OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 3545, 3 July 1874, Page 3

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

[By Telegraph.]

Wellington, July 3. Parliament was opened at two o’clock by his Excellency the Governor, who delivered the following speech : Honorable Legislative Councillors and • entlemen of the House of representatives, —

I have recourse with pleasure to your advice and assistance.

The marriage of His Royal Highness the Uuke of Edinburgh with her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess Marie of Russia, seems to me an occasion upon which you will be glad to express to her Majesty your congratu ations, and mv advisers will submit to you addresses for the purpose, Since the prorogation of the >«eneral Assembly I have vi.iited most of the Provinces, and have taken every opportunity iu my power of acquainting myself with the circumstances of the whole country. I am glad to have in the course of my tours and visits become known to a great number of inhabitants, and have had the pleasure of viewing the great natural resources of New and the considerable progress already made in their development everywhere is an evidence i of comfort and contentment among the colonists; while in those districts in which Europeans and Natives are mingled there are gratifying signs of mutual confidence, and even of regard. The public works sanctioned by you have been prosecuted with the utmost vigor which the resources at the command of the Public Works Department permitted. . numbers of immigrants introduced mto the country has largely increased Papers will be laid before you from whi hj you will gather all the circumstances in connection with the selections and passages of the immigrants, and the views of the Government thereon. You will also learn with pleasure that without impairing their own responsibility to Parliament, my adviseis 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 < f the Colony, by which New Zealand, in conjunction with New South Wales, has again established a mail packet seivice wrta the Mother Country, by way of the United States, will be Lid before you. ?- de ay m obtaining the ratification of the Parhament of New South Wales, no effect has yet b eu given to the agreement approved by you last year between the Colonies of - New South Wale,, Queensland, and New Zealand, foreatablishing telegraphic communication between New Zealand and Australia, and between Queensland and Singapore. The approval of the Parliament of New South Wales, which has recently

reached this Government, will, it is hoped, enable measures to tie 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 the previsions which you have made for, at the same time, increasing the population and the enlargement cf and putting to profitable uses the resources of the Colony. t *h« continued peaceful relations with the Native race, and the disposition which the Maoris evince to recognise in your policy a desire to promote the interests of both races, are subjects calculated to afford you the utmost gratification.

Gentlemen op the House op Representatives Esiimates framed with a due regard to economy, but which necessarily indicate the larg ly increased work of administration, will be laid before you The vcy considerable increase in the revenue will give yon confidence in continuing the great public works of the Colony and in expending money upon immigration. Honorable Legislative Councillors and Cemlemhk of the House of uepkesentatives, — ’

I am pleased to assure you of the continued success of tlse Government system of life assurance and annuities. The 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 t* your desi e to cultivate provident habits, the profits which may arLe from it My advisers will submit to you a measure which will contain privision for periodically allotting to the policyholders such profits as may be considered safely divisible Papers will be presented to you which will enable you to judge that my advisers consider that the. Polynesian Islands, their civilisation, commerce, and forms of government present a problem of great interest and importance to this Colony. Measures will be submitted to provide an additional election qualification, to create and conserve State forests as Colonial property, to provide ameansfor guarding against difficulties which may adse in consequence oi continued differences of opinion between the two branches of the legislature, and to make provision for various requirements of a more or less pressu g nature. The urgent demands upon their administrative attention, consequent ou the rapid progress of the Co on\ and the many matters to which that progress makes prompt attention desirable, lead my advisers to think it expedient not to invite legislation upon questions which do not cress for immediate solution. . The responsible duties you are about to lischarge will, I hope, under the blessing of Divine irovidence, further add to the wtlof the Colony and the happiness' of its people of both races.