FIRST PROCEEDINGS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 643, 22 September 1933, Page 6

FIRST PROCEEDINGS

SPEECH FROM THRONE FIRST QUESTIONS AND NOTICE OF BILLS GIVEN TRADITIONAL CEREMONIAL The opening' of the third session of 24th Parliament of New Zealand. was performed by His Excellency, the Governor-General, Lord Bledisloe, this afternoon. The opening was carried out with traditional ceremony, and the first formal business of the session was then transacted. A number of questions were'tabled and notice of bills given. His Excellency, in his speech from the Throns, surveyed events since the last session.

Wellington, Thursday Notwithstanding rainy weather, ' the customary colourful sccne was provided by the formal opening of Parliament by the GovernorGeneral, Lord Bledisloe, this afternoon. The vice-regal party, consisting of Their Excellencits, Lord and Lady Bledisloe, Sir Cecil Day, official secretary to the Governor-General, Lieut. Thomson, A.B.C., and Capt. Tweedie, A.D.C., left Govtrnment House at' 2.15 p.m., their departure being signalised by ,a. salute of 19 guns fired from Point Jerningham by the Royal New Zealand Artillery. On arrival at Parliament grounds where a large crowd had assembkd, many taking shelter under umbrellas, His Excellency was met by Major General Sinclair Burgess, General Officer Commanding the Ntw Zealand Eorces and Commander Burgess Watson, commanding! the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. The combined bands of H.M.S. Dunedin and H.M.S. Diomede played the first bars of the National Anthem afttr wbich His iExcellency inspected the guard of honour provided by the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy while Lady Bledisloe accompanied by Sir Cecil Day, was reeeived by the Clerk of Parliament^ (Mr. E. W. Kane) and conduckd to her seat on the left of the dais in the Legislative Council Chamber. ! Speech Delivered

After inspecting the guard of honour, Lord Bledisloe entered Parliament buildings where he was met by the Black Rod (Mr. A. I. Bothamley). His Excellency then proceeded to the Legislative Council Chamber preceded by the senior officers of the army, navy and air fore\ On catering the chamber, Lord Bledisloe iook his seat ■on the dais iand after causing the Black Rod to summon members of the House of Representatives, delivered the Speech from the Throne. , At the conclusion of the speech, His Excellency left Parliament buildings and the band again played the first bars of the National Anthem. First Proeeedings The Legislative Council met after the opening ceremony, Hon. J. A. Hanan (Otag.o) and Hon. C. J. Carrington (Auckland) who had been reappomted during the recess, being sworn in. Hon. W. W. Snodgrass (Nelson) gavv noMce to move the formal ad-dress-m-repiy motion. The council rose at 3.30 p.m. until to-morrow, when members of the House oF Representatives returned to their own chamber.

Petitions Presented A large number of petitions wcre presented including many praying for tho amendment of the Gaming Act to permit telegnaphed investment ;, double totalisator and publication of dividends. Petitions on this subject bore a total of 7000 signatures. Notice was givei^ of intention to introduce the following bills: BanLs Indemnity Exchange Repeal (Mr. W. A. VeiLch), Judicial Proceedings Regulation of Reports (Hon. J. G. Cobbe), New Plymouth Ai - port Bill (Mr. S. G. Smith), Bay i f Plenly Licensing Committee E: - abling Bill (Mr. K. S. William:;), Meat Export Control Amendment Bill (Mr. W. J. Polson), Schcol Coinmiitees Facilities Bill (Mr. JC. McKeen), British Nationality end ! Status of Aliens in New Zealand Mr. P. Fr^ser), Distress and Keplevin Amendment Bill (Mr. P. Fraser). H First Question Mrs. McCombs gave notice to ask questions relating to unempl oymmt among youths, women and girls a.id inquiring whether the Government j would be prepared to raise the marriage age for both sexes to 16 years. Replying to Rev. Clyde Carr (Lab- I Timaru), Hon. J. G. Cobbe said that J the Government was at present considering the question of making it j mandatory for stock mortgagees to J enter into a. pooling arrangement in j connection with the proceed'ngs of | the Mortgagors' Adjustrnent Cmimis- j

sions. Wellington Railway Staticn The Leadtr of the Oppos'iti >.i (Mr. H. E. Holland) asked the Prime Minister whether he had investigated the representations of the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation relat' n; rfco conditions of tender of the r :w Wellington railway station in wh.rh a mention was called to conditions which imposed handicaps upon local manufacturers as eompared with over. seas manufacturers, in respect of the following potints: (a) The contractor was to be liable for saies tax on all materials which he might purchase in the Dominion but on all materials iniported he would not be affected by the imposi.ion of customs dut.es or saies tax. (b) Local manufacturers would apparently have to pay ordinary ex chang-e on such imported articles as he might use, while the overseas contractor seemed to have exchar.ge provided for him at par. Mr. Holland asked whether the Prime Minister would imniediately take steps to remove the d'isadvantage at which' local industry had been ! placed.

i Prime Minister's Reply I Mr. Forbes said that when tenders were received for any Government contract, full allowance was made for any disadvantages to which the local contractor might be subject. For instance, if payments of saies tax were involved or anyth'ing of a similar nature were entailed, allowance was made for that in all cases. The principle followed in letting contracts was that whereever possible when prices were anything within reason, the local manufacturer received first preference. Mr. Forbes sa'id that no injustice would be done to local manufacturers in regard to the Wellington railway station contract. Mr. W. Downie Stewart and Mr. W. Nash were granted seven days' leave I of abstnce on account of public service and Mr. Tau Henare was granted four days' leave of absence on account of illness in his family. . The Expirimg Law Continuance Bill was read a first time pro forma on the motion of Mr. Forbes. Mr. H. Holland (Christchurch N.), gave notice to move the formal Ad-dress-in-reply motion. Replying to the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Forbes sa'id to-morrow afternoon would be devoted to tributes to deceased legislators. The House rose at 3.30 until 3 p.m. to-morrow.