PARLIAMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 March 1921, Page 5

PARLIAMENT.

THE SESSION OPENS. GOVERNOR-GENERAL’S SPEECH. PREMIER’S CALL TO LONDON. OPPOSED BY OPPOSITION LEADER. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The second session of the twentieth Parliament was opened at 2.30 p.m. today by His Excellency the GovernorGeneral. Lady Jellicoe preceded the GovernorGeneral, who was accompanied by Captain Curtis_ (private secretary), Mr. Day (official secretary), Captains Mundy and Southey, A.D.Cs., Commodore Hotham, of H.M.S. Chatham, General Sir Edward Chaytor, officer commanding the New Zealand forces, and other officers. Extra interest was given to the proceedings by the fact that the guard of honor came from H.M.S. Chatham, which also provided the band, to play the National Anthem when Lord Jellicoe arrived at Parliament House. The Royal Salute was fired as the Governor-General left his residence. The attendance of the public in the vicinity of Parliament Buildings was rather less than usual. LORD JELLICOE’S SPEECH. On arrival, his Excellency proceeded at once to the Legislative Council, where he read the following speech:— Honorable gentlemen of the Legis. lative Council and gentlemen of the House of Representatives. Addressing you in Parliament assembled to-day for the first time since my assumption of the office of GovernorGeneral of New Zealand, I wish to assure you of my sincere desire to co-operate with you in all your efforts to advance the prosperity of this Dominion, and to promote peace and goodwill among its people. During the visits which I have been privileged to pay to the principal towns, and to some of the country districts of the- Dominion, I have been deeply impressed by the spirit of loyalty to the Crown which is so greatly in evidence, and by the cordial welcome extended to me as His Majesty’s representative.

The Imperial Government have informed the several Governments of the overseas Dominions and dependencies of Iris Majesty’s desire, that an Imperial Conference should be held in London in the month of June of the present year, and that it is of the utmost importance that the Prime Ministers of the. British Dominions should be present in person. My Ministers have accordingly advised me’to convene the present? session of Parliament, and to invite your consideration of the proposal that my Prime Minister should represent New Zealand at the conference.

It will also be necessary to make provision for th© financial requirements of the Dominion during his absence. The legislation to be submitted to you will -be limited to statutory extension of appropriations; the continuance of certain expiring laws; and .some matters which cannot without causing inconvenience stand over. A second session will be convened later in the year, for the transaction of the ordinary business of Parliament.

My Ministers believe that honorable members of both branches of the Legislature, recognise the gravity of the matters which must be considered at this Imperial Conference, and that it is essential that the Prime Ministers of Jthe self-governing Dominions should take part in the discussion and determination of questions which involve the relations of the latter to each other, and also the relations of the British Commonwealth as a whole with the other nations of the world, so that there, may be no question as to , the Continued cohesion of the Empire itself. I p..,y that divine providence may guide your deliberations.

There was a full attendance of members when the Speaker took the chair, the most notable change being that the Hon. D. H. Guthrie sat in the seat beside the Premier formerly occupied by the Hon. Sir William Herries. No business was transacted before members were summoned to attend at the Legislative Council to hear the GovernorGeneral’s speech read. AMENDMENT TO ADDRESS. On resuming, Mr. T. M. Wilford (Leader of the Liberal Opposition) immediately gave notice of an amendment to the Address-in-Reply as follows: “That this House is of opinion that the (Dominion should be adequately represented at the projected Imperial Conference, but in view of the grave issues affecting every department of State, and the important questions waiting to be dealt with, it records its emphatic protest against the holding up of the country’s business by the prorogation of Parliament beyond the'- usual time.” Mr. K. S. Williams (Bay of Plenty) gave notice of his intention to move on Monday that a , respectful Address be presented to the 'Governor-General in reply to the speech delivered that day to both Houses. WAR PENSIONS. Replying to Mr. P. Fraser (Wellington Central), the Hon. Sir Heaton Rhodes (Minister for Defence) said that as soon as the gentleman whom it was proposed to appoint chairman returned from England the War Pensions Appeal Board would be set up. There would be no unnecessary delay. WATERFRONT LABOR. Replying to Mr. G. Mitchell (Wellington South), who asked if the Government would appoint a royal commission to inquire into the best method of conducting labor on the waterfront, Mr. Massey said he would be glad if the member would put the question on the order paper. fie would then be able to give him in reply the considered opinion of the Government. This course would be followed in the cpse of questions by other members, -’the Premier intimating that Ministers would follow the usual custom and not answer questions without notice at that sitting. PREMIER’S PROJECTED TRIP. Replying to Mr. H. E. Holland (Leader of the Parliamentary Labor Party), the Premier would not say whether he intended to submit to the House a special resolution in connection with his proposed visit to England. He would

reply to the question during the debate on the Address-in-Reply. ARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS. Replying to Mr. Wilford, Mr. Massey said that to-morrow the House would notice the deaths of former members of the House and the customary motions would be moved. The House would meet at 2.30 p.m. on Monday, and it was proposed to t ake the Address-in-Reply debate at 7.30 p.m. So far as he knew there would be only three Government Bills submitted during the session. Mr. Massey then gave notice that the expiring Laws Continuance Bill be read a first time pro forma, and this was agreed to. The Hon. <3. J. Anderson (Minister for Labor) gave notice of his intention to introduce the Shops and Offices Act 1920 Amendment Bill. Leave of absence for the remainder of the session was granted to the Hons. A. M. Myers and Sir William Berries.