✨ Governor-General's Speech
Hamb. 51.
1625
THE
NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
EXTRAORDINARY.
Published by Authority.
WELLINGTON, THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 1923.
THE Second Session of the Twenty-first Parliament of New Zealand was this day opened by the Governor-General, when His Excellency was pleased to make the following
SPEECH.
HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,—
During the recess the marriage of His Royal Highness the Duke of York has been solemnized. This happy event once more called forth manifestations of the loyalty and affection felt by the people of the Empire for Their Majesties and the Royal Family. On behalf of the people of this Dominion I sent messages of congratulation to the King and to His Royal Highness on the occasion.
Acting upon the advice of my Ministers, I have convened Parliament for a date somewhat earlier than is customary in order that more time may be afforded for the work of the session in the event of your determining that my Prime Minister should attend the Imperial Conferences in London, which are to commence on or about the first day of October.
My Ministers consider that only grave emergency in the domestic affairs of our Dominion could excuse the absence of the Prime Minister of New Zealand from Conferences called by the Prime Minister of Great Britain for the consideration of matters which concern the Empire of which it is our privilege to be an integral part. Divergence of interest and of policy in the various self-governing countries which constitute the Empire must in the future, as in the past, create difficulties which can only be disposed of by that personal exchange of views which is provided by meetings of the Prime Ministers.
Steadily, but surely, methods are being evolved from the Imperial Conferences by which the self-governing countries constituting the Empire may preserve their union under a common Sovereign without diminution of the complete autonomy of each within its own boundaries. That process demands the vigilant attention of every Prime Minister. Another general purpose of the Conferences, of almost equal importance, involves the relation of the Dominions in the foreign policy of the Empire, and the provision of opportunity for confidential discussion of present problems and probable events of the near future, so that the Empire may continue to be united in a single purpose when its existence or its interests are assailed. New Zealand, by its position in the Pacific Ocean, by its government of distant islands, and by its administration of Western Samoa under the King’s acceptance of the mandate of the League of Nations, is intimately concerned with certain aspects of British foreign policy, and its Prime Minister has therefore important duties in that part of the work of the Conference in addition to his share in determining the internal relations between the countries of the Empire, and the commercial and legislative aspects of every proposal. Highly important discussions on naval, military, and air defence will also take place.
The first report by the New Zealand Government of its administration of Western Samoa under the League of Nations was considered by the
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Online Sources for this page:
VUW Te Waharoa —
NZ Gazette 1923, No 51
NZLII —
NZ Gazette 1923, No 51
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🏛️ Opening of the Second Session of the Twenty-first Parliament
🏛️ Governance & Central AdministrationParliament, Governor-General, Speech, Imperial Conferences, Western Samoa
- Governor-General