The ACTING CLERK read the Governor-General’s Proclamation summoning Parliament to meet for the despatch of business. The proclamation was as follows:

Whereas by section twenty of the South Africa Act, 1909, it is provided that the Governor-General of the Union may appoint such times for holding the session of Parliament as he thinks fit;

And whereas by section twenty-one of the said Act, it is provided that Parliament shall be summoned to meet not later than six months after the establishment of the Union ;

And whereas it is expedient that Parliament should be summoned forthwith ;

Now, therefore, under and by virtue of the power and authority in me vested I do by this my proclamation declare, proclaim, and make known that the first session of the Parliament of the Union of South Africa, constituted as provided by the said South Africa Act, 1909, will be held at Cape Town at a quarter past twelve o’clock in the afternoon on Monday, the thirty-first day of October, 1910, for the despatch of business. God Save the King.

Given under my hand and seal at Pretoria, this sixth day of October, one thousand nine hundred and ten.

GLADSTONE, Governor-General.

By command of His Excellency the Governor-General-in-Council.

LOUIS BOTHA, Prime Minister.

The ACTING CLERK read the following communications: (1) From the Secretary to the Prime Minister, dated the 10th instant, forwarding copy of Proclamation No 112, dated the 29th September, 1910, and copies of Government Notices Nos. 658, 659 and 660, dated the 1st instant, declaring the persons named in the schedules there to duly elected as members of the House of Assembly for the electoral divisions in the Provinces of the Cape of Good Hope, Transvaal, Orange Free State, and Natal respectively. (2) From the Secretary to the Prime Minister, dated the 19th instant, forwarding copy of Government Notice No. 750, dated the 13th instant, declaring the election of General the Rt. Hon. Louis Botha, as a member of the House of Assembly for the Electoral Division of Losberg, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of T. F. J. Freyer, Esquire.

The following members then answered to their names:

Mr. Johannes Joachim Alberts.

Mr. Morris Alexander.

Mr. Hendrik Lodewyk Aucamp.

Mr. William Duncan Baxter.

Mr. Heinrich Christian Becker.

Hon. Sir William Bisset Berry, Kt.

General Christian Frederick Beyers.

Mr. George Blaine.

Mr. Hendrik Johannes Bosman.

Mr. Christian Lourens Botha.

Right Hon. General Louis Botha, P.C.

Mr. Thomas Phillip Brain.

Mr. Daniel Maclaren Brown.

Hon. Henry Burton, K.C.

Mr. Francis Drummond Percy Chaplin.

Hon. Walter Frederick Clayton.

Mr. Frederic Hugh Page Creswell.

Hon. Colonel Charles Preston Crewe, C.B.

Mr. Frederik Reinhardt Cronje.

Sir Thomas Major Cullinan, Kt.

Hon. Henry Latham Currey.

Mr. Michiel Johannes de Beer.

Dr. Andries Lourens de Jager.

Mr. Patrick Duncan, C.M.G.

Mr. Gert Johan Wilhelm du Tolt.

Sir George Farrar, Kt., D.S.O.

Mr. Alfred Fawcus.

Mr. Charles Gustav Fichardt.

Hon. Abraham Fischer.

Sir James Percy Fitzpatrick, Kt.

Mr. Henry Eardley Stephen Fremantle.

Mr. Lourens Geldenhuys.

Hon. David Pieter de Villiers Graaff.

Mr. William Henry Griffin.

Mr. Evert Nicolaas Grobler.

Mr. Pieter Gert Wessel Grobler.

Mr. Charles Henry Haggar.

Colonel David Harris, C.M.G.

Mr. Charles Beeton Heatlie.

Mr. James Henderson.

Mr. Charlie Henwood.

Hon. General James Barry Munnik Hertzog.

Dr. John Hewat.

Hon. Henry Charles Hull.

Mr. John William Jagger.

Rt. Hon. Dr. Leander Starr Jameson, P.C C.B.

Mr. Christiaan Johannes Jacobus Joubert.

Mr. Jozua Adriaan Joubert.

Mr. Jan Gerhard Keyter.

Mr. John Gavin King.

Mr. Christman Joel Krige.

Mr. Pieter Gysbert Kuhn.

Mr. Jan Willem Stuckeris Langerman.

Gen. Lodewyk Arnoldus Slabbert Lemmer.

Colonel George Leuchars, C.M.G., D.S.O.

Mr. Basil Kellett Long.

Mr. George Albertyn Louw.

Mr. Gysbert Henry Maasdorp.

Dr. Donald Macaulay.

Dr. James Campbell-MacNeillie.

Mr. Walter Bayley Madeley.

Bon. Francois Stephanus Malan.

Mr. Johannes Henoch Marais.

Hon. John George Maydon.

Mr. Hendrik Mentz.

Rt. Hon. John Xavier Merriman, P.C.

Mr. Izaak Johannes Meyer.

Mr. Hugh Mowbray Meyler.

Mr. James Tennant Molteno, K.C.

Mr. Marthinus Wilhelmus Myburgh.

Mr. Emile Nathan.

Dr. Andrew Murray Neethling.

Mr. Johannes Adriaan Neser.

Mr. Richard Granville Nicholson.

Mr. Henry Alfred Oliver, C.M.G.

Mr. Thomas Orr.

Mr. Lionel Phillips.

Mr. John William Quinn.

Mr. Jacobus Michael Rademeyer.

Mr. Frank Umhlali Reynolds.

Mr. Charles Phineas Robinson.

Mr. Willie Rockey.

Mr. William Runciman.

Mr. Henry William Sampson.

Hon. Jacobus Wilhelmus Sauer.

Mr. Johannes Hendrik /Schoeman.

Mr. Theophilus Lyndall Schreiner.

Mr. James Searle.

Mr. Daniel Johannes Serfontein.

Mr. Percy Arthur Silburn, D.S.O.

Hon. Dr. Thomas William Smartt.

Hon. General Jan Christiaan Smuts.

General Tobias Smuts.

Mr. Johannes Petrus Steyl.

Mr. George Louis Steytler.

Mr. Andries Stockenstrom.

Mr. Charles Frederick William Struben.

Mr. Hendrick Schalk Theron.

Mr. Petrus Jacobus George Theron.

Mr. Johannes Adolph Philippus van der Merwe.

Mr. Jacobus Willem van Eeden.

Mr. Hercules Christian van Heerden.

Mr. Christian Andries van Niekerk.

Mr. Jan Abraham Venter.

Mr. Hendrik Cornelius Wilhelmus Vermaas.

Mr. Alwyn Ignatius Vintcent.

Mr. Johannes Arnoldus Vosloo.

Hon. Edgar Harris Walton.

Mr. Egidius Benedictus Watermeyer.

Dr. Arnold Hirst Watkins.

Hon. Thomas Watt, C.M.G.

Mr. Daniel Hendrik Willem Wessels.

Mr. George Whitaker.

Mr. Carl Theodorus Muller Wilcocks

Mr. Henry Wiltshire.

Col. Sir Aubrey Woolls-Sampson, K.C.B.

Hon. Hugh Archibald Wyndham.

The Acting Sergeant-at-Arms announced the Black Rod of the Senate, who entered and (through the Acting Clerk) acquainted the House that His Excellency the Governor-General desired their attendance in the Senate Chamber.

The members thereupon proceeded to the Senate Chamber.

The members of the House of Assembly having arrived in the Senate Chamber, His Excellency the Governor-General addressed both Houses as follows:

“ Gentlemen of the Senate, and Gentlemen of the House of Assembly,—I give you welcome to this your attendance for the first session of the first Parliament of the Union of South Africa. I have to acquaint the honourable members of the Senate and the honourable members of the House of Assembly that His Majesty has been pleased to cause Letters Patent to be issued, under the Great Seal, empowering Field-Marshal His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught to represent His Majesty in the opening of this Parliament.

“ I direct the Acting Clerk of the Senate to read the Commission in English, and the Acting Clerk of the House of Assembly to read the Commission in Dutch.”

The respective ACTING CLERKS thereupon read the Commission, as follows:

Union of South Africa—Commission empowering Field-Marshal His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, K.G., K.T., K.P., G.O.B., G.C.S.I., G.C.M.G., G.C.I.E., G.C.V.O., to open the First Parliament of the Union of South Africa.

George the Fifth, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith, Emperor of India: to Our right trusty and well beloved Cousin and Councillor Herbert John, Viscount Gladstone, Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief in and over Our Union of South Africa, and to Our trusty and well beloved The Senators, House of Assembly, and People of Our Union of South Africa, Greeting:

Whereas in pursuance of the Act passed in the ninth year of the reign of His late Majesty King Edward the Seventh, intituled “An Act to constitute the Union of South Africa,” the Parliament of the said Union will be summoned to meet for certain arduous and urgent affairs concerning Us, the state and defence of Our said Union at Cape Town

And whereas we are desirous of marking the importance of the opening of the first Parliament of Our said Union of South Africa, and of showing Our special interest in the welfare of our loyal subjects therein: And forasmuch as for certain causes We cannot conveniently be present in Our Royal Person in Our said Parliament at Cape Town: Know ye that We trusting in the discretion, fidelity, and care of Our most dear and entirely beloved Uncle and most faithful Counsellor Arthur William Patrick Albert, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, Knight of Our Most Noble Order of the Garter, Knight of Our Most. Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle, Knight of Our Most Illustrious Order of Saint Patrick, Grand Master of Our Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Knight Grand Commander of Our Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, Knight Grand Cross of Our most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Knight, Grand Commander of Our Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, Knight Grand Cross of Our Royal Victorian Order, Field-Marshal in Our Army, Do, by the advice of Our Council, give and grant by the tenor of these presents unto the said Duke of Connaught and Strathearn, full power in Our Name to begin and hold the first Parliament of Our said Union of South Africa and to open the same, and do everything which for Us and by Us shall be therein to be done: Willing that Our said Uncle shall hereby carry to Our said Parliament and People Our Royal message of good will and assurance of Our earnest prayer for the blessing of Almighty God on the Union of Our Dominions in South Africa into one Legislative Union under the Crown of Great Britain and Ireland: Commanding also by the tenor of these presents, with the assent, of Our said Council, as well all and every the said Governor-General, Senators, and House of Assembly of Our Union of South Africa as all others whom it may concern that to the same Duke of Connaught and Strathearn they shall diligently intend in the premises in the form aforesaid.

And We do further direct and enjoin that these Our Patent Letters shall be read and proclaimed at such place or places as Our said Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief shall think fit within Our said Union of South Africa.

In witness whereof We have caused these Our Letters to be made patent.

Witness Ourself at Westminster, the second day of August in the first year of Our reign.

By the King himself,

Signed with His Own Hand,

GEORGE R.I.

MUIR MACKENZIE.

After the Commission had been read His Excellency made the following announcement:

“ I am desired by His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught to acquaint both Houses that on Friday the 4th of November at 12 o’clock noon, His Royal Highness will be present in the House of Assembly for the opening of Parliament and will deliver a message from His Majesty and will direct the Governor-General to declare the causes of this Parliament being summoned.”

HIS EXCELLENCY thereupon, in the following terms, authorised Lord De Villiers administer the Oath of Allegiance:

“Under section fifty-one of the South Africa Act I now authorise the Right Honourable Baron De Villiers, Chief Justice of the Union of South Africa, to administer forthwith the Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance to the members of both Houses. And I direct that you shall subsequently repair to your respective Chambers and there proceed with the election of a Senator to be the President of the (Senate, and of a member to be the Speaker of the House of Assembly.”

HIS EXCELLENCY having withdrawn,

The CHIEF JUSTICE took his seat at the table of the Senate Chamber and administered the Oath to the members of both Houses, and thereupon retired.

The members of the House of Assembly laving returned to the Assembly Chamber.