Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Wednesday 26 April 1871, page 6


PARLIAMENT.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

TUESDAY, APRIL 25.

The seventh Parliament of Victoria was opened at noon, at the Legislative Council Chamber, by Royal Commission. The pro ceedings were of a formal character, bub ibero was a good attendance of members. Only a moderate number of spectators occu-pied the galleries.

- At noon precisely,

The CiEHK of the Pabliaments read the proclamation of the Governor summoning

Parliament to meet at that hour.

'The Royal Commissioners appointed by His ïbccellency-viz., their Honours Sir Redmond Barry and Mr. Justice Molesworth, judges of the Supreme Court-then* entered the chamber, accompanied by the President of the Council. They were announced by the usher, and the members of the Council rose

as they took their seats,

The members of the Legislative Assembly were then summoned to attend, and they shortly afterwards appeared, and occupied the seats and standing-places below the bar.

Sir REDMOND BARRY said.-Hon. gen-tlemen of the Legislative Council and gentle-men of the Legislative Assembly,-His Excel-lency the (governor not thinking fit to be present-here to-day, has been pleased to order the folding and opening of this Parliament, and has'caused letters patent under tho seal of the colony to bo issued authorising us to do, on His Excellency's part, all things that may bo necessary to be performed in this Parliament. This will more fully appear from the letters patent which will now be

read.

The Clerk read the letters patent, all the members standing while he did so.

Sir' REDMOND BARRY then added.Honourable' gentlemen of the Legislative Council and gentlemen of the Legislative .AMombly,-I have to inform you tbat on Thursday next, the 27th April, at 2 o'clock, His Excollency the Governor will declare to you in person the causo of his calling this Parliament together, and it being necessary tuât a Speaker, of the Legislative Assembly should'first be chosen, His Excellency re-quests that the members of the Legislative Assembly will, in their chamber, at once pro-ceed to tho choice of a Speaker.

The Commissioners bowed to the President and the members generally, and then with-drew. The members of the Assembly re-turned to their chambor.

The President then read the form of prayer usually said before commencing the businessiof the House.

THE PRESIDENT'S WARRANT.

The President laid on the table the war-rant issued by His Excollency authorising him to swear in new members.

THE FUNERAL OF SIR JAMES PALMER.

The PRESIDENT said.—I have been in communication with the family of the late Sir James Palmer, and it will bo agreeable to them, if it be the wish of the House, that the members of the House, in attending the funeral of the late President of the Legisla-tivo Council, should follow immediately after the family as special mourners, and not be present as mere casual attendants. Tho fane. ral will start to-morrow at 2 o'clock from the Hawthorn Church, and the members of the Council will take thoir places in the procossion at the cemetery.

Jtfr. O'SHANASSY.-The most courteous procedure is to accept the proposal without making any motion. (Hear, hear.)

The PRESIDENT.-Then it will be under-stood that the members of the House will meet at Hawthorn Church to-morrow, at 2 o'clock, and take their places in the procession at the cemetory.

On the motion of Mr. T. T. A'Beokett, the House adjourned, at 23 minutes to 1, until 2 o'clock on Thursday.

' LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY.

Tuesday, Amil 25.

By 12 o'clock, the hour appointed for the xnêmbors of the Assembly to take their seats,

some CO of the members had assembled in the Chamber. Precisely at that hour the Clerk road the proclamation calling Parlia-ment'together, and a few minutes afterwards,

The Sergeant-at-Arms announced that the Usher of the Legislativo Council tras in at-tendance with a message from the Commis signers appointed to open Parliament.

TlieJ Usher of tho Legislative Council then appeared at the bar, and intimated that the Commissioners appointed to opon Par-liament desired the attendance of the morn bera of the Assembly in the Legislativo Coun-cil Chamber to hear thoir commission road.

The mombers present then left the Cham-ber with the Usher in order to proceed to the Legislative Council Chamber.

At 20 minutes past 12 o'clock,

His Honour Sir,Redmond Barry, one of the Commissioners, arrived, and took his seat in the chair set for the Speaker. Ho was re-ceived by hon.'members standing.

The Clork Of the Assembly then road the commission, by virtue of which Parliament liad been opened and authority given to swear in members of the Asaombly. He then re-quested non. members to come forward and

bo sworn.

The following membors wore then sworn in before tho Commissioner, in batches of threes and fours. As they woro called in the order of their districts, we give their names accord-ingly :

Ararat ... ... ... { Mr. M'Lellan. { Mr. Wilson. Avoca ... ... ... { Mr. Grant.

Mr. Davies.

Ballarat East ... { Mr. James. Mr. R Walsh.

Ballarat West ... { Mr. W. C. Smith. Mr. Jones

Belfast ... Mr. Wrixon.

East Bourke ... { Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Lobb.

East Bourke Boroughs Colonel Champ.

South Bourke ... { Mr. Crews. Mr. Fergusson.

Brighton ... Mr. Bent.

{ Mr. King.

West Bourke ... {Mr. Riddell.

{Mr. J. T. Smith.

Creswick ... {Mr. Stewart. { Mr. Phillips.

{Mr. Patterson, Castlemaine ... Mr. Zeal,

(.Mr. Farrell. {Mr. Bates.

Collingwood ... {Mr. Harker.

{Mr. Vale.

{ Mr. Woods.

Crowlands .\Mr.Walker.

Dundas. ," Mr. Macpherson. Emerald-hill.Mr. Whtteman Evelyn ... Mr. Watkins.

East Geelong ... {Mr. Garratt Mr. Richardson

North Gipps Land ," Mr. F. L. Smyth.

West Geelong ... { Mr. Berry. Mr. Johnstone.

Grenville ... { Mr W. Clarke Mr. Russell

South Gipps Land ... Mr. Mason.

" ,. " {Mr. Cunningham. South Grant .< Mr. Hopkins.

(Mr. Levien.

Kilmore ¡ .Mr. Bourko.

Kyneton Boroughs .. Mr. M'Kenna. Maldon ... Mr. Williams.

Mandurang ... { Mr. Casey Mr. Moore. Maryborough ... { Mr. Fraser Mr. Gillies

East Melbourne ... { Mr. Cohen Mr. Walsh. North Melbourne ... Mr. Burrt.

West Melbourne ... { Mr. Langton. Captain MacMahon

Mornington ... '... Sir Jas. M'Culloch. Murray.Mr. Witt > Murray^oroughs ... Mr. Hanna, , Normanby ¡ .Mr. Cope.

Ovens ...' ., ...{ Mr. Kerferd Mr. Smith.

Portland :.Mr. Spensley.

Richmond ... { Mr. Francis. Mr. L. L. Smith.

Ripon and Hampden Mr. Longmore.

Rodney ... Mr. Macgregor.

Sandhurst ... {Mr. Mackay Mr. Burrowes

Sandridge . Mr. Thomas. St. Kilda ... .. Mr. Stephen. Villiers and Heytes- { Mr. O'Grady. bury... { Mr. Bayles.

Warrnambool. Mr. Plummer.

Williamstown. Mr. A. T. Clark. Wimmera ... >... Mr. MaoBain.

(The only absentees were Mr. Duffy, mem' ber for Dalhousie, and Mr. Fellows, member

for St Kilda.)

The ceremony of swearing-in having been 'concluded, his Honour the Commissioner bowed to the members and retired.

ELECTION OF SPEAKER.

Mr. WILLIAMS rose, and, addressing the , clerk of the Assembly, said.-Mr. Barker, I have much pleasure in moving that tho Hon. Charles MacMahon bo elected Speaker of this House ; and in doing so I venture to believe (that tho lengthened experience of the hon. 'gentleman as a member of this Assembly, and his equal acquaintance with its forms, will, 'together with his other qualifications, render him acceptable to a majority of the House.

¡Without further comment upon his qualin

'cations, I beg, Sir, to move in duo form that the Hon. Charles MacMahon do now take the chair of the House as Speaker. (Hoar, hear.) .

Mr. KING said.-Sir, I have very much pleasure in seconding the proposition of the bon. member for Maldon, and I do so be-cause I think that the House could not select a more eligible Speaker than the bon. and gallant member for West Melbourne (Captain {MacMahon). He possesses the necessary qua-

lities for such a position-personal appearance -(laughter and cheers)-and experience, from having taken part in the debates for so many years, and also from his being well acquainted with the forms of tho House. From his pre-

vious career, I am inclined to believe that wo

shall find in him a firm and determined Speaker, and an able and dignified saccossor to the hon. gentleman who lately occupied ¡that position, Sir Francis Murphy. Sir, with ¡these words I beg to second, tho proposition of the bon. member for Maldon, that the honand gallant member, Captain MacMahon, be now elected Speaker. (Cheers.)

No other nomination being made,

, Captain MACMAHON rose in his place and said.-Mr. Barker, I hove to return my sincere thanks to the hon. member who proposed me, ins well as to the hon. member who seconded

;tho proposition, and to say that I am perfectly sensible of not being worthy of the enco. miums they have thought fit to pass upon me-and more particularly the flattering com-pliment paid me by the bon. member for ¡West Bourke (Mr. King). (Laughter.) I am perfectly aware, Mr. Barker, of the dignified 'qualifications necessary to occupy such a high office as that of chairman'' of the House, and can only say that, should the House think fit Ito do me the great honour of placing me in "that position, it shall be my endeavour to use the best of my poor ability to conduct the business in the manner which I am sure we all wish to see it conducted. (Hear, hear.) With these few words, Mr. Barker, and ex. pressing regret that an accident should have prevented a gentleman from being here toclay who probably possessed qualifications for the office to a greater extent than any 'which I possess-(No, no)-feeling that, how-ever any of us may differ from him in opinion, all must regret his being prevented from being present by the accident which has happened to him-(hear, hear)-I beg now to submit myself respectfully to the pleasure of the House. (Cheers )

Captain MACMAHON was then conducted Jjy Ins proposer and seconder to the chair, on reaching which,

The SPEAKER said.-I beg to return my most respectful thanks to the House for the high and great honour it has done me, and trust that, although I may be wanting in the necessary experience which was possessed to a very great extent by my predecessor, the in. diligence of the House will be extended to me in the first instance until I have acquired that experience. (Hoar, hear.) I feel cer-tain, from the tone which has been displayed in the recent elections, that both sides of the Houso will join in supporting the chair, so that the necessary business may be con* ducted with dignity. I again thank the House for the very high honour it has done mo in placing me in this proud position.

The Speaker having taken his seat,

Sir JAMES M'CULLOCH said.-Mr. Speaker-Permit mo, Sir, to congratulate you upon the distinguished position to which you havo been called by the House. And while, Sir, the office which you now fill is one of con-siderable honour, and a position which any man might well aspire to, it has duties and responsibilities connected with it of no ordi-nary kind. Thero is no doubt, Sir, that on tho conduct of tho Speaker depends vory much indeed the calibre of the debates in this House, and the good management of public business. Now, Sir, there can be no doubt that you will enter upon your duties under con-siderable disadvantages, for they are quite new to you, notwithstanding your long experience intbi8House, and. besides, you follow a gentle-man who so long occupied the position of Speaker with honour ; but at the same time I feel assured that you will conduct the business of the House irrespective of party or persons, and will endeavour to secure the dignity and honour of this House by the manner in which you discharge your duties. And, Sir, I may just say this, that I believe members oh all sides of the House will heartily unite in supporting you in the endeavour to main-tain the dignity of the House as well as the character of its debates. (Hear, hear.) I beg, Sir, again to congratulate you on the position you now occupy. '

I After a slight pauso, and just as Mr. Gillies

was about to riso,

1 Mr. KERFERD said.-I desire also, Sir, to follow the observations which have fallen from the Chief Secretary, and to convey to you roy personal gratification at seeing you placed in the high and exalted position to vthichyon have been called by the vote of the House. I am satisfied-by my long acquaint-ance with you-that your high sense of honour will at all times lead you to see that every member of tho House stands equal in the eye of the Speaker, and that you afford to each member aright to address you on all obcasions. Sir, this is a very important duty, and lam quite sure, from my own knowledge, that it is one which you will discbarge im. partially, and that you will give ovory bon. member a fair opportunity of convoying through you, to the Houso and the people of the country the opinions which ho may hold on the great questions to be submitted to us. L for ono will endeavour, where I can, at all times to support your authority-to see that the dignity of the position of Speaker is main-tained, and that order is preservodin the

House.

¡Mr. GILLIES.-Sir, I should not have vontured any observations in congratulating you upon the position you now occupy, but that I beliove it is usual for those seated on tho Opposition side of the House also to follow the example of the leader of the House -rtho head of tho Government-in congratu-lating you on the vory high and proud position you now occupy as chairman of the House. I do so congratulate you, and the gentlemen on the Opposition aide of tho Houso will, as far as I am awaro, join with tho hoad of the Government and leader of tho House in endeavouring to do all in their power to support tho rulings of tho Chair,' in order that public business n^ay bo conducted in a proper and dig.

rufied 'manner. I am perfectly cortain that you have had sufficient experience in Parliament to justify'me in saying that in a very short time you will master all the dotailB

relating to the dischargo of public business,

and I am equally certain that you will, as far as is in your power, afford satisfaction to all parts of the Houso, by giving, to tho best of , your judgment, just decisions upon all wea

sion?. That being my opinion, I havo groat pleasure, on bohalf of the gentlomen seated on this side of the House, in congratulating you on the position you now occupy, for I be. lieve you will fill it to the honour and satisfac lion of all parties. (Hear, hear.)

Sir JAMES MCCULLOCH said. -Mr. Speaker, I beg to inform the Houso that Hi8 Excellency the Governor will be at the Go-vernor's offices on Thursday, at 1 o'clock, for the purpose of receiving you there as Speaker. I thereforo beg, Sir, to move that the House, at its rising, adjourn until Thursday, at 1 o'clock.

The motion was put, and passed ; and,

On the motion of Sir James M'Cullooh, the House adjourned, at a quarter-past 1 o'clock, until 1 o'clock on Thursday next,