Opening of Parliament

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 75, 5 June 1884, Page 2

Opening of Parliament

Parliament was opened this afternoon by His Excellency the Governor The following is the first ' portion of the " Speech from the Throne," received up to the time of our going to press : — ; Hon. Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, I hare much pleasure in again meeting you in Parliament assembled. Since the close of the last session a great . affliction has fallen upon Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen through the sudden deaih of > I .B.H. the Duke of Albany. Sincere sympathy nas been felt by the whole British people with our beloved sovereign in herbereavemfent. I did not delay in assuring Her Majesty of the deep sympathy which was felt by the people of .New Zealand in her severe, affliction. When I JSrs't) met the Assembly after my assumption of the Government, I expressed the satisfaction I had. experienced in making myself acquainted with the- people- and the: resources of , fhe Colony.. . During the last year I have. made a more • extended tour through many parts of both islands, and the manner in which I have been welcomed in all the places I have visited has been most cordial and gratifying. The impression I .had already formed of the great capabilities and prospects of the . country- have been much strengthened by all that I have lately seen. The depression which has been felt during the past ye,ar in many parts of the world has been intensfied in New Zealand by the unreasonable weather which ! prevailed .in" .some. .districts! at harvest. time but this depression ;has largely resulted from external causes,. the chief! amongst them being the reduced, values of the staple products of the polony, wool and wheat. ■■■'. 1 trust, however, . that a renewal of prosperity may with' confidence be anticipated. There can be jio doubt that increased population and a more varied use of the soil would result in a large de@opment of the variovs resources of the coiony. " . ,