OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1691, 20 July 1875, Page 3

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

The 0-ovemors Speech.

WELLINGTON,

(Per Press Telegram Agency.) This day. .T, he CWernor o Pened Parliament to-day with the following speech : Honorable Legislative Councillors, (xENTLEMENT OF THE HOUSE OF REPBESENTATIVKS :

I have great pleasure in now for the first tone meeting the Parliament of New Zealand, and I trust your deliberations during the present session may tend to advance the well being and good government of the colony. Since mv. assumption of the Government I have had the satisfaction of visiting four great centres of population, and becoming ponsonally acquainted with some portion of the Middle Island, and I must congratulate you upon the great energy which has been evinced, and the rapid strides which has been made towards the development of the resources of this most fertile country. Ihe reception which I everywhere received as her Majesty's representative has been most cordial and loyal, and it will, I can assure you, be my anxious desire to extend my visits with as little delay as possible to all the portions of the Colony in order that I may become personally acquainted with the resources, requirements, and, as far as possible, with the inhabitants of the various districts.

I observed with the utmost satisfaction the progress which is being made in the construction of those great public works which have been undertaken by the Government under your authority, and I trust the time is not far distant when the industry of the country will receive a fresh impetus by their completion. The debt incurred on the formation of railways has, indeed, been large, but at th« same time the returns received from those sections already opened are most encouraging, and tend greatly to prove the wisdom of the policy adopted by you. Our relations with that section of the native people of the colony, which has been so long estranged from us, continues to improve the recent meetings of Tawhio with the JS-ative Minister—a meeting sought for and arranged by Tawhio himself, gives promise that the isolation in which the immediate adherents of the Maori King _ have hitherto held them selves is about to terminate. The renewed desire of natives to provide an English education for their children, as shewn by the large increase in the number of schools in native districts, and the general resumption of industrial pursuits give assurance of the maintenance of peace, and of a desire on their part to participate with European colonists in the general prosperity. A communication by telegraph has been received, intimating that a new contract for mail steam service to and from San Francisco has been made by Sir Daniel Cooper, as representative of the Government of New South Wales, and Mr Thomas Eussell as representative of the Government of New Zealand, subject to ratification by the Legislatures;;} of the respective! colonies. The contract and papers will be laid before you when received.

You will be fgratified to learn that the contract has been made by Sir Vogel acting on behalf of the Government for the laying of the telegraph cable between New South Wales aiid New Zealand upon terms much more advantageously than were believed to be attainable when the undertaking was first authorised, and that the Government of New South Wales has become party to the contract, and has agreed to contribute onetbird (£2500) of the annual subsidy of £7500.

Gentlemen op the House op Representatives : Tbe estimates of. expenditure for the current financial year will be laid before you, providing for all the requirements of the public service. These estimates have been so framed as to secure the utmost economy found to be consistent with the complete efficiency of the several departments. The immigration and public works loan of four millions authorised by the Act of lastsessioD hasbeeu successfully negotiated. Papers relating to this operation will be laid before you without delay. It will afford you satisfaction to be informed that public revenue continues to increase, and that the actual receipts for the past financial year have been considerably in excess of the official estimate.

Honorable Legislative Cottnctllors, AND GEKTLEMEN OF THU HOUSE OF EepßEsektatives,— In accordance with the resolutions adopted last session, the necessary measures for the abolition of the provincial form of Government, and for the establishment of a more thorough form of local Government in the North Island, have been prepared and will be immediately laid before you. You will be invited to decide whether, taking the circumstances of the colony into consideration as well as the presentfinancialconditionandfuture prospects of some of the Provincial Governments in the Middle Island the operation of provincial measures may not at once with general an vantage be so extended as to include the whole of the provinces. In view of proposed constitutional changes, and of the approaching termination of this Parliament a readjustment of the representation of the people to meet the altered circumstances of the electoral divisions has become necessary. Bills will accordingly be submitted for your consideration for amending the law relative to the qualification of electors and for a readjustment of representation. A Bill to consolidate and amend laws relating to Btamp duties and a bill to amend the law relating to insolvency will also be laid before you, I confide to your earnest attention therein and other measures to be brought before you, and^hope that Divine wisdom will guide your efforts faithfully to discharge your onerous duties.