British and Foreign State Papers

My relations with all foreign Powers continue to be friendly. The establishment of the Union of South Africa has been fixed at the end of May, when its new Government will be constituted, and soon afterwards the first Parliament, representing a consolidated electorate, will be ready to assemble for its important deliberations.

I am sending my son, the Prince of Wales, to make an extended journey through my South African possessions in the autumn before opening, in my name, the first session of the new Legislature at Cape Town.

It is with peculiar interest and pleasure that I contemplate this visit, when my son will have the privilege, not for the first time, of inaugurating the Parliamentary life of a great united dominion, and will convey to South Africa, on behalf of myself and the Empire, our ardent prayers for the welfare and future progress of her people.

In conformity to the important measure of last year for extending the functions of the Legislative Councils in India and increasing the number of their members, those bodies have been elected, and have met. They have entered with good promise upon the enlarged duties and responsibilities entrusted to them.

Gentlemen of the House of Commons,

The estimates for the service of the ensuing year will be laid before you in due course. They have been framed with the utmost desire for economy; but the requirements of the naval defence of the Empire have made it necessary to propose a substantial increase in the cost of my navy.

You will also be asked to complete the provision which was made in the last session of Parliament for the year about to expire, but to which effect has not yet been given.

[1909-10. c.]

The expenditure authorized by the last Parliament is bei duly incurred; but as the revenue required to meet it has 1 been provided by the imposition of taxation, recourse has be had, under Parliamentary sanction, to temporary borrowin Arrangements must be made at the earliest possible moment deal with the financial situation thus created.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

Recent experience has disclosed serious difficulties, due recurring differences of strong opinion between the two branc of the Legislature.

Proposals will be laid before you with all convenient sp to define the relations between the Houses of Parliament, so to secure the undivided authority of the House of Commons o finance, and its predominance in legislation. These measu in the opinion of my advisers, should provide that this Ho should be so constituted and empowered as to exercise imp tially, in regard to proposed legislation, the functions of ini tion, revision, and, subject to proper safeguards, of delay.

I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may attend y labours.

SPEECH of the King, on the Closing of the British Pari ment. Westminster, November 28, 1910.

My Lords and Gentlemen,

I ADDRESS you for the first time under the shadow of great calamity occasioned by the death of my beloved fat I have received abundant evidence from every part of dominions that the irreparable loss which has befallen me my family is deeply lamented by my subjects. Their symp has fortified me in my sorrow, and I have devoted myself to duties to which I have been called with the earnest desir follow in my dear father's footsteps.

My relations with foreign Powers continue to be friendly I confidently hope that the questions connected with North Atlantic fisheries between Canada and Newfoundlan the one hand, and the United States of America on the o which have been a subject of controversy for nearly a cent have been at last finally settled by the Award of The II Tribunal. It is a cause of special satisfaction that it has found possible to solve, by arbitration, problems of suc intricate and difficult nature, and that the Award has received on both sides in a spirit which must tend to inc good-will.

I recently entrusted to my uncle, the Duke of Connaught mission of opening the first Parliament of the Union of

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