§ Mr. SPEAKERI have further to acquaint the House that the Lord High Chancellor, being one of the High Commissioners, delivered His Majesty's Most Gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, in pursuance of His Majesty's Command, as followeth:
§ My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,
§ The admission of the Kingdom of Iraq to membership of the League of Nations as a fully independent sovereign State marks the successful issue of the policy which My Government and their predecessors have consistently pursued during the last 12 years.
§ At the Lausanne Conference held in the summer the Governments concerned collaborated with success in devising the conditions of a lasting settlement of the question of German reparations as an essential preliminary to the economic recovery of the world.
1308§ I am deeply gratified at the successful conclusion of the Economic Conference held at Ottawa between representatives of the Governments of the different parts of My Empire, and I trust that it will add strength to the ties between My Peoples and stimulate Imperial trade. I have given My assent to the Measure necessary to give effect in the United Kingdom to the recommendations of the Conference.
§ I regret that certain questions which have arisen between the United Kingdom and the Irish Free State have not yet, despite the efforts made, been found capable of adjustment.
§ In accordance with the Resolutions approved by both your Houses, My Ministers have been investigating the many difficult questions involved in the revision of the Indian Constitution, and they have removed a serious barrier to progress by issuing a Declaration on the subject of communal representation.
§ Members of the House of Commons,
§ I thank you for the provision you have made for the public service.
§ My Lords and Members of the House of Commons,
§ The measures taken to meet the crisis of last autumn and the readiness of the community to make all necessary sacrifices have succeeded in re-establishing a balance between income and expenditure in our national finances.
§ Within the last few months operations on a scale never hitherto attempted have been carried through with complete success for the purpose of reducing the charge to the public for the service of the National Debt.
§ The adverse balance of trade which occasioned so much anxiety last year has been checked by the passing of the Import Duties Act and a substantial addition to the Revenue has been obtained by the same means, while a 1309 reasonable protection has been afforded to British industry on the recommendations of an impartial advisory committee.
§ Since the passing of this Act approaches have been made to My Government, by the Governments of a number of foreign countries, with a view to the negotiation of trade agreements. My Ministers welcome these approaches and conversations have already begun which will, I trust, lead to mutually satisfactory arrangements.
§ The condition of the agricultural industry has received the anxious consideration of My Ministers. The serious position in the live-stock industry has demanded emergency measures and a scheme for the voluntary regulation of imports of meat into this Country is now being brought into operation with the co-operation of the Governments and commercial interests in the Dominions and Foreign countries concerned. I am gratified to learn that this co-operation has been so readily forthcoming.
§ I have given My assent to a Measure for the assistance of growers of wheat in this Country, and provision has been made for the protection and encouragement of the fruit growing and market gardening industries.
§ An Act of great constitutional significance, namely, the Statute of Westminster, 1931, which makes clear the powers of Dominion Parliaments, has been passed. This Act gives effect to certain resolutions passed by the Imperial Conferences of 1926 and 1930 setting out the relationship of the United Kingdom and the Dominions.
§ I have given My assent to a Bill laying down the rules to be observed with regard to certain matters in the assessment of transitional payments to the unemployed, and enabling the same rules to be applied to outdoor relief.
1310§ A Measure has been passed consolidating and amending the law of town planning, whereby the responsible authorities will in future be enabled, subject to due consideration of all interests concerned, to study and deal with problems of development in relation to areas, whether built up or not.
§ A number of other Measures of public utility have been added to the Statute Book.
§ On the advice of My Ministers I have appointed a Commission to inquire into the existing law and the practice thereunder relating to lotteries, betting, gambling and cognate matters, and to report what changes, if any, are desirable and practicable.
§ In bidding you farewell, I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your labours.
§ Then a Commission for Proroguing the Parliament was read in the Rouse of Lords.
§ After which the LORD CHANCELLOR said:
§ MY LORDS AND MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE OF CommoNs,—By virtue of His Majesty's Commission, under the Great Seal, to us and other Lords directed, and now read, we do, in His Majesty's Name and in obedience to His Majesty's Commands, prorogue this Parliament to Tuesday, the twenty-second day of November, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-two, to be then here holden; and this Parliament is accordingly Prorogued until Tuesday, the twenty-second day of November, one thousand nine hundred and thirty-two.
§ End of the First Session (opened Tuesday, 3rd November, 1931) of the Thirty-sixth Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in the Twenty-third year of the Reign of His Majesty King George the Fifth.