Hon. members will now proceed to the election of a Speaker. I am prepared to receive nominations.

I move—

I do this in the fullest confidence of having the support of the whole House. Mr. de Waal has been Chairman of Committees for the past five years, during which time he exhibited competence. He was always impartial, and I have the best expectations that he will maintain the dignity of the House. It is, of course, difficult to take the place of the late Speaker, a man who won the respect of all, and who exhibited extraordinary competence. He was always strong, tactful and impartial. He knew no parties or persons, and I believe that Mr. de Waal will be the same. For that reason it is an honour to propose him as occupant of the Chair.

Mr. VERMOOTEN seconded the motion.

Are there any other nominations? Does any other hon. member wish to address the House on the question before it?

There being no further nomination, and no other member addressing the House,

Does the hon. member submit himself to the House?

I do; and before taking the chair, I wish to express my deep sense of the honour the House has conferred upon me. We members of the House of Assembly are, of course, in duty bound to attend to the particular interests of our constituencies. There is no exception to that rule. But this I may say—that while in the chair I hope to show by my conduct that it will be my constant endeavour to serve Parliament and Parliament only, to safeguard its dignity and to protect the rights of minorities. These efforts will, of course, depend for their success upon the cooperation of all parties, and all sections of the House, but I trust, nay, I feel assured, that I may rely upon that co-operation, as also upon the loyal support of the officers of the House—most efficient officers as I can personally attest—with whom before now I have had the pleasure of being associated in work. I thank you once more for the honour you have done me.

Will the proposer and seconder kindly conduct the hon. member to the Chair?

Mr. de Waal was thereupon conducted to the chair by Mr. M. L. Malan and Mr. Vermooten.

I wish again to thank the House for the honour which they have conferred on me and trust to have the cooperation of all sections in my official work. I thank you.

Business was suspended at 11.25 a.m. and resumed at 2.45 p.m.

I have to report that after the House had suspended business this morning, I proceeded to Government House accompanied by the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of the Interior, the Minister of Lands, the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of Native Affairs, Mr. M. L. Malan, Mr. Vermooten, and other hon. members of the House, where we were received by his Excellency the Right Hon. the Earl of Athlone, K.G., G.C.M.G., Governor-General, and Mr. Speaker said—

His Excellency replied—

Mr. SPEAKER and the members proceeded to the Senate House to attend the ceremony of the opening of Parliament, and on their return.

Mr. SPEAKER took the chair and read prayers.

The CLERK read a commission from his Excellency the Governor-General, dated the 19th July, 1929, authorizing the Speaker of the House of Assembly, to administer, during the continuance of this Parliament, to all and singular the members of the House who have been elected, but not yet sworn, or who may hereafter be elected, the oath or affirmation of allegiance, required by the fifty-first section of the South Africa Act, 1909.

reported that the House had this day attended the ceremony of the opening of Parliament, and that his Excellency the Governor-General was pleased to deliver an opening speech to both Houses of Parliament, of which, for greater accuracy, he had received a copy, as follows—

Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Assembly:

His Majesty’s recovery from his recent long and serious illness has been noted with deep thankfulness by his subjects in the Union of South Africa, and it is the earnest prayer of all that it may be the will of Almighty God that His Majesty may soon be completely restored to health.

It is a great pleasure to me to be able to state that our relations with the other members of the Commonwealth and with foreign countries remain of the most cordial and friendly nature.

The assembling of Parliament so soon after the general election has been deemed necessary owing to the supply granted by the last Parliament sufficing to carry on my Government only until the close of July. It is hoped that this session will be devoted to the consideration of the Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure, the granting of supply for the current year, and the giving of effect to remissions of taxation which were foreshadowed during the last session of Parliament.

Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Assembly:

Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the present financial year will be laid before you.

Mr. President and Gentlemen of the Senate.

Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Assembly:

In commending these matters to your consideration, I pray that the Blessing of Almighty God may guide and sustain you in your labours.

In His Majesty’s name I now declare this the First Session of the Sixth Parliament of the Union of South Africa to be duly opened.

I move—

Gen. SMUTS seconded.

Motion put and agreed to; resolution to be transmitted to the Senate for concurrence.

I move—

I should like to take this opportunity of saying a few words about our old friend and fellow-member. I believe hardly one of us who took leave of him here for the last time expected that his end was so near. Undoubtedly everyone of us who saw him that day felt that his health and physical strength were so much undermined that he would no longer be the man he had been in the past, still we had the feeling that we should see him again in this House. Unfortunately things have turned out differently, and his condition was more serious than was thought. Sir Thomas was a South African party man par excellence and it is in the first place as a party man that he sacrificed his long life in the service of his people and fatherland. I think that, however much I and others, who do not hold the same political views as he did, differed from him from time to time and however much we, from time to time, took strong political action against him, we have yet felt, especially during recent years when we saw how bad his health became, that he had undoubtedly taken a place in the hearts of a large section of the population and that he had won the honour and respect of every one who knew him in this House. Sir Thomas was as I have said an outstanding party man. That did not prevent his having been able from time to time to deal with matters impartially. I am thinking of the time when he sat in the national convention and of the part which he took and the role which he played in connection with farming interests, and how in that connection he won the approval of all sides of the House. As a party man he often won my respect although he often differed from me and many of us. He preferred a chivalrous open manner of attack and always evidenced the conviction which was behind what he said. In that way he won his opponents’ respect, otherwise they would never have had such affection for him as they had. That is only obtained by a party man who fights bravely and straightforwardly notwithstanding the hard blows he can sometimes deliver. I think that he deserved our honour and respect for what he has done for South Africa. It is very appropriate that as a House we should express our deepest sympathy with Lady Smartt and her family.

I second the motion. I should like to make use of this opportunity to say a few words in support of this motion proposed by the Prime Minister. It was a very fortunate circumstance that on the last day of the late Parliament we had an opportunity in this House, in the presence of Sir Thomas Smartt, to express to him the feeling of attachment which we had for him, and the feeling of appreciation which we all felt for his services to the country. I was very glad that the Prime Minister on that occasion made use of the opportunity to express his opinion, and to give me and others the opportunity to say how deeply we felt the state of his health and the prospect that he was retiring permanently from the public life of the Assembly. In the meantime he has passed away, but I may say that I do not think there has ever been any member of this House who was more beloved, who was more of a personal favourite than the late Sir Thomas Smartt. He was an eminently lovable man, and, although he was a party man, and a fighter, and he knew how to play according to the rules of the game, amid it all he was intensely human, and you always felt that you had to do not only with an opponent, but with a friend. Sir Thomas came to this country as a very young man. He settled in one of the Karroo districts, and he made himself very popular. He reached great fame in the countryside long before he took to politics, and even in those far-off days as a young man he spent much of his life in good service and unselfish help to others. After that he went into politics, and for a lifetime he played a very prominent part in the public life of this country. I agree with the Prime Minister that he rendered very great service to this country. We saw at the National Convention his ardent desire for the union of this country, for the burying of the hatchet, and to see that this country was launched on a new career of union and concord among its peoples. It was not merely a matter of public policy or of politics with him; it was a matter of emotion to see a real, lasting and deep reconciliation among the people. He has passed away knowing that great work has been done, and that in South Africa the old differences which have divided the people are no longer with us, and that we look forward to a happier future. His influence has been very great in this House. He always played according to the rules of the game, and he was always a gentleman. He was a parliamentarian. He taught all the younger members how in the struggle always to remember the greater things, and he was, therefore, an example to all of us. I wish to join with the Prime Minister, and I believe I speak for everybody on this side of the House, and that I am giving voice to the feeling of the people of the country in supporting this motion. His death is a very great loss to this country. His example in public life is one we are all proud of. I join with the Prime Minister in this motion, and in conveying our sympathy to Lady Smartt and the daughters of the late Sir Thomas Smartt in the great loss that has befallen them as well as the country at large.

I should like to associate the Labour members of this House with the motion that is now before us. In the years since Union, since we have known the right hon. gentleman, we have exchanged many hard knocks, as is only natural on the part of men who seek to do their duty and act according to their convictions. But there was never any show of spite or personal antagonism by the deceased statesman, and I wish the Labour members to be associated with this motion, because of the respect we entertained for him.

Motion put and agreed to unanimously, all members standing.

I move—

We are here concerned with one who was a child in this House in comparison with Sir Thomas Smartt. The services which he rendered to his country in this House were more limited than those of the old veteran, but I think that all who knew Petrus van Heerden in this House heard with the greatest regret of his sudden passing. While in the case of Sir Thomas all appreciated that he might be taken away, it was just the opposite with Petrus van Heerden. When we separated no one thought that we would meet again without him, but, unfortunately, that has taken place. In him and in Sir Thomas Smartt the House has lost two members who did most for agriculture and for the farmers. Petrus van Heerden was known in the House as the expert in farming interests, and when agriculture was being discussed, all felt that he was entitled to speak on it. The result was that he applied himself in all possible ways to farming interests. We know with what enthusiasm he strove on behalf of irrigation and the improvement of the irrigation position, what an enthusiastic advocate he was for the wool farmers, and with what enthusiasm he looked after every branch of the agricultural industry. I think that for that very reason we shall miss him in the House, and also because there was something lovable in his ways and personality.

I second the motion. It is not necessary for me to add much to what the Prime Minister has said, but I want to say this, that his passing so suddenly and unexpectedly was a great shock to us all, and produced a feeling of great loss. Undoubtedly he was one of the useful members of the House, and, as the Prime Minister has said, everyone listened to him when he spoke on agricultural matters. Then he always made a sound contribution to the debate. He had many good friends, and was not a party man in the sense of making enemies amongst his opponents. He was one of the members who played a useful part, and who will be much missed. It is right for us to show our sympathy with his family on his passing.

On this occasion I also associate myself with the expressions of the Prime Minister. Mr. van Heerden was a favourite of everyone of us in this House, and many of us who have shared his hospitality can appreciate the desolation of his family, and we sympathise entirely with them in their loss.

It is my privilege to also place a wreath on the grave of my friend and colleague, Petrus van Heerden. We worked together for years, not only in Parliament and in the Provincial Council, but also in agricultural matters. He was one of the persons who founded the large co-operative society of wool farmers. I entirely concur with what the Prime Minister has said that the farmers of South Africa have suffered a great loss in the passing of Mr. van Heerden. We shall miss him very much in farming matters.

Motion put and agreed to unanimously, all members standing.