Parliament

Taranaki Daily News, 26 June 1915, Page 4

Parliament

THE OPENING CEREMONY. MOTIONS OF SYMPATHY. A SETTING OF KHAKI. NEWS OF THIO WOUNDED.

By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The second phase of the ceremonies connected with the opening of Parliament look place this afternoon, when his Excellency Lord Liverpool attended at Parliament House for the purpose of reading the speech from the Throne. The weather still remained nnpiopitious, but in spite of the wet streets and a moist atmosphere a large number of people had congregated in the vicinity of Parliament Buildings when his Excellency, accompanied by Lady Liverpool, motored to the House. The guard of honor of one hundred men was on this occasion chosen from the Oth Regiment, while a band selected from the Trcntham camp band and the Trentham regiment was in attendance, and played the National Anthem as their Excellencies entered the building. A now feature was the lining of the corridors of the House leading to the Legislative Council with troops detached from the Trentham regiment and, on being met at the entrance by the black rod, their Excellencies and suite passed down this avenue of khaki.

Arrived at the Legislative Council, iiis Excellency took a seat upon the bus, Lady Liverpool being seated upon his left. The members of the Ijower House v.-cre then summoned to attend, and, headed by the Speaker, took their places in front of the dais, from which his Excellency read his speech. At the conclusion of the ceremony, which was unusually brief, their Excellencies left the' Chamber and both houses met for the transaction of business.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

The Legislative Council met at 3 p.m. Leave of absence was granted the Hons. Mkora, Simpson, and Morgan. Sir Francis Bell notified there would be a call of the council on July 7, when the election of Speaker would take place. The Hon. Carncross would again be nominated chairman of committee. The Hon. Colonel Baillie wished to express the great pleasure of the council at the honor conferred upon the Hon. II; D. Bell of Knighthood. For three years lie had acted as Leader of the Council and he had been instrumental in passing legislation which was of great benefit to the dominion. His father, the late Sir Francis Dillon Bell, had been a member of several Ministries, and also had been Speaker and had received many honors. Sir Francis Bell had been one of their most distinguished members of Parliament, and he trusted he would lon™ continue to act as member Of that council. He felt he was voicing the opinion of councillors in congratulating Sir Francis Bell upon the honor he had received.

The Hon. Jones desired to supplement the words of the previous speaker. Sir Francis Bell came from a family distinguished in the history of New Zealand, and the name would go down to posterity with credit. The Hon. 0. Samuel added his general congratulations, and said he desired to express the gratification of the legal profession at the honor conferred upon Sir Francis Bell. A very great deal depended upon the honesty and efficiency of the legal profession, and one who assisted towards that end deserved the thanks of the people. Sir Francis Bell was recognised throughout the profession as olio of the distinguished leaders of the Bar. He had constantly been striving towards high ideals, and it gave him great delight to .acknowledge the pleasure of the Bar of New Zealand at the honor conferred. The Hon. Mills and the Hon. Dr. Collins also added their felicitations.

The Hon. Sir FranefcTßell, in his reply, said he was afraid what had been said by the previous speakers was too much actuated by the friendship which those in the Council all felt towards each other. There had been so much consideration shown him in the three years he had been Leader of the Council that he felt he could not look for an impartial judgment upon himself. He most keenly appreciated all that had been said in regard to himself, but that which he most valued was the utterances of the Hon. 0. Samuel in reference to his connection with the legal profession. He had not sought the honor conferred upon him, but he felt that as Leader of the Council ho had been honored. The members of the Council themselves had enabled him to achieve honor and usefulness, and this was the reason he had been singled out for distinction.

Sir Francis Bell then moved the customary resolution of sympathy with regard to the deaths of the_latc Hons. Montgomery, Stevens, and Arkwright, and of Messrs Bollard, McGuire, and Loth bridge, formerly members of the House of Representatives. An Imprest Supply Bill was passed through all its stages, and the Council adjourned at 4.25 p.m. until 2.30 on Monday, when the question of standing orders will be considered.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. The House met at 2.30 Mid immediate. Iy adjourned to attend at the Legislative Council to hear the speech from the Throne, On returning, the Speaker announced that lie had that morning been presented to his Excellency the Governor, from whom he claimed privileges of Parliament, and his Excellency had been pleased to accede to the same. reporting casualties. In reply to Mr. 11. Okey, who asked a question without notice, the Minister '<f Defence stated that arrangements for reporting casualties at the Dardanelles were, as far as he knew, somewhat as follows: The officers in command send' as soon as possible all information available. There is no wireless communication with the Dardanelles!, and all information has to be sent by transports or similar means. In the early days of this campaign the authorities naturally had great difficulty in collecting information about those killed, and he had to ask the {iconic to exercise some patience under the circumstances. Everything that could lie done was being done, and while it was true, that casualties which occurred four or five weeks ago were only being reported now he would like members to consider the difficulties of the position. The gathering of information regarding the killed was naturally more arduous and had to be dealt with more carefully than in the case of the wounded, as it was a grave responsibility to include anyone in the list of killed. The House could rest assured

that the authorities wore doing all htH mini br-i:.g.i could do to satisfy the proper demands of the peoplo„-witli regard ; to the reporting of caguJfftics, \ A SECRET COMMITTEE. The Hon Jan. Allen gave notice to' movu next sitting day that a. secret committee be set up to consider all mat, ters relating to defence or war which may be referred to it by I lie House or by the Minister of Defence, the committee iu consist of Messrs Outline, Herdman, Hindmarsh, Lee, Massey, McNab, Myers, If. Rhodes, Russell, Sir Joseph Ward, and the mover. MOTIONS AND BILLS, Oji the motion of tlio Premier, the' Expiry of Laws Continuance Bill wa» introduced and read a first time. Sir Joseph Ward asked when Bills dealing with war matters referred to ia the Governor's speech would be laid before members. The Premier replied that he hoped to lay them before the House in the course of 'a few days. An Imprest Supply Bill, Dividing ways and means to the amount of ,-C 1,280,(100, was introduced by the Mlnister of Finance and, by arrangement with the Opposition, was passed through all stages without discussion.

MOTIONS OF SYMPATHY. ]

The Premier moved':—"That this House records its high sense of the faftKt ful services rendered to New Zealand by the late Mr. John Bollard, a former member of the House, and respectfully tenders to his widow and family an assurance of its sincere sympathy with them in their bereavement''' After the Premier and the Leader of the Oppose tion bad paid tributes to the memory of the deceased gentleman the motion was carried in silence. Similar motion* were passed in connection with the decease of Messrs V. J. Lethbridge, Felix McGuirc, the lions. W. Montgomery, 8, Richardson, E. C. J. Stevens, and F. Arkwright.

Sir Joseph Ward moved without'notico a motion of sympathy with the Hob. .Tames Allen in connection with the death of his son, Lieutenant Allen, who wa» killed at the front. Sir Joseph said it was perhaps fitting that he, as Leader of the Opposition, should move such a motion. There were times when the asperities of political life were somewhat bitter and party feeling ran high, but under conditions such as the present they were brought together by feelingsof sympathy, and it seemed to him proper that they should recognise the fall of the son of a. Minister of the Crown at it time when a great war was raging. That son had had a distinguished career at Oxford and'was a thorough Imperialist, a fact amply demonstrated' by his dose connection with that widely read and influential publication, the 'Round Table. He therefore desired to express the sincere sympathy of his side of the House with the Hon, Jas. Allen, whoso son had died a noble death— ppssibly. the best a man could die.

Mr. Massey, in seconding the motion,thanked the Leader of the Opposition ' for the kindly thought tliat prompted it. Lieutenant Allen was a young man of great promise, and his parents had naturally looked forward with pleasant anticipation to bis having a successful career. That had, unfortunately, been cut short. He had died in the nerviea - of his country, and Mr. Allen had assured him ho would rather his son should die in that way than that he should . shirk his duty by stopping at home in safety. The motion was carried.

The Premier then moved that the House adjourn as a mark of respect to the memory of the deceased members, and at 4.35 the House rose till 2.30 on Tuesday.