OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1837, 10 May 1888, Page 3

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

TBE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH [(Per Pbess association.) Weliington, May 10 The second session of the tenth ParJia ment of New Zealand was this day opened by the Governor, when His Excellency j was pleased to make the following epeecti :— Hon. Gentlemen of the Legislative! CoUSClli, AND GrENTL»MEN OF THB' House of Representatives, — I It affords me much pleasure to again meet yon m Parliament assembled. Al-, though I am not able to coceratniate you upon any decide d change m the condition of the great industries of New Zealand or of the trade of the country, it is satisfactory to know that signs of improvements are not wasting. While some classes of produce are unfortunately low m price, the increase which has taken place m thfvalue of wool must beneficially affect the people. There are aleo encouraging indications of a . revival m the mining m dustry through the colony. Considerable Sum.B of money have been lately invested m the acquisition and development of mining properties which can only be rendered profitable by a large expenditure of oapital. It is believed that through the introduction of machinery, suited to the treatment of the refractory ores found on our goldfields, large tracts of country lying idle will be profitably worked. Through the use of new appliances large portions of the sea beaches of New Zealand will be rendered available for work ing, and thus an almost limitless source of wealth will be opened up. Daring the recess my adviaers earnestly endeavored to give effect to the will of the country by reducing the public expenditure. The task imposed upon them involved much anxioua consideration. They have sought to make every reduction compatible with maintaining efficiency of the Public Service. The question of the claaaffioition of the Civil Service of the colony ia intimately connected with that of retrenchment. My Government realised that it wa? necessary m order to put the service permanently upon a footing that the subject ■hould be dealt with comprehenslve'y Notwithstanding the difficulties which have grown np through the absence In the past of any uniform plan .m Its different branches a Bill has been prepared dealing with the Civil Service, m a manner which it is believed will meet with your approval. It Is hoped that the classification which It Is proposed to effeot under it, while rendering economy more easy of Attainment will aot benefioally upon the service ltßelf. My Ministers wish to place upon record their appreciation of the manner m whloh the civil servants as • body have aided In carrying oat the charges neoessary to effect economy. They have readily furnished information, and »dviC9 and have displeyci a willingness to fall m with an altered system, although it m many instances entailed reduced remuneration, and increased datien, the task lmpcs?d upon Government has thus been much f nollltated. You will be gratified to learn that the building of the war vessels to be supplied under the provisions of "The Australatian Naval Defence Aot 1887" is being carried on by the Imperial Oorernment will all possible expedition. The lime is, therefore, not far distant when we may expect to see m Australian waters a iiaval force which, acting m conjunction with our land defences, will enßure the safety m timea of war m this part of the Empire, and protect its trade. The Harbor Defences Works, which form a neceesary part of any scheme fo? the protection of ihe colony against external danger, have been bo far completed as to render it unneoestary to malntnin the past heavy expenditure. My Ministers have, therefore, been able to effect large reductions m the annual cost oi the Defense Department. They believe that, notwithstanding such reductions, the oolony is now fairly well prepared for any emergency whloh may •rise. The thanks of the oourtry are due* to Major General Sehaw for the very valuable assistance and advice whloh have been given by him m connection with the completion of these works and the reorganisation of the forces of the oolony, His experience, the benefit of whloh was was freely given to Government, has proved of great advantage; The anticipations of my advisers as to the beneficial effects of the Land Act of last aesslon have" co far been verified by events, and relief haß been afforded to many hard working holdera through the operation of its clauses. Considering the time which has elapsed since this Act came into force, the number of desirable ] aettlers who have been placed upon the i waste lands by means of its operations la very satisfaotoiy. Fall information will be afforded you with regard to this and other matters conoectod with rent of Grown Lands. My Ministers are pleased to be able to state that the economies rendered necessary by the reduced vote for Education have been carried out without impairing the system. They regard Its maintenance .m a vigorous condition as essential to the publio well-being, Papers on the sub j act irill be laid before you. I have much pleasure la Informing you that the attitude of the Maori race Is marked by much good feeling toward the - Government. It must be a matter cf congratulation to both races that Taiwhio should at last have seen that it wai to the interests of himself and his people that the two races should be united under one Government. The action t-.ken by them may be regarded as the final abandonment on the part of the Natives of their wish to establish as separate for their own Government. My Ministers believe that the time has arrived when the whole question of dealing with Native lands should be treated upon a basis m accord with the advancing knowledge of the Native race. Bills will be submitted for your approval, which I have been prepared with due regard to this consideration. How Gbhtlemen oe the House* of Repeesbntaittes, — The estimates of the revenue and expenditure for the current year will be brought before you at an early date, when j have no doubt they will receive your careful consideration. - I HOK GSNTLEMXN OP THE LEGISLATIVE cotjkoil and gentlemen of th 3 House of I^efresbktatites, The Chinese question ii becoming one of rerioua difficulty and my advisers coneider that until some common ground of agreement is airived afc, between the Imperial Government and the Government of the Chinese Empire, this Colony must join with the other Australian Colonias m enacting measures of a restrio'ive character. A Bill dealing with tho subject will be laid before you. The rabbit pest, which has long been a matter of gravest Importance to this colony, has received careful attention Although the means which have baen used, I am happy to state, proved sufficient to keep it m check they are not calculated to oompletely remove the pest My advisers, therefore, are to have the. question of a thorough remedy considered by competent gentlemeD In the colony, and they have joined with the other oolonleu in. causing the subjects to be investigated m Australia. In furtherance of thiß objeot they deputed a New Zealand settler of experience and high eoienMfio attainments to attend the experiments which ir ere arranged to be made by the repreisntatlvas of M. Pasteur and others. The results of these experiments and the report of the New Zealand representative

w:!i h« placed before you 98 avon a«; , possible* ' i iiua ha 3 not permitted the carrying ■it < f tho reform contemplated by the <i-..v.:mmeai K&ilway Act. 1887, Apnlicuorn have hc^n Invited {rum those d\<- ; muj of fiU'ug the Offijo of Oh ef CbrumiaalonKr, Kut o solnoiion has n t yef : ?«;. msdo. XJuiii this has been done it Is ••■spoflaib'"*' •'(> b»va thf 4 Ac' pni ?n f"r<e i;t accordance '-rith rhp unclerukiog by my -T'-.i-MPra during tho luat aeasiou of Parllament. Alterations m the Tariff will be ?übmitied for your consideration for n rosdjastuient of duties. It is hoped to remove certain anomalies which pe'Jodicsily appear m the Tariff Cue of the olj-cta of the raiidjnatri'enfc will Ye to afford farther finanoUl aid m oirrying od the dapactmenta of the Government, whle due regard will also be paid to the eifeot which the alteration will have upon the trade and manufactures of the colony The question of creating a means of adjusting from time to time the rents, payable by deferred paymtnts settlers, and by tenants of the Crown, and of Municipal and other Public Bodies, has received careful attention. A Bill dealing wi;h this Bubject will be laid before you The Midland Eaiiway cootract, after much deliberation, has been prepared , upon the lines decided by Parliament, and now awaits confirmation by the Company m England. The attention of my Government hae been dlrjoud to questions nlating to the estabiitshmfciut aud preservation of fisheries, , upon which aabjaot a Ojds jiiiaUng and Amending Bill, dealing wi h many important pointa has been prepared. Bills for the amendment and consolidation of the electoral laws for the ma;nteunnce of discipline iti the Naval and Military forces, for remsdying defects m the Municipal, Hating- and Land Transfer Acts, aud far the repeal of tho Crown aud Native Lands Hating Act will be submitted to you These aud the other Important measures before Parliament I oommend to yonr careful consideration. I earnestly hope that with the blessing of Gad you may be enabled to dißoharge your arduous duties with advantage to the intareata of tin colony.