PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8144, 29 June 1906, Page 2

PARLIAMENT.

GOVERNOR'S SPEECH. MB PRESS ASSOCIATION. Wellington, Juno 28. The first session of the sixteenth Parliament of New Zealand was this day opened by the Govornor, when His Ex 'ollency was pleased to make the following speech:— Honorable Members of tho Legislative Council and Gontlemen of the

House of Representatives,— My pleasure at mooting you in the Parliamcat assembled is marred by the death of my late chief adviser, the Right Hon. Richard John Seddon, who for more than thirteen yews occupied the position of Prime Minister of this oolony. His long and uninterrupted tenure of that high office, unparalleled, I believe, in the annals of the British dominions, is the mo3t convincing proof of the confidence reposed in him by the Parliament and people of New Zealand, It was, however, not m colonial affairs only that Mr Seddon aohieved a position of great eminenoe and responsibility, for, apart from the services rendered to New Zealand, his ardent devotion to the great cause of the unity of the Empire made him a notable figure in the domain of Imperial politics. The universal sorrow and sympathy evoked throughout the Empire show that his strenuous advocacy of great Imperial and democratic ideals was appreciated in other lands than our own, and it is fitting that as the filing's representative of the people whom Mr Seddon served so faithfully and so long, and in whose service he died, I should boar testimony to the loss which has been sustained by his untimely death. At my request the Hon. W. Hall Jones undertook the formation of a Ministry which has now assumed office.

Gentlemen of tho House of Representatives, —

I am happy to bo ablo to inform you that the estimates passed last session of Parliament to cover the expenditure of the ourrent financial year proved amply sufficient, and that the year closed with a surplus of receipts over expenditure. My advisers believe that with prudent administration there is overy reason to anticipate that the financial resnlts of the current year will be equally satisfactory. You will be invited to consider proposals having for their object the extension of appropriations to a suitable date.

Honorable Members of tho Legislative Counoil and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives,— I congratulate you upon the continued proofs of tho strength of the colony's financial position, and 1 also upon the substantial progress made in its chief industries, which is shown by the continued increase in the value of exports. It is my earnest desire to co-operate with you in all that may promote tho welfare and prosperity of Now Zoalaud, and I trust that with tho aid of Divine Providenco your labours may result in the well-being and happiness of the people.

THE STRICKEN RANKS,

TRIBUTE TO THE DEAD. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. The Council met at 2.30, and the Governor's speech was read. The following resolution was moved by the Attorney-General: That the Council dcsire3 to place on record its high Sense of the devoted and destmguished services rendered to New Zealand by the late Prime Minister, the Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, P.C., and on the loss the Colony has sustained by his death, und respectfully tenders to Mrs Seddon and her family the assurance of its sincere sympathy with them in| their bereavement.

Captain Bailey seconded, and the motion was passed in silence, membors standing.

The Attorney-General then moved, That this Council desires to place on record its high sense of the faithful and distinguished services rendered to New - Zealand by the late Hon. C. Kenny, M.L.C., the late Hon. D. Pinkerton, M.L.C., and of the late Mr Job Vile, formerly a member of the House of Eepresentatives, and of the serious loss tho colony has sustainod by their deaths, and respectfully tenders to their relatives the assurance of its sincere sympathy with them in their bereavement. Captain Bailey seconded, and the resolution was passed in silence. The Council adjourned at 3.30,

HOUSE OP BEPEESENTATIVES. . The House met at 2.30. After adjoummentto the Council to hear the governor's speech, the Premier move* the samo motion with regard to the late Premier as moved in the Council, •lie bore testimony to the earnest and strong reforming spirit of tho late Premier and sketched his career briefly. He eulogised bis strength, capacity, power, vigor and tremendous industry, and declared that the future historian would give him a greater m history than his c-ntem-pararies have any idea of. He offered ms deepest sympathy to the bereaved fanulv

Mr Masscy, Loader of the Opposition, very feelingly subscribed to all the Premier had. said, omphasmg the fact that no differences had shaken his respect for Mr Scddon, or diminished his conviction that he had left a most useful mark on the legislation of the country, Mr Carroll voiced the regret of the nativo people, n M?® k ßMie spoke for the West Coast, Mr W. Fraser on behalf of the late Premier s colleagues on the Assets Board, and Sir W Stewart spoke with sorrow as the " Father of the House." ihe samo motion regarding the other losses by death during the recoss was passed on the motion of tho Premier. ihe Government was announced as gazetted, and was congratulated bv Mr Massey. J The House adjourned at 4.30 p.m.

Latbb, The formal opening of the sixteenth Parliament took place at 2.30, the attendance of spectators in the Council galienes being much smaller than usua . The Governor, received by the usual guard of honour, and a saluto of guns, entered precisely at the hour and took his seat on the throne surrounded by the various Consular officers, Tho members of the Lower House, having been summoned, atlanded in force, headed by the Speaker, preceded by tho Sergeant at Arms. Hie Governor delivered the speech, and the members of tho House retired to their own Chamber. The Council assembled at 3 p.m. and the Attorney-General at once moved with tho leave of the Council i and without notice, the motions out-

lined above. Their hearts to-day i were, ho said, filled with sorrow that so commanding a leader and representative figure had passed away in the late Premier, after a strenuous life passed from his early youth to tlietimo or Ms death in the service of the public Ho had gone to his rest more

. distinguished and honored than anyf other man who hud over lived in the I colony. Prom his first entrance into public life, he had demonstrated that

ho was a man who was bound to succeed Colonel Pitt briefly sketched tho life of the late Premier, from his arrival m Australia to the time ho assumed the highest position in the co.iny, which he held till death had called him from his labours. His efforts for tho welfare of the country wore well known to all, and eshb'ished for him a monument of unselfish labor in the interests of humanity. There were to day many thousands of colonists who blessed the name of Seddon for the passage of the Old Age Pensions Bill. The death of lhe _ Ki«hl iron, tho Premier was a stunning blow to the whole community, and tho sympathy of tho colony had gone out to lus fttmjly jn their bereavement, ospoc-

ially to MrsiS 'dd.tn. Colonel Pitt referred to the sending out of the South African Contingents, and the splendid reception the late Premier received in Australia. No Colonial Statesman, ho said, had oyer recoived such an ovation and repetition oitside his own colony. Much as ho had done, he had looked forward to doing much more. Colonol Pitt concluded with quoting the following lines:— " God bo tWko l that the dead have

Good undono for the living lo do, Still some aim fir the heart and the will, And the soul of a man to pursue." The motion was carried in silenoe, members standing. The Attorney-General then moved without notice the motions respecting the deaths of the other members, who died during the recess, and these were carried in silence.

Hon. W. Carocros* gave not 0) to move the Address-in-Keply 'o morr w On the motion of the Attorney General ihe Council then adj jurned until 5,30 next day, as a mirk of respect to the late Prime Minisrer, Legislative Councillors and Mr Vile.

The House met at 2.3,), and adjourned to the Legislative Council Chamber, heard the Governor's Speech read and returned. Messrs Rutherford, Mander, Wood, and E. G. Allen were sworn in. Mr Miller gave notice that he would next day move the Address-in-Reply, The Promier gave notice of motion for leave of absence for the remainder of the session to Sir J. G. Ward, and Messrs Fowlds, McNab and Aitlron. A Bill was introduced, the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill. The Prime Minister asked leave of the House to mike a motion without notice, and leave having been granted, he expressed his sense of the mournful duty incumbent on him of asking the Houso to express its regret for the late Premier and its appreciation of his services. "In the presence of death, all our animosities are hushed and all men ineot on common ground. The colony mourns not only a great statosman, but a friend, and Ministers lose a valued colleague. This was not the time for appraising the work of the late Prime Minister, whose name is linked with numerous great measures and points oi Imperial policy. In all his reforms he yeas actuated by a sincere desire to improve the lot of humanity. In 1866 lie came to the West Qoast of the South Island. A-fter 3 years his natural inclination drew him into politics, and his first office was a membership of the AraUura Road Board. He went from office lo office until in 1878 he was made Chairnun of the Westland County Council, nnd in 1879 tho House first felt the force of lus great personality. In 1682 he was first elected for the district of Kumara and represented the same to the day of his death, In 1891 he got Ministerial rank for the first time, serving as Minister of Public Works and even now and again filling tho office of Acting-Premier. In 1893 ho became Premier, and reference to his career in I hat capacity must be reference to the history of New Zealand. Ho had been absent on special missions in 1897 and 1902, and on both occasions had distinguished himself by the breadth, loftiness and practical character of his views. Only the other day we were wondering at his extraordinary triumphs throughout Australia, and then came the announcement that he was ' starting for God's Own Country,' words which, alas, proved prophetic. His success had been great. He had risen from the ranks without influence or help of any kind, simply by his indomitablo courage, multiplicity of resource, and phenomenal endurance. When the historian of the future came to write of the great statesman who died so suddonly out on the ocoan, ho would do such justice to his great charaoter as we of his contemporaries could hardly imagine, great as is our appreciation of his vast scmcos, imperial, colonial, social nnd hcmanitari&n." Ho moved the resolution reported in the report of the proceedings in the Council. The loader of the Opposition, Mr Masscy, in motion, referred to the many losses sustained by death by Parliament during the recess, among the rest that of the late Prime Minister, which gave the public of tho Colony the greatest shock it had ever sustained He dwelt on the suddenness of his death, in the moment of triumph and in the midst of labor. The late Mr Seddon, he said, had become so associated with the business of tho Chamber that tho absence of his stalwart form eould hardly be realised. He had differed from the late Right Honorable gentleman, but he had no hesitation in saying tha he had left his mark on the legislation of the country, and in expressing his admiration for his high character, his energy and other great qualities, he heartily endorsed 'what had fallon from the Premier about tho verdict of the future historian. Time would assuredly add to his great fame. In concluding he tendered his heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved widow and family.

Tho Native Minister spoke of the universal mourning for the great man who is gone, and dwelt on the sorrow of every section of the people of New Zealand. He sketched the career of the late Premier from the lowest to the highest position, and pointed to the tributes to his memory that had flowed from the base to the apex of the social

structure, as proof of tlie enormous and touching versatility of the man. Speaking for the Native race, he spoke of the late Premier us " the strong arm that had upheld them, the shield that had protected them, Tie was the sheltering rata tree, tho strong champ on." He wa* moreover a groat examplo to the people as father, hus-

band, worker and statesman, whose personality will be f. md stamped on e the hearts (f his countrymen. His a strong voice had thundered of Imperial 1 unity. He stood out on the sky-lino of c politics, a great figure, a fo-ward [ statesman, a striver for h'iman benefit, a striking personality, the apostle of Imperial unity. Mr Carroll concluded with tho 1 Farowell, (he long farewell" of his race to Richard John Seddon.

Mr E. McKcnzie tostifiod to the I great grief of the people amongst whom the late Premier had lived for forty years, which naturally was greater than that of tho nation. To have enjoyed the friendship of Kichard John Seddon was a privilege and an honour. He, Mr McKcnzio, had been associated with his career from the first election when he won tho confidence of his people, which lie had retained to the last. He had justified that confidence by doing more for humanity than any man had ever coinpressod into the sums space of time.

His many great qualities they all knew; his courage, his love of children, his devotion to duty, his sagacity and human shrewdness. Of tho eulogiums that had boen writton, tho one that appealed to him tho most w the Rev. Mr Fairclough's tribute, which had appeared in the " Outlook." Tho bulk j of this Mr Mackenz'o road in the House.

Mr W. Fraser (Wakatipu) was gratoful for tho opportunity afforded him of saying a fow words. Ho spike of tho years that had gone past increasing the respect he had for tho dead statesman. His experience on the Assets Boardj on which tho lato Premior had a seat with him, qualified him to declare solemnly that tho solo motiyo of tho late Eight Hon. gentleman at ovory turn had been tho interest of the colony and the cause of justice. He, moreover, had |ncvcr attempted in any way to override or thwart thp verdict of his colloagues. He deplored that the Bight Hon. gontleman had not lived

to ses the culminating success of his banking policy, in the complete freedom of tho Bunk from a'l liability. Regarding the Asset's Boa-d, he took the opportunity of referring to the late Mr Seddon's vast outrage, of whioh his decisive interference twelve years ago in tho affair of the Bank was a strong instanco. This courage, together with his oilier grea qualities, had m:ide him so successful a statesman,. A great personali'y had passed away. He tendered his dcopest L symp ithy with tho sorrowing relatives. Sir W. Steward, as the "lather of

tho House," voiced its deep feeling of sorrow, and its appreciation of tho •jplondid service! rendered to Now Zealand and tho Empire by tho great

man who is gone. Ho wishod he had hotter equipment for his work j lie felt that whatever ho could pay of diehard Soddon must be miserably in. adequate. He could but say that among the illustrious men who have gone from us to the silent land, Bichard John Soddon had tho highest plaoe. He had died m harness. There was no doubt the strain imposed on our political leaders is oxeessive, and he denounced it as almost suioidal. He hoped that the House « ould do all in its power to overate such losses as the last md the greatest whioh they had just attained. Out off m the very zenith of his wonderful career, wearing the highest honors in human power to bestow, he, had orossel the narrow line, oarrymg the blessings of the poor as well as the plaudits of the multitudes, dorrow he had left behind, and that, unhappily, was the lot o'f his nearest and dearest. "To him death has opened the gate of fame and closed the door of envy," He quoted in conolusion from Baoon, and sat down like the preceding speaker in aolemn silenoe. The resolution was passed silently. The Prime Minister referred to the other losses sustained during the recess. Referring first to the late Mr Vile, he eulogised his character. He sketched his career sinoe he had gone U P into the Wairarapa, whore he had won most of the honors of local government. He spoke of his entry into Parliamentary life, and expressed the general sorrow at his untimely death He came next to the late Captain Kenny, the Crimea veteran who had died full of glory and honour. Thirdly, there was Mr Pinkerton, once well-known and liked in the House, subsequently a useful member of the Council and a prominent labour leader. His Parliamentary career dated from 1890, and of late years he had served on the Otago Harbor Board, ' Mr Hall-Jonos referred sympathetically to theso ho had mentioned, and concluded by moving the resolution passed by the Counoil.

Mr Massoy seconded with deep sympathy. He spoke of Mr Vile as ono of the straightest aod most conscientious men who ever sat in the House, one who ruled his life by principle, and brought to his work tko most intimate knowledge of the wants arid wishes of the farming community. He would never forget the impressive scene of a certain famous Saturday night, when Mr Vile refused to work after midnight. He endorsed all that had been said about Captain Kenny and Mr Pinkerton, characterising the latter in specially warm terms, Mr Stevens could not let the ocoasion pass without adding his testimony, especially with respect to his predecessor in the Manawalti seat, Mr Vile. Though differing from that gentleman, he must express hiß high regard and personal esteem for Mr Vile. The unkindly taking away of that good, true settler had sadly marred his own victory at the hustings. He added his commiseration to that of the House for the relatives of the late member of Manawatu.

Mr Laury spoke of the puro, high ideals, and simple life of tho late Mr Pinkerton.

Mr Tanner traced his political beginning and Mr Pinkerton's, both to the great crisis of 181)0. Many had regarded the advent of the Labor Party thon as the obstrusion of a dangerous element. Those doleful anticipations had been falsified, No man had exhibited during that time such sagacity*and moderal ion as Davi.l Pinkerton, to him was largely due the success of the new departure, and the respect aocorded to the Labor Party. Mr Millar said that not only in labor matters was David Pinkerton but in all other mattecs he was entitled to large respect. He joined the House in tendering his sympathy to tho family of the grand democrat whose loss they were deploring. The Prime Minister announced to the House the personnel of the new Government as gazetted. Mr Massey promised him the utmosl support in his power and the Prime Minister thanked hun on beliaif of the Government. The House adjourned at 4.30 to 4 p.m. next day.