WELLINGTON NOTES.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 October 1918, Page 4

WELLINGTON NOTES.

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT THE SESSION’S PROSPECTS , (Our Special Conesyondent) Wellington, Oct 25 In spite of the wet, cold weather, which appears to have become chronic in Wellington, a considerable crowd gathered under verandahs and umbrellas yesterday to see what it could of the time.honoured ceremonies connected with the opening of Parliament. Its reward was a small one, His Excellency the Governor-General, proceeding to the buildings with more haste and less impressiveness than usual and on arrival disappearing within the sacred precincts without unnecessary delay. The larger galleries in the new Chamber occupied by the members of the Mouse of Representatives, however, offered ample accommodation to the more curious, who knew how to gain admission, and the session was inaugurated with a very proper display of public interest in its prospects and possibilities.

THE SPEECH. The Speech put into the mouth of His Kxcelleney was commendably short and free from platitudin ous periods. It reiterated the obvious things in the obvious way concerning the war and indicated quite a budget of measures to be submitted to Parliament. Among them are proposals for granting power- to local bodies to initiate hydro-electric schemes, for the prevention ol the aggregation of land, for “remedying,” as far as may be possible, the increase in the cost of living, for the preservation of New Zealand forests and for the limitation of the export of timber. In addition to these, and perhaps the most important of all, is a comprehensive scheme ior demobilisation and repatriation. Plainly Parliament is not to have the excuse of idleness for getting into mischief. THE LIQUOR QUESTION. No reference was made in the Speech to the liquor referendum, an omission from which people inside and outside Parliament are drawing their own conflicting deductions. In hope of bringing this’-matter to a head Dr Newman, a sturdy supporter of licensing reform, gav e notice of a question asking th e . Prime Minister for a statement of his intentions. Mr Massey did n 0 t volunteer a reply forthwith but probably will tell the member for Wellington East in due course that the Government is following the constitutional course of considering the petitions that are o-i their way to the House before definitely declaring its policy. Meanwhile the popular opinion is that the petition- 1 ers will get their referendum. j

THE NEW BUILDINGS. The interior of the new Parliament Buildings—still, of course, far from finished—was seen at a great disadvantage yesterday. 1 he Chamber itself, the galleries ami the lobbies had been hurriedly furnished 1 for the occasion, and presented a patched and, in places, a ragged | appearance. All this will be j remedied when the contractors and the Public Works Department have completed their jobs, but the improvement of the acoustic properties of the Chamber, which at present leave very much to be desired, is not so certain. I’>en Mr Massey, who does not miss much of what is said on the floor ol the House, complained he could not hear a word of what a member thirty feet away from him was saying, and the plight of the press galleiv was Still more embarrassing.