Parliament resumes

Wellington, June 25: The fourth session of the twenty-first Parliament of New Zealand was opened to-day with the usual ceremonial.

As the Governor-General left his house a Royal salute was fired from the guns at Point Jerningham. On his arrival at Parliament Buildings, where his Excellency was received by the officers of the staff of the 1st Wellington Battalion, the band played the Anthem and the Royal Salute was given by the guard of honour, consisting of 100 men from the Corps of Signals under Major R.M. Aldred and Lieutenant N.S. Plank. The galleries in the Legislative Council were crowded with men and women eager to witness the arrival of the Governor-General. The women greatly predominated in numbers, and in one of the galleries there were three little girls who seemed to take a special interest in the proceedings. They were the three eldest daughters of the Prime Minister and Mrs Coates. Members of the Council assembled in due course to await the coming of his Excellency. Lady Alice Fergusson, attended by two of the staff from Government House, was escorted by Mr Basil Stocker, the Acting Clerk of the Legislative Council, to a seat on the floor of the chamber near the Speaker’s chair. Then after a brief interval the usher of the Black Rod, Mr Bothamley, wearing his gown and carrying the wand of office, appeared through the main entrance and announced: "His Excellency the Governor-General." 

Then all the councillors rose, as did also the people in the gallery. "Honourable gentlemen, please he seated," said his Excellency, whereupon the councillors resumed their seats. The naval and military officers who accompanied his Excellency grouped themselves at the head of the chamber. 

Then followed a pause until the Commoners, who had been summoned to attend in "another place" arrived, headed by their Speaker (the Hon Mr Statham), who was attended by the Clerk of the House, Mr W.E. Kane, and the Sergeant-at-Arms, carrying the mace. At the head of the members of the House of Representatives came Mr Coates, the new Prime Minister, spic and span in morning dress, and the youngest Prime Minister New Zealand has seen for many a long year. There were many present who missed the burly form of their late Prime Minister, who, on so many occasions, had been so conspicuous a figure at such ceremonials. The Governor-General read "The Speech" in clear and measured tones, every word being distinctly audible. After his departure the members of the House of Representatives hastened back to their own premises where presently they were engaged in the usual bombardment with petitions and questions and notices of motion.

Senior seen off

The esteem in which Senior-sergeant Mathieson is held in Dunedin was conclusively demonstrated yesterday afternoon, when a large number of businessmen assembled in the Grand Hotel to bid farewell to him prior to his departure for Ashburton, to which district he has been transferred, and to make a presentation of a beautiful peggy bag and contents for Mrs Mathieson. The speakers bore testimony to the popularity enjoyed by Senior-sergeant Mathieson, and to the conscientious and tactful manner in which he had carried out his duties, and were unanimous in wishing him the best of prosperity in the future.

— ODT, 26.6.1925 (Compiled by Peter Dowden)