Commonwealth Parliamentary speakers to convene in New Zealand

The speakers and presiding officers of legislatures in the Commonwealth group of nations will gather in New Zealand next month to discuss their parliamentary systems, New Zealand Parliament speaker David Carter announced Monday.

More than 50 speakers along with observers would attend the 22nd Conference of Speakers and Presiding Officers of the Commonwealth in Wellington from Jan. 21 to 24, he said.

Countries with two-house, or bicameral, legislatures would be represented by both the speaker of their house of representative and the presiding officer of their upper house, Carter said in a statement.

"Speakers have a unique role and this is a rare opportunity to hold in-depth discussions and learn from each other," Carter said.

It would be the second time New Zealand had hosted the event, which it last welcomed in 1984.