THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Dunstan Times, Issue 850, 2 August 1878, Page 3

THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

—o - - Wellington, July 20. Parliament was opened by the Governor to day. The place was crowded. About seventeen members of the Council took their seats, including tho newly-created Lords, Messrs Martin and Buckley. In the House of Representatives some fifty members attended. All the members of tho Ministry were present except the Premier, who is reported to bo ill. His Excellency the Governor read the following speech : Hon. Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives— It affords me much pleasure again fo have recourse to your advice and assistance, and I confidently anticipate that your deliberations will tend to promote tho piosperity and good government of the Colony. Since the last session I have been uniform ly received by the Colonists with the utmost loyalty as tho Queen’s representative wherever I have been able to visit, and it has been with the greatest gratification that I have observed the marked progress and material prosperity which is everywhere taking place, and which testifies manifestly to the industry of tho people, I congratulate you on the fact that peaceful relations have at last been established with the Waikato and Ngatimaniopoto tribes. Complying with tho pressing and frequently received invitations of the leading chiefs of these tribes, the Premier and the Native Minister visited them on several occasions in their own districts, and met them also at tho Waitara. Papers on this subject will he laid before you—they will show that the long period of serious difficulties with the Native race may reasonably be considered to be approaching a termination. There is now a fair prospect thatjheforc long European enterprise and settlement will ho welcomed hy those great tribes, and that they will gladly avail themselves of the advantages which, roads, railways, and telegraphs will bring to their magnificent territory, hy which the. value, and consequent!'the wealth and happiness of that portion of the Native race so long estranged from ns, must be largely increased. In consequence of the disposition thus recently manifested on the part of these Natives you will he asked to consider tho question of extending tho North Island Trunk Railway from Auckland to Taranaki. It is probable that blocks of land of great Value will be acquired upon reasonable terms along the line. While negotiations with these tribes have not been neglected, many of the principal Native settlements have during the recess been visited by the Prehiicr or the Native Minister. Several long-pending questions, out of which more or less ill-feeling has arisen, have been finally and satisfactorily settled.

The question of the surveyand settlement of the West Coast of this island has been firmly taken in hand. One largo block has been surveyed, and will shortly bo opened for sale ; and tho immediate Survey of the Waimato Plains has been ordered. Whilst the utmost consideration for the former Native owners will be shown in dealing with these lands, a largo extent of Valuable country will be available for sale and settlement,

My advisers have found the position of the Government Native land purchases to be very unsatisfactory, and but for the legislation of last session, which enabled the Government temporarily to protect lands under negotiation by the Crown, many blocks upon which large sums of public money have been spent would have passed into the hands of private speculators. This is a question with which you w’ll be called upon to deal, and information sufficient, it is hoped, to enable you to conserve the interests of the Colony in this respect will be afforded you.

Measures for simplifying the procedure In investigations of title to Native lands as well as their alienation, will be submitted f o you. The principles of those measures have been discussed with many sections of the Native people, and it is believed that the effect of them will be to place upon an equal footing all the Queen’s subjects who may desire to purchase Native lands. The threatening aspect of European affairs caused the Imperial Government to assemble m London a committee of scientific officers to consider the question of Colonial harbor defence. Those officers ma/lejrecommendations for the defence of the chief harbors of New Zealand, and the substance of those recommendations was telegraphed to mo by the Secretary of State for the purpose of ascertaining whether the Colony would carry them out. On the advice of my ministers, 1 have replied that Now Zealand accepts the duty, and the necessary armament will shortly arrive in the Colony. Papers on this subject will be submitted to you.

Measures have been prepared, and will be brought before you, dealing with Electoral Reform, and it is hoped will tend to place the franchise, and the method of electing members of the House of Representatives, upon a satisfactory basis. Cent lumen of the House cf Representatives.

The Estimates, which will be laid before you, have been prepared so as to promote economy and effective administration in the several departments. You will find that there is a large increase of revenue, which indicates the prosperity of the Colony, and its progress is rendered more certain by a marked extension [of the export trade. 1 he successful issue of the loan authorised hist session is a further proof of the opinion entertained in other countries of the stability of our financial position, and of the, general prosperity and peace which prevail in New Zealand securities of a miscellaneous character into long dated debentures, beara uniform rate ot interest.

Measures will he introduced to place the taxation of the Colony on a more equitable basis, apportioning the public burdens according to the capacity to bear them, and the tariff will be submitted to revision tending to relieve commerce of some restrictions which retard its growth. Honourable Legislative Councillors AND CKNTLKMKN OF THE IIOU.SK OF REPRESENTATIVES—

The Government have found that, in order to carry out any real administrative reform, there must bo- an amalgamation of offices as well as a simplification in their administration. This has been specially felt necessary in the Department of Justice, to effect a saving of departmental expend! tore, and at the same time to increase the efficiency of the administration of Justice. A Bill extending the jurisdiction of the inferior Courts has been [prepared and will be laid before you. My Ministers have endeavoured, by this Bill, to simplify the proceedings in the local Courts, .Steps have also been taken to obtahi a simplification of the Supreme Court procedure, and the Government hope than the benefits obtained in other countries from amending the procedure of the higher Courts of Judicature will be secured for this Colony. A report will ho laid before you showing the effect, so far, of the Education Act passed last session. The time that has elapsed since its passing has been too short to allow a fair estimate of its wo: king to ho arrived at ; hut the Government do not believe that any material amendments arc at present expedient. The question of higher education deserves most careful consideration ; hut, as a preliminary thereto, it is necessary that the mode of working and the effect of existing institutions should bo ascertained. It is intended, therefore, to appoint a Royal Commission to inquire into and report upon the operations of the New Zealand University and its relation to the secondary schools of the Colony. The r< - port of this Commission will, if legislation he necessary, enable Parliament to deal effectively with the subject next session. Arrangements have been entered into with the Government of New .South Wales for modification in the San Francisco mail service contract, and ns to coming within the terms of the Postal Union. In conjunction with New South Wales, the Government have also negotiated with Colonel Glover, the representative of the Eastern Extension, Australasia, and China Telegraph Company, for a duplication of the cable from Port Darwin to London, and for a reduction of the tariff on the New Zealand cable. The present state of negotiations will be Shown by the papers that trill be laid before yon. The goldfields of the Colony aro still prosperous, and there can be no doubt that there are yet numerous and extensive auriferous deposits that only require population and enterprise for fheirdevelopment. You will, I have no doubt, join with me in the hope that the proposal to establish

direct steam communication between Now Zealand and the United Kingdom may prove successful.

The results of the gradual extension of the railway system have been such as to justify the Colony in undertaking its large indebtedness for the prosecution of those public works. It is gratifying to find that the District Railways Act of last session is being taken advantage of„,and that tbo faith of tbo people of New,. Zealand in railway extension is being, shown by many important lines in different parts of the Colony King undertaken by private and local enterprise. This spirit of self-reliance my Ministers think should be fostered ; and you will bo asked to make some slight amendments, with the view of offering facilities which experience has shown to he desirable.

During the recess various changes have been introduced into the ■ management of the Public Works and .Railways Departments—changes which I {venture to hope may prove beneficial to the public service. I commend to your serious consideration the various measures and subjects that may be brought before you for your advice and action, and I pray that the spirit of-Divine wisdom may so order your deliberations that peace and happiness may ho promoted throughout the length and breadth of the Colony. The following new members took the oath and their seats : Messrs Seymour George, F. J. Moss, K. T. Turnbull, K. P. Hobbs, G. E. Barton, and W. If. Cutten. Notice of the usual sessional committees was given. A number of paoers were laid on the table, and a couple of petitions were presented. The Hon. J. Sheehan obtained leave, after some discussion, to put through all its stages the Native Lands Act Bill, for amending the Native Lands Act, 1873. The object of the Bill he explained is to compel an unwilling witness to give evidence regarding certain laud purchases in which the Government are largely interested.. After a few slight alterations the Dill passed through Committee. The same Bill .having been similarly dealt with in Council and brought down to the other place, the House adjourned till 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday next. In the course of the proceedings Mr Seymour George gave notice that he would move the address in reply.

It is understood that Mr Hobbs will second it.