The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JUNE 1.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 399, 1 June 1880, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JUNE 1.

The Governor's speech., at.the opening of the Parliament compares favorably in several respects with the generality of such documents. Of course, a certain amount of platitudes and truisms appear to be inseparable from these productions, and we must not complain if the' present one contains its shave of this species of composition. Thus, when Parliament and the people are informed that the country has been "suffering from severe monetary pressure," that " partial relief has been experienced," &c, &c, we naturally feel that this is a mere pad - cling and a possible necessity attendant on an antiquatod proceeding which has about it a good deal of the fictitious element. The parts of the speech in which the public is really interested are those which fore-shadow the Ministerial policy for the session, and indicate the nature of the measures to he proposed for the approval of the legislature. With regard to the Native question on the Wt'dt Coast, His iLxeellency contents himself with hoping that the measures adopted by his Government will issue in a permanent and satisfactory settlement of the difficulties of the situation. This wish will be re-echoed all but unanimously by the whole country. In fact, none can cavil at it but those who fatten on the misfortune of the commonwealth. Whether any >cry sanguine hopes of such a settlement can be entertained under existing circumstances is quite another thing. We are rather afraid that in this case it will prove that the wish has been father to the thought. That part" of the speech doalingwith finance, and addressed to the " Gentlemen of the House of is the part which has the greatest interest at the present time for every member of the community. Substantial reductions are promised in the cost of tho Civil Service. This sounds almost too good to be true, and it will be necessary lor both sides of the House to cooperate cordially in such a scheme if the Government brings it forward, and to insist on knowing the reason why if they do not. As was pointed out by Mr Sranson, it is impossible for the House, by m> j " nibbling " at the Estimates to effect such reduciiou.v. It must be done by the Government if it is to be effected at all. The remaining portions of the remedies suggested lor the acknowledged inequalities between income and expenditure are of a nature which sound well, but will need very careful watching in their carry ing out, or they may result in disasters greater than those which they proiess to cure/ " Expenditure must be decreased, luxuries must be curtailed, and the jPublic Works which have already been cqn-' structed must be made more reproductive." This has an ominous souud. "It would almost seem as if it were sought to commit the Colony to a policy of retrogiession—that the Public Works policy was to be strangled, and impdr- j 'taut works, partially complete, were to cut off as it were in their prime, withoutany chance being given them of becoming reproductive.

Space will not allow us to dwell .at any length on the remainder of the speech. It is somewhat paradoxical to inform the members of the Legislature that they will not be asked to devote much time to the work of legislation, because the state of our finances requires. the " closest attention," and questions of grave importance await solution. A programme is certainly presented, for which we must refer our readeLS to the speech itself, which will decidedly need the earnest and patient consideration of the Legislature for a considerable period, and if only half of it is got through it will justify a session of more than ordinary length, instead of the exceptionally short, one which Ministers seem to ask for.