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)
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Otago Daily Times
25-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Parliament resumes
Governor-General Sir Charles Fergusson takes the salute at the opening of Parliament. — Otago Witness, 7.7.1925 COPIES OF PHOTO ARE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR 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)
RNZ News
06-06-2025
- RNZ News
The House: Parliamentary week achieves two out of three goals
Still, two out of three isn't bad. Photo: 123RF While Parliament's week was dominated by its final event - Thursday's debate on the report from the Privileges Committee into a haka performed in the chamber - the rest of the week focussed on other business that, while more mundane, was still worthy of note. The Government appeared to have three objectives for this week in the house. Crucial to the administration's continuance, the first goal was to successfully complete the initial debate on the budget. The long initial budget debate could no longer dribble on over weeks, so the house spent six hours of the week completing the second reading debate, which is the first debate a budget gets. The reading was accomplished and so the Government continues. This may sound silly, but a Government cannot survive, if the house votes against its budget. Agreeing to vote for budget and taxation bills are the 'supply' portion of the 'confidence and supply' agreement that is the foundation of any coalition agreement. The budget focus now turns to select committees and what is called 'Scrutiny Week', when ministers appear before various subject committees to defend their budget plans. Scrutiny Week begins on 16 June. A second objective was possibly not in earlier plans for this week - to finally polish off the bills originally slated for completion two weeks ago during budget week urgency. Then, the Leader of the House had asked the house to accord urgency for 12 bills the Government hoped to progress through 30 stages of parliamentary debate. The plan was ambitious and it did not succeed. Despite day-long sittings until midnight Saturday (when urgency must end), only two bills were completed, others were untouched, and 13 stages were unfinished or unstarted. This week's plan for the house had MPs returning to the well for more of the same. Just like last time, progress was at a snail's pace. After quite a few hours, the Government had slugged its way through just a few more stages. The plan was slowed to a crawl by bills' committee stages (formally known as the Committee of the Whole House). Committee stages are a crucial way for MPs to publicly interrogate the minister in charge of a bill. With patience, they can tease out a lot about both a government's development of legislation and its intended real-world impacts. Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi moved the vote on his own punishment. Photo: RNZ/Mark Papalii Because the committee stage has no set duration, it is also a way for the opposition to make the Government really work for progress. The Government did achieve progress on the bills left incomplete from budget week, but again, it was probably not what was hoped for. They will need to come back yet again in three weeks to have a third crack. The Opposition is showing itself to be quite effective at the filibuster. The Government's third objective was to have the debate on the recent Privileges Committee Report on three Te Pāti Māori MPs done by the week's end. As Leader of the House Chris Bishop said in re-initiating the debate: "My encouragement would be for everybody to finish this debate today. "Have a robust debate, but let's end this issue once and for all, and deal with the issue and get back to the major issues facing this country." That wish was fulfilled with apparent agreement from across the house. As 6pm neared, the MP who eventually moved that a vote be taken was Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi. The frankly fascinating debate on the report will be reported separately. - RNZ's The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk. Enjoy our articles or podcast at RNZ. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
06-06-2025
- RNZ News
Suspended Te Pāti Māori MPs to embark on national tour
Te Pāti Māori MP Hana-Rawhiti Maipa-Clarke was among those to perform a haka, at Parliament, after the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill, on 14 November, 2024. Photo: RNZ/ Samuel Rillstone Te Pāti Māori says it will continue to stand its ground as three MPs begin their record suspensions. On Thursday night, Parliament dealt its harshest ever punishment by suspending co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngarewa-Packer for 21 days, and Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke for seven. The trio were sanctioned for their actions during the first reading of the Treaty Principles Bill in November . Parliament's privileges committee deemed the haka the MPs performed could have "intimidated" others . Government parties supported the recommended suspension. Labour agreed they should face some sanction, but disagreed with the length of time the committee had landed on. Speaking to media after their suspension was handed down, the MPs said they planned to use their time away from the House to organise. "We're going to go home and show that we stood our ground," Ngarewa-Packer said. The party now has the Regulatory Standards Bill in its sights, and will use its time away to encourage supporters to make submissions against it. Party president John Tamihere told Midday Report the party was feeling "very chipper" and the co-leaders would embark on a national tour. "What we've got to do is just get out on our streets, in all our pā up and down the country, activate, organise and that's where we're going now." Accusing Parliament of being a "very unhealthy place" for Māori, Tamihere said the MPs would apologise once it was made clear what they would be apologising for. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone "If you're saying we should apologise for bringing the tikanga that displays our reo, which is the haka, into the House... see, we're not here to just appear for tourists. We're not here to start a rugby game, you know? "We are here to display and practice who we are and what we are. We do that 24/7, and we don't do it because somebody says, 'No, when you walk in that Parliament you've got to stop being a Māori,' for goodness sake." Waititi said there were "many tools in the tikanga basket" when it came to opposing further legislation. "It will be deemed, and probably sanctioned, by tipuna who guide us in our wairua, in our ngākau, and the people who guide us outside. They sent us in to be the unapologetic Māori voice. Māori voice means that everything that we have in our kete kōrero will be used." He said Thursday's debate got "pretty ugly and sad", referencing Winston Peters' "scribble" jab at his mataora . "I would be ashamed," Waititi said. "If I was his mokopuna, to look over those clips and to hear him denigrate not only something that was handed down by his ancestors, but also him as a future ancestor the legacy he will leave for his tamariki-mokopuna. I'm saddened by that, but also I feel ashamed that his family have to wear that legacy." Peters agreed the debate was sad, though for different reasons - telling Morning Report Te Pāti Māori's behaviour was unprecedented and unforgivable. Te Ururoa Flavell. Photo: Aotearoa Media Collective Te Ururoa Flavell, Te Pāti Māori co-leader from 2013 to 2018, said he was disappointed at the outcome, but it was inevitable. "Māori and haka, that is part of who we are and what we do, as an expression of a message. No different to giving a speech in the House and pointing the finger at people. You sort of think, where's the consistency here?" he asked. "Our people understand the protocols that go with various places. Our marae are run by tikanga and protocols about what you can and can't do. And we also know that there are consequences of actions, both for better or for worse. "That's never an issue - the issue here is when you line it all up, you'd say that the three MPs were dealt with very, very harshly and unfairly." Flavell said Parliament had come a long way from the days where MPs could not speak te reo in the House, but even that was hard fought for. He said Parliament allowed waiata and even Christmas carols, despite not being in the rules, but with an acceptance they were in the spirit of the occasion. "Really, can we get to a point in time to accept that Māori are tangata whenua of this land? Can we not get to a time and have a conversation about actually accepting that kaupapa Māori is okay in this land and in the halls of Parliament, for goodness sake, and to allow it to happen on appropriate occasions?" Flavell said a debate about tikanga in the House was long overdue, but said any debate must run alongside education. "I hope that we learn from the history and allow the debate to happen, but let's do it fairly, not in the sense of allowing every party to have their vehicle. That will move nothing, it will not move the dial, and we saw that yesterday, but allow actually, a debate to inform. "Hopefully, the committee that's digging into the whole issue of the Treaty of Waitangi will raise some of those issues. But let's have the debate. Let's allow a discussion on kaupapa Māori within the halls of Parliament, and that, I believe, will go a long way to settle some of these grievances that will not only have come up in the past, but are likely to come up in the future." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
