The Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 1865. MEETING OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. THIS DAY.

Evening Post, Issue 145, 26 July 1865, Page 2

The Evening Post. WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 1865. MEETING OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. THIS DAY.

The session of the current year was opened at tiro o'clock this afternoon by his Excellency Sir George Grey, with the usual formalities. The Wellington Company of Volunteers, under the command of Major Gorton, accompanied by his adjutant, Captain Kirwan, mustered in force, and formed the guard oE honorJJ^The greater part of the members of both the Upper and Lower Houses were present, the only exceptions being Mr. Crosble Ward, some of the Auckland, and the whole of the Napier representatives. Notwithstanding the continuous downpour of rain, the Strangers' Gallery was well filled. His Excellency and suite entered the Parliament House punctually at the appointed hour, and was received by the members standing. He then teal his address, of which the following is an outline :— His Excellency congratulated the General Assembly upon the partial establishment of peace and the suppression of insurrection,and trusted they would promote the union of the two races by admitting the natives to a full and equal participation of the privileges of self-government. The policy of withdrawing the troops had been approved of by the Home Government, and hid Excellency would at once issue orders for the return to England of lire regiments, trusting they might be quickly followed by tbe remainder, when the conditions imposed on the colony for the full attainment of constitutional government would be fulfilled. The measures adopted last session enabled his Excellency, by disposing of colonial securities, to relieve the financial embarrassment in which the colony was then placed ; but the credit of the colony continues to be injuriously affected by the manner in which Provincial Loans had been contracted and placed on the English Money Market. He trusted the Aiisembly would remedy the evils. His Excellency proposes raising additional revenue by stamp duties, to provide for the burdens pressing on the colony. Tho present position of the colony required a re-adjustment of the representation. His Excellency had agreed with the Panama, New Zealand, and Australian Royal Mail Company, to confirm the contract, subject to certain modifications, entered into with that body for postal service by way of Panama. The last paragraph of the Speech expresses the satisfaction with which his Excellency

observes the steady advance of the colony in population and wealth, and concludes—'* I see no cause for anticipating any check to this onward progress, which, with God's blessing, cannot fail to carry it through difficulties — temporary in themselves, and already beginning to disappear," After which he declared the Counci opened. ¦ ' " The House was sitting when we went to press.