THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1049, 26 May 1882, Page 4

THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

The following speech was delivered by His Excellency the Governor, at Wellington, on May 19, in connection with the opening of the new Parliament;—

Hon. Liotslative Councillors, and GkNtli men of the House of R epreskntatives,—

Tt is with much pleasure that I have recourse to your assistance, on the occasion of the opening of the eighth Pavlianie't of New Zealand. I forwarded to the Quee' an expression, which T feel sure will have your hearty concurrence, of the deep-felt thankfulness with which all classes of H<‘> Majesty’s subjects in Hew Zea land heard of her r* cent preservation from danger; and < f their earnest prayer that she may be long spared to icign over a loyal and united empire. 'I he. measure adopted by the last Parliament to extend the franchise to increase the representatives of the people, and to afford more frequent oppor timities of ascertaining the opinion ot the constituencies, may, I trust, cause all classes of the community to watch your deliberations with keen interest, and be found conducive to tiie permanent welfare and happiness of the Colonv.

I am glad to be able to congratulate

y..\i upon the renewed and well found ed confidence which exists as to the commercial prospects of the Colony, upon the disappearance of distress amongst the working classes; and up on the general increase of the revenue. Tim proposal submitted to Parlia-

ment, last session tor the systematic laying out ot roads to promote the

colonisation of the waste land scheme

have received careful attention during the iccess, and in all parts of the Colony the work of settlement is pro

grossing favorably. New openings are in the course of development for the ‘employment of labor and capital. The rail ways have become more productive, ai d fresh groups of population are settling in d stiicts which only require means of convo ient access to make

them pros)>eroHs. A desire for permanent settlement on the goldfields, and for the profitable un’on of mining and agricultural pursuits in the same localities, is becoming mo e manifest. The present lime is, in Hie opinion of my advisers, a very favorable one at which to press forward the construction of reads, oul to facilitate the influx of population.

The success of the scheme which has been adopted at Rotorua, on a limited scale, for administering Native lands on behalfof the a'lves owners, leads one to hope that it may have a beneficial and more extended operation in the future.

My advisers are of opinion that a plan for leasing agricultural lands, with fixity ot tenure, upon reasonable terms, may with advantage be it corporated with the general system of administering the Crown lands of the Colony, and n measnro will he submitted to yon with this object.

Towards the close of the last session of Parliament, the aspect of affairs on the west coast of the North Island appeared to mv Government to have become nio'e threatening than had previously been the case, and my advisers fe t themselves compelled to con ider v hot her more active steps than had vet been taken might not be required for the Mipp'ession of lawlessness, tinprotection of Her Majesty’s peaceable subj-cts, and the termination of the increasing excitement in that district. At their request, the House of 'Representatives voted a sum of £IO,OOO to meet such a contingency. In the inon l hof October, the time arrived when conciliation having, intheopinion ofmy M inisters, faded to effect itsohje-ct, they •considered the adoption of more vigorous measures to have become necessary. A Proclamation was accord ingly issued, during my absence from the Colony, by the administrator of the Government, calling on Te Whiti and his adherents to accept within a specified time the land offered them, a nqni'ition with which Te Whiti failed to show any sign of compliance : ami the difficulties of the position were judged by my Government only to inci ease with continued exercise offer- 1 bearance, and it was resolved that the periodical meeting of Nnthes a* - Parihaka should he no longer allowed to bo held ; that the numerous Natives from other localities congregated there should be compelled to return to their own districts • and teat Te Whi i and Tohu should be remov'd from a position which was deemed by my advisers to constitute a standing menance to the peace of the Colony. To Whiti and Tohu were theretore,aiTested,and were committed for trial on a charge of sedition. In order to secure success of operations necessary for these objects, the volunteers were invited to leave vatious districts to render assistance, and a large addition was made to the arm eel constabulary. The thanks of the Colony a v e due to the volunteers for the readiness with whi-'h they answered the

cnll made upon thorn, for their soldierly conduct while in active service : the disci, line end good conduct of the mined constabulary entitle tin in to the highest praise. My Government desire it 10 he recognised that, m the course pursued, they have been and are actuated ly the anxiety to avert conseqtiencea diaas'rons 'o all classes of her Majesty's subjec s, father than hy s.ny desire to inflict ■punishment. A Bill will be laid before you hav-

ing for its object to render the trial of Te Whiti and Toliu unnecessary, and at the same time pi event them from returning to Paiihaka, or lecommencing ngitiition, winch lias long caused a’nim ard apprehension of danger among the settlers on the West Coast I am assured that confidence in the tranquility of the districts is established. and that a feeling of security exists among the inhabitants, which has been long unknown to them. Gentlemen of the House of*RePRESENTA'i IVES, — The estimate of revenue and expenditure for the current financial year will shortly' be laid before you. Hon. Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House op Representatives, - A leturu will be laid before you which shows 'hat the i-evenne has considerably exeteded the amount estimated. The railway returns, especially, show a gratifying increase. The surplus of receipts over expenditure |during the |>ast' ear amounts approximately to 4 per cent, upon the cost of construction.

A new impetus appears to have been given to every branch of industry The yield of gold for the year which has just closed, as compared with that of several previous years, shows a marked development of this important and encourages the belief that further expenditure in opening up goldfields will he productive of the best results to the Colony at large. These facts appear amply to justify your making provision for the extension and ultimate completion of main trunk lines of railway, as well as for the completion of other important works in co nection with them, to which Parliament has already given its sanction. Proposals, wit i these oijectsm view, will be made to you, which the i crease of revenue and the revival of prosperity appear fully to justify. The Commissioners appointed to inquire into the constitution, pr ctice, and procedure of Courts of Judicature withm the Colony, with the view of preparing such measures ofrefoim as would render administration of justice more speedy and efficacious, and at the same time, less costly than at present have completed their labour and toil, and measures will he presented to you for giving effect to the recommendations of the Commissioners ; to amend the Counties and Koad Board Acts, to regulate the making and levying of rates, to effect imjxirtant changes in the working of the Government Life Insurance Department; to improve the law affi cting lunatics; to enable an affirmation and declaration to be taken in ieu of oaths, to abolish restraint on alienationof land ; to amend the law relating to the property ot married {women ; to consolidate and amend the law relating to legal practi timers ; and for the better management of Native reserves.

Each of those suhjectsjwili require your very careful consideration and under the guidance ot Providence, I trust your deliberations will result in just conclusions, beneficial to allclasscs of Her subjects, in this Golony.