PARLIAMENT.

Evening Star, Issue 4151, 16 June 1876, Page 2

PARLIAMENT .

THE OPENIHO.

W ellikoton, June 15.1 Parliament was opened by a Commission, consisting of the Hods.'‘Richardson, Richmond, Hall. This latter gentle _man was not present. In the Legislative Council Ike Hon. Mr ..Waterhouse rau>ed*thie question as to whethehit was necessary that members of. the Council should take this oaths and besworn in at the assembly of toe hew Parliament] The Speaker thought, it was optional. MrWaterhouso and othori declined to take tHd^oath.

In the House of Representatives, - the Chief Justice swore in toe following inem: hers, who took the oath and their seats. Messrs Andrew, Barff, Bastings, Burns) Brandon, Browh,’ Buimy, ''Button, "KEherj De Lautour, Fittoerbert, Atkinson, Bowen, Fitzroy, Dr Henry, Hunter, Hurst, Rouse, Kennedy, Hodgkinson; Joyce, Johnston, Manders, Sir D. M*Lean, G. M'Lean, Mac-! Andrew, Murray, Murray-Aynsley, Montgomeiy, Pearce, Pyke, Reynold, Richmond, Seaton, Stafford, Stevens, Shrimski, Stout, Teschetaaker; Thomson, Tribe, sir J. Vogel, Wakefield, -Wason, Wood, Woolsock, Dignan, Tele,-Curtis, O’Rorke, Cox, Hamlin, Lusk, Moorhouse, Sir E, Douglas, Richmond, Rees, Seymour, Swanson, Rowe,! Sir George Grey, Sharp, Whittaker, Hoani; Naki, flore, Karaka Tawhiti. T . !

The Premier, in moving that his-Honor Mr Fitzherbert be elected' Speaker of the’ present Parliament, referred: to the great responsibilities of the office and the import - ance to the country in making choice of such an officer.. In tahinga'step of this kind in a new country like New Zealand they must ' either follow a precedent ormake aprece- ; dent. They ought, therefore, 'to be careful in adopting a course, as to whether the' appointment of Speaker should be a party .or : political question. He- contended it , desirable to. do so, nor, looking at prece- ; dents, that' they had been in the'habit of ’ doing so.. Upon.the occasion.of electing the last Speaker,who’ had qust ceased to be a member of the Ministry, he was proposed and seconded by two members who not the fact that they *Were not supporters of the Government, and on this occasion the' apS ointment would be seconded by one who id not’usually .support the Government. It was exceedingly undesirable that the appointment should be made's party contest. There should.be fro lingering feelings of past party struggles smouldering in .the minda of members ; and if one was to preside Oyer them perfectly dispassionate there should be no party struggle. No doubt, amongst the Government supporters there were gentlemen | suitable for the office, but some were unwill- | ing to accept the appointment, while others • might not be acceptable to the House. These (reasons guided them in selecting Mr Pitz.herberfc, whose experience- of Parliamentary ; procedure and knowledge of the House , eminently fitted him . for the high office. |He (Sir J. Vogel) had been more accustomed to speak upon questions and .things in more strong, plain, and decided terms than. Mr Fitzherbert but no matter how sievere he spoke, he never alienated the personal friendship of any member. He attached great importance to this that much of the higher character attaching to the New Zealand Parliament -was due to the -fact that members, no : matter how much they differed in the Houta, these differences were not personal, -and-were not carried beyond the House. When the Government decided they would Support Mr Fitzherbert for Speaker it was only due to him to say that he declined to accept the proposal unless he was' allowed .time to consult those with whom he had been acting. The appointment was not in any way of a party or political, nature, being made entirely upon independent grounds, and solely because Mr Fitzherbert was the most suitable person for the position. He hoped the selection would be received with unanimity as a proper reward tor a long political career. He believed that the appointment would 1 conduce. to the carrying out of the business of the Colony in a satisfactory manner. Sir George Grey’s grounds for secondiig the motion were, that he had known Mr Fitzherbert many years in many capacities, sen-ing the Colony,' and in all he aid good service to the country, besides gaining the esteem of a large number of the inhabitants Of New Zealand. Besides - distinguishing himself in New Zealand, ;he bad so ably managed his mission at Homo, that many of the leading men at Home were surprised at the assiduity, acuteness, fidelity, and ab-olute independence with which he discharged those duties. Steadily holding aloof from eveiything likely , to lead him .his; duties to this"

equal, he>would venture to say, to that of during ofparty.-i?aritae. Mr Fitihcrbert, who replied in a nearly inandib'e tone, WM understood to express his appreciation of tbe handsome manner in. Whies the proposalJbad Jto^bim more generous Ithe proposal was submitted to, jjWm. He expressed his diffidence'of hisfibiHty to perform satisfactorily tbe-high- dutiesplaced Upon biro, did, however, be WOttmendeavor to prevent the ■House Toaing ftrirhich it bad been distinguished in thejp&st. Mr Stafford expressed brifenyhis seoss of the. excellence df dhole*# made, hndwbls firm conviction that if anyone ; ih thb country .more than another possfMfsed qualifications to preside over the Mr Pitsherbert was that gentleman. ;•■■■■ The House then adjourned. /. | first'session of the Siicth PwUpiment of js'ew Zealand was this day ope.ed by the Governor, when Us ExceUeueywaspleased to make the following speech Hon rablk LadisbiiiivE (totmciLtftitis and Gentlemen of t&« House oFj&fcPRXSENTATXVES, " ‘V, _ * ■, I have recourse to youradvice andjaSsistance with much satisfaction *ht period of the year than has hitherto been usual. . ...

Since the Assembly last .mejij the Colony has been brought into' toltotaphio communication with other pator clo the world. You , will ‘ reco&iise .tortFthis •vent; is of great importance tvfifcw Zealand. Proposals from- the .Vwovbrnment of Sbuth- Wales' in the establishment of a second ImewhßiiSßm* nication with Europe,: andthfe replysof~my Government'fchereto will be laldlbefotoyoa. In pursuance of the lefgislatieh oflastfeeasion.unportant measures wSJljbe jnibpttted toyou to give tothecountry oppiets SUd t6 the towns a larger Share of* All - Government thantoey haVe hitherto joyed. Other legislatiOii consequetrtepon ihe Abolition of the Province? wiUr be proposed to yon.. I cartes tlyrdirge you to co-bpeiate- and .assist ■ ihg at whichare to * take "place ,immes|tely aft?* the termwatibn: of the session. You- may ' not be «me. /to effect ;aU‘ that "these changes necessary, but you ‘ wil|], : at.. ’ be able to deal with toeprincipal well as to provide against any inponvemeuco arising!rom deferred legislation. ■ Idesir© specially tb commend to! youf for establishing counties* <’and; for' ‘gta&g to them poWers add reyehueSof %ki independent character, hut witolibertV to adopt concerted action with tricts. , , : i ~.- rrr During my recent, visit to-Apckhpril I availed myself of. various «. opportunities of becoming seiroralof the Jfative Iribes Who dccupyjumt portion of the Colony. 1 cannot regain ripom expressing to yqq, .the.; gr*tiiustion I derived from cheeping the .pipidf jle* velopment of the- splendid pastoral awl agricultural' country m the .Province of Hawke’s Bay and on the BartCoart.- I visited ; the, 'Arawa ‘ tribes of ’ Bnf of Plenty and Taupo,; and also thq|}e. ot toe Thames,’ as 'teeli as' the large and ential Nga-Pumtu and of toe North, by all of whom 1 wafr4eqehfed in; the most cordial and loyal manner. The kjhdly feeling which I fotmd existahg betWeCnthese tribes andthe Iforopetosettl&s in this district, togetherwith the increasing desirf'on the part bIIKeOTIvST the practices of civilised countries, as evinced .by the requests made {specially, by thd Nga Pututu tribe for the cotittahictioh of roads and telegraphs and the establishment of;courts ot justice and. schools, , affords toe mtotpromieihg guarantee,for the/.futtare peace and prosperity of 'toe < will also. leatu with pleasure s that, in other native districts besides those to which I -have referred, ; thh ‘ relations- between dihe two races continue to improve... -Recent interriewsv between the Minister for Native Affairs and Tawhiao andother leading Waikato jchiefs have hem of a highly satisfactory character. ’ | - The results frdmathe portions, of railway v opened for traffic are encouraging, land assuring.. Beyond the good effected by promoting -settlement the railways already yield, in excess bP working expenses, a material - contribution towards the. interest on the'cost of their construction. ' The prosperity pt : the Colony .continues unabated. The prospects Of the agri cultural and industrial interests ore satisfactory ’ ; feud : there are notable evidences of the ‘results from mining of all descriptions. £ot the least pleasing feature, of toe progress of the Colony is the remarkable extent to which persons possessed'of capital are coming from other colonies apd countries to invest their means and settle in New Zealand. * ■ •

I direct your earnest attention. to a mate sure which will, be proposed to you ftr largely altering the system of dealing with and disposing .of Native lends. . , . s Vg^ Gentlemen of the House <* E|*bbssn&.

TIVES, — Sr <■ T fc The of expenditures for c jtta coming year* i framed as . far tto meet all *the conditions Abolition of the Provinces, will be fore you without delay. l your ccfi sideration of the papers relating-to the* gotiations w| ich my Government have mx> tered into with the Bank of England. ? ' Honorable Legislative CouncNllobsand

Gentlemen of [the House of Risntat* SENTATIVEB - ~,,.■ | My advisers are forcibly impressed w|th the necessity of enlarging the.. facilities ar acquiring land in moderate 'sized blpCKs for cultivation _and settlement A jßill for the TJe you. it will elfio cohtain provisions for continuing the local administration of the waste lands. Various ether measures wilLba placed before you aS the time of the ssbshu permits. Amongst them .he; a.HiU to con olidate and amend the laws relating to Boroughs, a Bill to ; hm6nd the 1 Debton and Creditors Act, a measure to consolidate the laws relating to nubile works andiihimgration, and Bills amending the laws relating to Friendly Societies ipd': to TBuilding Societies. ; I commit to your girhve tlie business of the session, and I prey that'the Almighty will so guide and cram: beratiqns that ! they igaay, be happiness and prosperity to the. neoplasm; New Zealand...