of the House, and in doing so said that he had to congratulate Mr Speaker upon the high honor that had been conferred on him, and that he had again been called upon to preside over the deliberations of that House; which was a graceful recognition of the temper, the courtesy and the dignity added to the impartiality which he had already displayed iu conducting their deliberations. This was a new Parliament, and there was a large proportion of new members in it who had not yet had time to study its rules, and he must congratulate the House itself in having Mr Speaker to guide them, at the same time that he congratulated that gentleman on his election. On the part of himself and his colleagues he returned his congratulations on the election of Sir David Monro, as he felt sure that he would check all unnecessary irritation or warmth of debate, which if it ever arose only tended to obstruct the business of the House and render more difficult the position of the Government. He then begged to move the adjournment of the House. The House adjourned to a quarter to two o’clock ou Tuesday.