Political “Zero Hour”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 529, 5 December 1928, Page 15

Political “Zero Hour”

PARTIES ALL SET FOR TEST Labour Amendment Unlikely (THE SUN'S Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, To-day. Sill CHARLES STATHAM presented himself at Government House this forenoon and was duly sworn in as Speaker of the House of Representatives. This afternoon The Governor-General’s Speech is being delivered and the House will probably proceed to the Address-in-Reply Debate this evening.

With the usual pomp and military circumstance, in the most brilliant weather, Wellington could offer, the ceremonial opening of the 23rd Parliament of the Dominion was held this afternoon. A big crowd assembled and the galleries were packed to watch the familiar but ever new spectacle in the Capital City. The boom of the 19-gun salute fired by the New Zealand Artillery at 2.15 reverberated over the city and sea to tell that his Excellency and Lady Alice Fergusson had left Government House for Parliameut Buildings. When their Excellencies arrived with the procession a guard of honour from the New Zealand Corps of Signals, under, Captain W. C. G. Ashbridge, was drawn up opposite the flight of steps at the main entrance. Those in the procession with Sir Charles Fergusson were Major-General Young, Brigadier J. IL Whyte, Colonel R. St. J. Beere, Captain C. N. Reyne, R.N., senior naval officer, PaymasterCommander E. N. R. Fletcher, R.N., Lieutenant-Colonel H. E. Pilkington, Lieutenant-Colonel I. T. Standish, and Lieutenant-Colonel N. S. Falla. Accompanying his Excellency were Captain E. P. O. Boyle and Lieut. E. L. Orr-Ewing. Major-General Young and the senior naval officer met the Governor-General at the foot of the steps, and then the command was given to the guard for the Royal Salute. Lady Fergusson was received on her arrival by the Clerk of Parliament, Mr. A. F. Lowe, and was conducted to her seat on the dais in the Legislative Council Chamber. His Excellency and the procession then were led by Black Rod, who had been mentor in the earlier stages, to the Legislative Council Chamber. There other members of the procession formed a double rank, through which Sir Charles Fergusson went to take his position on the dais in front of the Speaker of the Council. After bowing to the councillors, who were standing, he requested them to be seated, and called upon Black Rod to summon the House of Representatives. Black Rod withdrew, bowing, and soon the House came in, led by the Speaker, Sir Charles Statham, who bowed to the Governor before taking his seat. The Speaker of the Council presented bouquets to Lady Fergusson and Mrs. J. G. Coates, then the Speech from the Throne was handed to Sir Charles Fergusson by the Speaker of the Council, and his Excellency read as follows: Speech From Throne Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives: The illness of the King has created and still causes grave anxiety in every part of his Empire. I am confident that you join with me in earnest hope that his Majesty may be speedily restored to complete health and strength. In accordance with the advice of my Ministers that an immediate opportunity should be afforded to the 23rd Parliament of the Dominion to express approval or otherwise of their Administration, I have convened your first session to be held at the earliest possible date after the return of the writs. It Is not proposed to submit legislative measures for :faur considertaion during your present session. Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives: As supply has already been granted for the period expiring on June 30 next, you will not be called u [,:>u during yonr present session to consider legislation relating to finance. You will be furnished with information relating to tile finances of the Dominion for the first seven months of this financial year. Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives: I earnestly trust that under Divine Providence the happiness and wellbeing of the people of the Dominion may be advanced by the result of your deliberations. The latest indications in the lobbies j of the House of Representatives point against the possibility of any Labour amendment to the Address-in-Reply, or to the United amendment thereto. Sir Joseph Ward may word his amendment in general terms to indicate that the Government has lost the confidence of the House, or he may assign specific grounds for that loss of confidence. t Labour’s Attitude An idea current yesterday was that Labour wished to see the Government’s treatment of unemployment named as a specific charge against it. and that if the United amendment did not make this charge Labour would endeavour to present an amendment that did. In the light of later information it can be said that this is most unlikely, although Labour is still expected to make the most of its opportunity to speak to Sir Joseph Ward’s amendment. On a motion of want of confidence, by the way, there is complete freedom of debate. Members may talk on anything or everything. Sir Joseph himself is expected to make more than passing refea'ence to unemployment, particularly to its most serious aspect, the difficulty experienced in finding work for boys leaving school, and Labour probably will make unemployment the mainstay of its attack. In an ordinary session the mover of the Address-in-Reply does not speak

until the evening of the day following the Governor-General's Speech, which, in the present instance will be Thursday evening, and even then only the speeches of the mover and seconder are taken before the adjournment. This is an extraordinary session, however, the sole purpose of which is to obtain a test of party strengths, and most members are anxious- to get home. On top of this the partv leaders cannot lose sight of the grave illness of the King. An adjournment would throw the session forward to the very eve of Christmas. There is a strong feeling, therefore, that this combination of circumstances is sufficient reason for departing from precedent and making tlje Address-in-Reply the first order of the ■ day for to-morrow afternoon. The Prime Minister, with whom the decision of this point rests, had not made up his mind this forenoon, but some members of his own party, and the bulk of the Uniteds, are strong for an afternoon * beginning. If this be decided upon the dinner adjournment probably will be taken after the first two speeches, leaving Sir Joseph 'Wrf d to come on at 7.30. It should then he possible, by sitting late on Thursday and Friday nights, to reach the division this week. Then the new Prime Minister would have the week-end to arrange portfolios and could announce his Ministry when he meets the House on Tuesday. Independents Will Speak It is expected that the Independents will speak to the amendment in order to justify their votes. One of them at least (Mr. C. A. Wilkinson) is pledged to Sir Joseph Ward no further than this iititial division. He opposed and defeated a Minister, and he will vote to put the Government out of office. Beyond that he is still independent, and there may be others like him. The crowded galleries yesterday afternoon found special interest in the Opposition seating arrangements, it being assumed that a place on one of the eight front benches was practically a guarantee of place in the United Cabinet. This need not be so, of course, for the same arrangement need not apply when the party crosses the floor to the Government benches. All the same the strength of the United Parts’ appears to have been mustered in the first and second benches. Sharing Sir Joseph Ward’s bench is Mr. G. W. Forbes and on the leader’s right are Mr. H. Atmore and Mr. E. A. Ransom. On Mr. Forbes’s left are Mr. T. M. Wilford and Sir Apirana Ngata, then come Mr. W. A. Veitch and Mr. W. B. Taverner, directly behind whom are Mr. J. G. Cobbe and Mr. A. J. Stallworthy, both of whom ha ve strong claims on Cabinet rank. Mr. S. G. Smith and Mr. G. Black sit behind Sir Apirana Ngata. with Mr. A. J. Murdoch, and Mr. P. A. de La Perelle behind Mr. Forbes and Sir Joseph Ward. Mr. W. J. Poison appears to have jettisoned his independence, because he is with Mr. J. B. Donald, immediately behind Mr. Ransom and Mr. Atmore. If Mr. Taverner gets Cabinet rank it may be taken for granted that, Mr. de La Perelle will not, but in that event Mr. de La Perelle probably will be one of the party whips. If Mr. Poison joins the party he must be considered as a possible Minister. Yesterday’s Ceremony The bells started ringing for the opening of Parliament at 2.30 p.m., and every member of the Lower House was in his place, with the exception of Mr. W. J. Jordan, Labour member for Manukau, who is out of the country at present. At 2.32 Black Rod entered, and intimated that the Legislative Councillors desired the attendance of members in the Legislative Council Chamber. The House then adjourned to the Council Chamber, and the commission for opening Parliament was read. At 2.40 a return was made to the Lower House, and all members were sworn in in batches of four, in alphabetical order, by the Clerk of the House (Mr. E. W. Kane). Members w’ere summoned up, and queer groups of contrasting political beliefs they made at times. Their hands on the Bible, they swore the oath in response to the low-toned prompting of the clerk, and signed their names in the booW That done, the House settled down till Sir George Hunter (Waipawa) moved that the Kon. Sir Charles Statham (Dunedin Central) be reelected as Speaker of the House. He spoke of the fine record which the Dominion had with respect to the Speakers of its House, and went back to the days of such men as Sir Charles Clifford, Sir David Munro, Sir Francis Bell. Sir William Fltzherbert, Sir George Maurice O’Rorke, Sir Arthur Guinness, Sir William Stewart, and Sir Frederick Lang. Ever since its inception the House had been fortunate in being able to have as Speakers men of high repute and integrity. In 1923, the House had been fortunate enough to get Sir Charles Statham, who had rendered it fine service, maintaining the high traditions of the past. He was a man of dignified bearing, courteous treatment and strict impartiality. Mr. J. A. McPherson (Oamaru) seconded the motion, saying that it was quite unnecessary to point out the high qualities, experience and dignity of Sir. Charles Statham as Speaker, Also, Sir Charles had been of great assistance always to the younger members of the House. On behalf of the Labour Party, Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central) sup-

ported the motion, saying that in the opinion of all Members, old and young, • there could be no better selection. For I the past six years Sir Charles Statham ! had carried the confidence of every i member of the House. Unanimous Election In accordance with formalities, Sir Charles submitted himself to the House, and was led up to the chair by the proposer and seconder of me motion. At the same time the mace was removed from under the table to < the top by the Sergeant-at-Arms. j Sir Charles thanked the House for j the honour it had done him. j The Prime Minister (the Right Hon. j J. G. Coates) was the first to address j the re-elected Speaker. He congratu- j lated Sir Charles, and said that he | had added lustre to the high office, j The Speaker had been noted for his j sense of fair play and his non-partisan , spirit. His complete mastery of the { forms and orders of the House gat e j Sir Charles the opportunity of carry- j ing out his duties in a way which led to .complete unanimity in debate. His i unanimous election was a tribute to i him both as man and Speaker. The Leader of the Opposition (the Rfigltt Hon. Sir Joseph Ward) added j his congratulations, saying that he , was right in stating that the House J would be absolutely unanimous on one thing during the session. That was the pleasure at having a Speaker so fitted for the position as Sir Charles Statham. “Personally’,” said Sir Joseph Yard, “I think that the Speaker of the House shoudd have no opponent in a political campaign. That is the attitude which my ptarty adopted. I have seen many Speakers in different parts of the world,, and have had much experience of them, but I have never been prouder of a Speaker than of Sir Charles Statham.” Sir Joseph hoped that Sir Charles would occupy the position for the whole term of the Parliament and longer. He paid a tribute to Lady Statham and her hospitality. Mr. EL E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, congratulating Sir Charles, said that his unanimous selection would be unique in the history of tt»e Parliament, as it would be the only unanimous one. He paid a tribute to the dignity and fairness of the Speaker. Mr. El. M. Rush worth (Bay of Islands) ctffered his congratulations also as the representative of the remaining party. 1 Sir Charlies thanked the speakers for their remarks, and also Mr. Rushworth as leader of the Country Party. (Laughter.) He said that the Speaker was merely the instrument of the House, and ttianked the members for the support (Stat he had received in the past. He felt sure that this Parliament would, be as dignified as its predecessors. The House tfnen adjourned till 2.30 to-day.

CONFIDENCE IN LEADER

LABOUR’S APPRECIATION Press A&sociatiovt. WELLINGTON, To-day. The following - resfc>futi on was passed by the Labour caucais 3'esterdai': — “ That this meeting of members of the Parliamentary Labofir Party records its sincere appreciation, of the untiring efforts of Mr. IT. E. Ijlolland on behalf of the Labour moverijent, and, recognising his knowledge and ability, his courage and unswerving devotion to the cause of the workors. unanimously affirms its confidence ifcn him as leader of the party.”