BRITISH AND FOREIGN STATE PAPERS. Speech of the King on the Opening of the British Parliament. -Westminster, January 15, 1924. My Lords and Members of the House of Commons, My relations with foreign Powers continue to be friendly. I am glad to be able to record definite progress in the solution of questions which have hitherto blocked the pathway of mutual understanding and have retarded the recovery of the world. The Reparation Commission has set up two committees, on which experts from the United States of America will co-operate with others from Great Britain, France, Italy and Belgium in examining the very serious financial questions involved in the position of Germany. The future status of the Tangier zone of Morocco, which has been a long-standing source of trouble, has been the subject of an agreement between the delegates of the Powers principally concerned, which provides for the creation of an international régime and for the promotion of communications and trade. A Bill will be introduced to give effect to the Lausanne Treaty with Turkey. As soon as it has been passed, the Treaty will be ratified, and a new era of peaceful relations with Turkey will open. My Ministers, in common with the Dominion representatives, have been anxious to remove the difficulty with regard to the illicit importation of liquor into the United States, and have made proposals for an agreement which is on the eve of conclusion, and which should further strengthen the happy relations prevailing between the two countries and peoples. It will continue to be my object to support by every means in my power the steady growth in influence of the League of Nations. The recent series of murders on the North-West Frontier of India by criminals who have sought refuge in Afghan territory or are Afghan subjects has caused me much concern My Government have made vigorous representations to the Government of His Majesty the Ameer, and I earnestly trust [CXIX] [15027] B that these persons will be punished, and more satisfactory relations on the frontier be established, at a very early date. The recent Imperial Conferences marked a very definite progress in Imperial co-operation. More particularly was it found possible, without departure from the existing fiscal system in this country, to meet the wishes of the Dominions by a substantial extension of the principle of Imperial preference established by the Conference of 1917 and in force since 1919. Proposals to give effect to the conclusions of both conferences will be submitted to you. I welcome the opportunity that will be afforded by the British Empire Exhibition to increase the knowledge of the varied resources of my Empire and to stimulate inter-Imperial trade. Members of the House of Commons, Estimates for the public services will be laid before you. My Lords and Members of the House of Commons, While I am glad to note that the schemes for providing employment now in operation have had an appreciable effect during the last year in reducing the numbers of those actually unemployed, the number still unable to find work causes me the gravest concern. My Ministers recently laid before the country proposals which, in their judgment, would have contributed materially to a solution of this problem by affording to industry a greater measure of security in the home market and an improved outlet for its products in my Dominions overseas and in foreign countries; but these proposals were not accepted by the country: In these circumstances your assent will be invited to an extension and amendment of the Trade Facilities and Export Credit Schemes, to the proposal of the Imperial Economic Conference for expediting and assisting the execution of certain public enterprises throughout the Empire by the grant of financial aid from public funds, and to an extension of the contributions towards the cost of public utility works, whether undertaken by local authorities or promoted by statutory and private corporations. You will also be asked to assist in providing work in the shipbuilding industry by the immediate construction of cruisers and auxiliary craft in anticipation of the naval programme. Steps will be taken to develop the existing system of juvenile unemployment centres and to provide increased facilities for general and technical education. The condition of agriculture remains a source of serious anxiety. My Ministers propose to summon a conference representative of all those interested in agriculture, and of the various political parties, with the object of arriving at an agreed policy, by which the acreage of arable land may be maintained, and regular employment at an adequate wage secured for the agricultural worker. Bills will be introduced to improve the position of pre-war pensioners, and to deal with the discouragement of thrift involved in the present means limitation to the grant of old age pensions. You will be asked to develop the probationary system of dealing with offenders. Bills will be introduced to amend and consolidate the Factory and Workshops Acts, to legitimise children born out of wedlock whose parents have subsequently married, and to amend the law relating to separation and maintenance orders. Under the Housing Act of last session my Ministers have approved the erection of a large number of houses, both by local authorities and by private enterprise. The local authorities are being approached with a view to increased activity under those sections of the Act which enable the working population to become the owners of their homes. Measures will be laid before you to complete land purchase in Northern Ireland, and to guarantee the principal and interest of bonds issued by the Government of the Irish Free State under the Land Act recently passed in that Dominion. The obligation to alleviate hardship caused by the former disturbances in Ireland is one which is recognised by my Government and will continue to engage their active attention. Proposals will be submitted to you for the expansion of the Royal Air Force in connection with home defence. Preparations have also been made for measures dealing with the property and endowments of the Church of Scotland, the improvement of the road traffic of London, for the reform of the system of valuation and rating in England and Wales, and of rating in Scotland, for the improvement of the administration of civil and criminal justice, for making valid certain charges imposed during the war, for the ascertainment of costs and profits in connection with the distribution of milk. And I pray that the blessing of Almighty God may rest upon your deliberations. [CXIX] B 2 BRITISH ORDER IN COUNCIL providing for the establishment of the Legislative Council of Sierra Leone.—London, January 16, 1924.(1) At the Court at Buckingham Palace, the 16th day of January. 1924. PRESENT: THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY IN COUNCIL. WHEREAS by certain Letters Patent passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland bearing date at Westminster the 3rd day of April, 1913, His Majesty the King did constitute the office of Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Colony of Sierra Leone, and did, amongst other things, provide for the establishment of a Legislative Council in and for the said colony, and did further reserve to himself, his Heirs and Successors, his and their undoubted right, with the advice of his or their Privy Council, from time to time to make all such laws or Ordinances as might appear to him or them necessary for the peace, order, and good government of the colony; And whereas by "The Foreign Jurisdiction Act, 1890,"'(2) it is, amongst other things, enacted that it shall be lawful for His Majesty to hold, exercise and enjoy any jurisdiction which His Majesty now has or may at any time hereafter have within a foreign country in the same and as ample a manner as if His Majesty had acquired that jurisdiction by the cession or conquest of territory; And whereas by treaty, grant, usage, sufferance and other lawful means His Majesty has power and jurisdiction within the territories known as the Protectorate of Sierra Leone; And whereas by an Order in Council bearing date the 7th day of March, 1913, known as "The Sierra Leone Protectorate Order in Council, 1913,"(3) it was, amongst other things, provided that it should be lawful for the Legislative Council for the time being of the Colony of Sierra Leone by any Ordinance or Ordinances to exercise and provide for giving effect to all such power and jurisdiction as His Majesty at any time before or after the passing of the said Order had acquired or might acquire in the said protectorate; And whereas His Majesty has this day, by and with the advice of his Privy Council, been pleased to direct that Letters Patent be passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland making other provision for the Government of the Colony of Sierra Leone, as in the said (1) "London Gazette," October 14, 1924 (2) Vol. LXXXII, page 656. GREAT BRITAIN. Letters Patent more fully appears, and the draft of the said And whereas by an Order in Council bearing date this day Now therefore His Majesty, by virtue and in exercise of all powers enabling him in that behalf, is pleased, by and with the advice of his Privy Council, to order, and it is hereby ordered, as follows: 66 The Sierra Leone (Legis1. This Order may be cited as lative Council) Order in Council, 1924." 2. This Order shall apply to the Colony of Sierra Leone and to the Protectorate of Sierra Leone, which are hereinafter Sierra Leone.' referred to collectively as 66 3.-(1.) In this Order His Majesty" includes His Majesty's Heirs and Successors; Secretary of State Principal Secretaries of State; 66 means one of His Majesty's Governor' means the Governor and Commander-inChief for the time being of the Colony of Sierra Leone and includes every person for the time being administering the Government of Sierra Leone; "The Council means the Legislative Council to be established by or under the provisions of the last hereinbeforerecited Letters Patent and Order in Council, which Council shall be known as the Legislative Council of Sierra Leone "; "The Colony means the Colony of Sierra Leone; 66 'The Protectorate" means the Protectorate of Sierra Leone; includes that portion of the Colony of Sierra Leone which is bounded as follows: From Freetown along the left bank of the Sierra Leone river to the point where the Bunce river joins it; thence along the left bank of the Bunce river to the point where the Ro-bunce river joins it; thence along the left bank of the Ro-bunce river to the point where the Madonkia Creek enters it; thence along the left bank of the Madonkia Creek to the town of Madonkia and including the town; thence along the road leading from Madonkia to Songo Town and including the latter town; thence along the right bank of the Songo Town Creek to its junction with the Ribbi river; thence along the right bank of the Ribbi river to its mouth; thence along the coast line to Cape Shilling; thence along the coast line to Freetown; The Peninsula of Sierra Leone (4) Page 20. 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