The age-herald., 1900-01-31
PARLIAMENT IS
 FORMALLY OPENED Queens Speech Deals Principally
 With South Africa. THE GALLERIES CROWDED
She Says That Service in the Transvaal May Have Have the Effect'ofDis-
 tranohising Many of Those . Taking Part.

London, January 30.-The seventh session of the fourteenth parliament of Queen Vic toria opened at 9 p. m. after the customary formalities.
 The speaker. William Court Gulley, ar rived at the house of commons at 1:03 D. m. There was a large attendance of mem- bers.
 The gentleman usher of the Black Rod General Sir M. s. Biddulph, comments the commons to the house of lords at 2:05 D. m., where the Lord High Chancellor Earl Halsbury read the Queens speech.
 The Queens speech was as follows:
 My Lords and Gentlemen: The peace which had recently been broken in South Africa when last I addressed you, has, un- happily, not been restored, but otherwise my relations with other states are friendly. In resisting the invasion of my South Af- rican republic and Orange Free State, my people have responded with devotion and enthusiasm to the appeal which have made to them, and the heroism of my soi- dhers in the field and my sailors and ma- Tines who were landed to cooperate with them has not fallen short of the noblest tradition of our military history.
 q deeply grfeve that so many valuable lives should have fallen a sacrifice, but l have witnessed with pride and with heart fest qualification the patriotic eagerness and spontaneous loyalty which. my suo- jects in all parts of my dominlons come forward to share in the common defense of their imperial interests. l have confi- dence I shall not look to them in vain when I exhort them to sustain and renew their exertions until they have brought this struggle for the maintenance of the empire and the assertion of its supremacy in South Africa to a victorious conclu- sion.
 Treaty With Germany
 "A treaty has been concluded with the German emperor for the adjustment or the rights claimed by the two countries In Samoa, Tonga, and other islands in the Pacific. To portion of these stipulations, the government, of the United States has also been party.
 "A bill will be introduced at an early date to give effect to the scheme of fed eration which has been adopted after most careful consideration by five of my Au- stralian colonies.
 q have watched with cordial satisfac- tion the gradual development of my greater colonies into seif-governing communities. 1 feel confident that the establishment CT the great federation of Australia wdll prove advantageous not only to the colonies bm- meuldtely concerned, put also lo une einPiie at large.
 1.-The brilliant courage and soldier-like qualities of the colonial forces engaged in South Africa have already earned high admiration and patriotic offers of assist af4ce which 1t was not possible to accept have come from other colonies with pop Clous and various races. I have received from the ruling chiefs of native states of India numerous offers to place their troops and the resources of their states att my disposal for service in South Africa. These proofs of their loyalty and their devotion to the cause of my empire have caused me much qualification.
 "I regret that owing to the insufficient rainfall in the autumn over a great part of Western and Central India the harvest and pasturage have failed to such extent as to create lfamine Timely measures have been taken by my government and by the rulers of the native states affected to relieve the sufferings and prevent starv- ation.