OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume II, Issue 192, 8 July 1874, Page 3

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH. At the opening of Parliament on Friday last, W ellington, His Excellency the Governor delivered the following speech :

Honorable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House of epreson tat ires.

X have recourse with pleasure to your advice and assistance. The marriage of His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh with Her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess Mario of Russia seems to mo an occasion upon which you will be glad to express to Her Majesty your congratulations, and my advisers will submit, to you addresses for this purpose. Since tho prorogation of the General Assembly I have visited most of the provinces, and have taken every opportunity in my power for acquainting myself with the circumstances of the whole country. 1 am glad, in the course of my tours and visits, to have become known to great numbers of tho inhabitants, and I have had the pleasure of viewing the natural resources of New Zealand and the considerable progress already made in their development. Every where are evidences of comfort and contentment among tho colonists, while in those districts in which Europeans and natives are mingled there are gratifying signs of mutual confidence, and even regard. The public works sanctioned by you have been prosecuted with tbe utmost vigour that the resources at the command of the Public Works Department permitted. Tbe number of immigrants introduced into the country has largely increased. Papers will be laid before you from which you will gather all the circumstances in connection with the selection and passage: of tho immigrants and the views of the Government thereon. You will also learn with pleasure that without impairing their own responsibility to Parliament my advisers have made arrangements with the Provincial Governments to aid in locating and settling the immigrants on their arrival in the colony. The contract ably negotiated by Mr Russell on behalf of the colony by which New Zealand, in conjunction with New South Wales, has again established a mail packet service with tho mother country by way of tbe United States will be laid before you. Owing to delay in obtaining the ratification of the Parliament of New South Wales no effect has yet been given to tho agreement approved by you last year between tho colonies of Now South Wales, Queensland and New Zealand for establishing telegraphic communication between New Zealand and the Australian colonies, Queensland and Singapore. The approval of tho Parliament of New South Wales, which has recently reached the Government, will, it is hoped, enable measures to bo shortly taken to promote a communication so important to this colony. The general prosperity which prevails throughout the country will be a gratifying proof to you of the wisdom of tbe provision which you have made for the same, increasing the population and enlarging and putting to profitable uses the resources of the colony. The continued peaceful relations with the native race, and the disposition which tbe Maoris evince to recognise in your policy a desire to promote the interest of both races, are subjects calculated to afford you the greatest gratification. Gentlemen of the House of Representatives : Estimates framed with a due regard to economy, but which necessarily indicate the largely increased work of administration, will be laid before you. The very considerable increase in the revenue will give you confidence in continuing the great public works of the colony, and expending money upon immigration.

Honorable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House of lie presen tatives

I am pleased to assure you of tbe continued success of the good system of life assurances and annuities. Tbe time has come when it is desirable you should stamp upon this institution the unselfish nature of the motives which called it into existence by deciding to relinquish to those who, by using it, have responded to your desire to cultivate provident habits the profit- which may arise from it. My advisers will submit to you measures which will contain provision for periodically allotting to the policy-holders such profits as may be considered safely divisable. Papers will be presented to you which will enable you to judge that my advisers consider that the Polynesian Islands, their civilization, settlement, commerce, and form of government present probabilities of great interest and importance to this colony.

Measures will bo submitted to provide an additionaj electoral qualification, to create and conserve State forests as a colonial property, to provide a means for guarding against difficulties wmch may arise in consequence of continued difierences of opinion between the two branches or the Legislature, and to make provision for various requirements of a more or loss pressing nature. &

The urgent demands upon their administrative attention, consequent on the rapid progress of the colony, and the many matters in which that progress makes prompt attention desirable, lead my advisers to think it expedient not to invite legislation upon questions which do not press for immediate solution.

The responsible duties you are about to discharge will, 1 hope, under the blessing of Divine Trovidence, further add to the welfare of the colony, and the happiness of its people of both races.