OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 512, 10 June 1881, Page 3

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

y The third session of the seventh Parlia 0 ment of New Zealand was opensd yester day by His Excellency Sir Arthur Gordoi _ in person. The following is the speed i delivered by His Excellency, for a tele 1 graphic report of which we are indebtsc 3 to tbe Government:— t Honorable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House of Reprc - 1 sentativ'es— It affords me much satisfaction, in meeting you for the first time, to be able [ to congratulate you upon the steady progress of the Colony during the past year, the revival of its prosperity, and the increased confidence in the future which animates all classes of the community. The course prescribed by Parliament to bring to a termination tbe unsatisfactorystate of affairs existing on a part of tbe West Coast of this Island has been steadily pursued, and has, up to the psesent time, been attended with marked success. Effect is being given to the recommendation of the Royal Commission appointed to enquire into the grievances which were alleged to exist among the Natives of that locality, and tho determination, on tho one hand, to assert the supremacy of the Queen and repress any lawless action, and on the other hand to redress all real grievances, will apparently effect a peaceful solution of questions which a short time ago wore a threatening aspect. The lands which have been appropriated for European occupation on the Waimate Plains have been for the most part sold, and are now being occupied by settlers. The prisoners whose detention up to the present time has been deemed necessary, in the interest of both Natives and Europeans, have been released and returned to their homes, with tho exceptien of a small number whom it is proposed to set free in a few days; nor do my responsible advisers apprehend that it will be necessary again to have recourse to extraordinary measures for the preservation of peace and good order in the district in question. Papers will be laid before you containing the minutes of the proceedings of an Intercolonial Conference held at Sydney in the month of January last, at which a member of my Government was present. You will learn from these papers that several measures ol* considerable interest to the Australasian Colonies were considered by the Conference, and, in accordance with one of the conclusions arrived at, a bill will be placed before you for the regulation and restriction of the influx of Chinese into tbe Colony. flic recognition of o. community of interests and mutual inter-dependence among the Australasian Colonies evinced by this Conference may hereafter bo attended by results of considerable importance. The Railway and other Public Work s authorized by you have been proceeded with as rapidly as was expedient in the present circumstances of the Colony. In view of the necessity for maintaining the progressive work of colonization, proposals will come under your consideration for giving assistance to companies prepared to construct or continue main lines of railway. The termination of existing leases for lands in the Middle Island, and held for pastoral purposes affords an opportunity which has not been overlooked by my advisers, for rendering those lands more generally useful to the State. Carefully considered plans for effecting that object will be laid before you. The systematic laying out of roads in anticipation of the sale of Waste Lands has in a very marked manner promoted their occupation during the past year. You will be asked to sanction further expenditure to enable the Lands Department to give effect to plans which, if carried out, will practically onlarge the area available for settlement and invite a more extended employment of labor and capital. The revenue received thorough the sale of Waste Lands during the past year has exceeded the estimate, and the increasing demand for land for actual occupation, together with statistical information obtained, affords convincing proof tbat a fresh impulse is being given to the work of settlement, while the expansion oE local industries promises to provide profitable employment for a rapidly increasing population. Gentlemen of tho House of Representatives. Large reductions have already been made ia tbe cost of public service without impairing its efficiency, and the estimates of receipts and expenditure tor the current year which will shortly be laid before you have been prepared with strict regard to the most rigid economy. The revenue for the past year must on the whole be considered satisfactory. The excess of receipts over expenditure upon the railways amount to * return of £ (?) per cent upon the outlay incurred upon their construction. Honorable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives— Bills will be submitted to you for tbe redistribution of the representatives of the people, and for the regulation of elections, which, in view of the approaching termination of the present Parliament, I recom mend to your early and most attentive consideration. Tho CrmraAAoneis appointed last year for tiie purpose of enquiring into the coniititution, practice

and procedure of the Supreme Court ar other Courts of tbe Colony, and of asce taming by what means the administrate of justice therein may be rendered mo; ■ speedy and efficacious, and af'tbo san time less costly, have made nn ad'inleri report, a copy of which \vi 1 be laid befoi you. lam glad to be able to inform yo that the have proceeded s far with fhe work entrusted to them as t anticipate the close of their labors in th course of the month of July. The measure necessary to give effect to their recorr mendations may therefore be submitted t you during the present session. A Bill will be laid before you which wi bave for its object, the abolition of re straints on the alienation of land, whil guarding the interests which may arise ou of any trusts to which it has been mad subject. Bills will also be laid befor you for the regu.ation of tho administra tion of Charitable Aid, for ths consolida tion and amendment of the Licensing Laws, for the amendment of the existing law, in respect of administration c Native Reserves, for rating Crown Lands and for the providing for the grant oj assistance to local public works. I have recently visited many different districts of the Colony. During these journeys I have had repeated opportunities of observing signs of increasing wealth, the spread of settlement, and the energy and activity engaged in industrial pursuits throughout the country. The impressions which I had thus been led to form are strengthened by the results of the recent census, and by a j erusal of reports and returns which will be placed before you, showing the revival of trade, the growth of new and important local industries, and the satisfactory condition of the ordinary and territorial revenue for the past year. In the discharge of the high functions committed to me by the Queen it will always be my aim to manifest the same scrupulous and loyal regard to constitutional practice and usage, not only in the letter but in the spirit, which has ever distinguished the sovereign whom I represent among you. You may rely with confidence on my hearty co operation in giving effect to the deliberate decisions of the Legislature, and it is my earnest hope and desire that your labors may bo so directed as by God's blessing not only to promote tbe material welfare of the Colony, but to secure the stability of its institutions, the development of its great resources, and tbe permanent happiness of all classes of Her Majesty's subjects within its bounds.