conclusion of the proclamation advanced to the edge of the dais, and placing his cocked hat on his herd (he wore a Rear Admival's uniform) read the following speech "Gentlemen of the Senste and Gentlemen of the House of Rpresentatives, My beloved and deeply-lamented grandmother, Queen Vicroria, ind desired to mark the importance ofthe opening of this, the frst Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia, and to manifest her special interest in all that concerns the welfare of her loyal subjects in Australia, by granting to me a commission to open the first sion. The commission had been duly signed before the sid event which has plunged the whole Empire in mourning, and the King, my dear father, fally sharing her late Majesty's wishes, decide? to give effect to them, although his Majesty stated fon the occasion of his opening his first Parliament that " separation from his son at such a time could not be otherwise than deeply painful to him, ix Majesty has been pleased to consent, to this separation, moved by his sense of the loyalty and devotion which prompted all the colony the South African war, Voth in its earlier and more recent, stages, aut of the splendid bravery of the colonial troops. It is also his Majesty's wish to acknowledge the readiness with which the ships of the special Australian Squadron were placed at his disposal for service in China, and the valuable assistance rendered there by the naval contingents of the several colonies, His Majesty further desired in this way to testify his heartfelt gratitude for the warm sympathy extended by every part of his dominions to himself and his tunily in the irreparable lows they have sustained by the death of his beloved noth His Majesty has watched with the deepest interest the social and material progress made by his people in Australia, and has soon with thankfulness and heartfelt, faction the completion of union of which this Parliament the embodiment.
"The King is satisfied that the wisdom and patriotism which have character sed the exercise of the wide powers of selfovermuent hitherto enjoyed by the Colunies will continue ty be displayed in the exercise of the still owwers with hich the United Cor th has be "His Majesty feels assured that the eujuyment of these powers will, if pussih enhance that loyalty and devotion to his Phone and Eupice of which the people of Australia have already given such signal proofs.
"It is his Majesty's earnest prayer that this union so happily achieved may under Gol's blessing prove an instrument for still further promoting the welfare and advancement of his subjects in Australia, and for the s*rengthening and consolidation of his Empire.
Gentlemenof these ite and Gentlemen, of the Tunse of Representatives, it: affords mulch pleasure to convey to you this message from his Majesty. Tnois, in his name and. 6 behalf, declare this Parliament ope
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.