GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 622, 16 June 1876, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(Per Press Agency .)

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, June 15.

Parliament was opened to-day by commis' sion, consisting of the Hons Richardson, Richmond, Pollen, and Hall. The latter gentleman was not present. The Hon Mr Waterhouse raised the question as to whether it was necessary that members of the Legislative Council should take the oath and be sworn in at the assembling of a new parliament. The Speaker thought it was optional. Mr Waterhouse and others declined to take the oath.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Thursday, June 15,

The Chief Justice swore in the following members who took the oath and their seats : Messrs Andrew, Barff, Bastings, Burns, Bran, don, Brown, Bunny, Button, Fisher, De Lautour, Fitzherbert, Atkinson, Bowen, Fitzroy, Henry, Hunter, Hurst, Rowe, Kennedy, S. Hodgkinson, Joyce, Johnston, Manders, Sir D. McLean, G. McLean, Macandrew, Murray, Murray-Aynsley, Montgomery, Pearce, Pyke. Reynolds, Richmond, Beaton, Stafford, Stevens, Shiimski, Stout, Tesclu maker, Thomson, Tribe, Sir J. Vogel, Wakefield, Wason, Wood, Woolcock, Diguan, Tole, Curtis, O’Rorke, Cox, Hamlin, Lusk, Moorhouse, Sir R. Douglas, Richmond, Hees, Seymour, Swanson, Howe, Sir George Grey, Sharp, Whitaker, Hoani, Naki, Hore, Karaka, Tawhiti. ELECTION OP SPEAKER. Sir J. Vogel moved—“ That the Hon W Fitzherbert be elected Speaker of the present Parliament,” and referred to the great responsibilities of the office and the importance to the country in making choice of such an officer. In taking a step of this kind in a new country like New Zealand, they must either follow a precedent or make a precedent. They ought therefore be careful in adopting a course as to whether the appointment of Speaker should be a party or political question. He contended it was not desirable to do so, nor looking at precedents, that they had been in

the habit of doing so. Upon the occasion of electing the last Speaker, who had just ceased to be a member of the Ministry, he was proposed and seconded by two members who did not disguise the fact they were not supporters of the Government, and on this occasion the appointment would be seconded by ooe not usually supporting the Government. It was exceedingly undesirable that the appointment should be made a party contest. There should be no lingering feelings of past party struggles smouldering in the minds of members, and if one was to preside over them perfectly dispassionately, there should be no party struggle. No doubt amongst the Government supporters there were gentlemen suitable for the office, but some were unwilling to accept the appointment, while others might not be acceptable to the House. The reasons which had guided them. in selecting Mr Fitzherbert were his experience of Parliamentary procedure and his knowledge of the House; who had been more accustomed to speak upon questions and things in more strong, plain, and decided terms than Mr Fitzherbert ? but no matter how severe he spoke, he never alienated the personal friendship of any member he attacked. He attached great importance to this; much of the high character attaching to the New Zealand Parliament was due to the fact that, no matter how much they differed in the House, these differences were not personal, and were not carried beyond the House. When the Government decided they would support Mr Fitzherbert for the Speakership, it was only due to him to say that he declined to accept my proposal uniess 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 for a long political career, believing as he did that the appointment would conduce to the carrying out of the business of the colony in a satisfactory manner.

Sir G. Obey seconded the motion. His grounds for doing so were that he had known Mr Fitzherbert many years in many capacities serving the colony, and in ail he did good service to the country, besidfs gaining the esteem of a large number of the inhabitants of New Zealand. Besides distinguishing himself in New Zealand, he had so ably managed his mission at home that many of the leading men at home were surprised at the assiduity, acuteness, fidelity, and absolute independency with which he discharged those duties, steadily holding aloof from everything likely to lead him astray from his duties to this country. Besides being possessed of knowledge equal he would venture to say to that of any other hon member of the House, he possessed in an eminent degree those qualities which would enable him to tread in the footsteps of his illustrious predecessors in the chair. All these united to give him a claim upon hon gentlemen. The great pleasure he had in seepnding his election was attended with a feeling of deep regret and sorrow that the most eminent of their debaters would be withdrawn from the House, by placing Mr Fitzherbert in the chair. With sorrow he contemplated losing the assistance of one who had often urged them on in the phth of duty during the conflict of party warfare. ■ Mr Fitzherbert, who replied in a. very inaudible tone, was understood to express his appreciation of the handsome manner in which the proposal had been made him by the Premier, Nothing could have been more generous than the way in which the proposal was submitted to him. He expressed his diffidence of his ability to perform satisfactorily the high duties placed upon him. Loving New Zealand as he did, however, he would endeavour to prevent the House lasing that self-respect for which it had been distinguished in the past. He was escorted to the chair by Sir J. Vogel and Sir G. Grey, Mr Stafford expressed briefly his sense of the excellence of the choice made, and his firm conviction that if any one in the. country more than another possessed the necessary qualifications to preside over the House, Mr Fi'zherbert was that gentleman. The House adjourned till 2 p.m. to-mor-row.

Friday, June 16.

THE GOVERNOR’S SPEECH,

Tbe first session of the sixth. Parliament of Now Zealand was this day opened by the Governor, when his Excellency was pleased to make the following speech :

Honourable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House of R epresentati yes—

I have recourse t to your advice and assistance, with much satisfaction, at an earlier period of the year than has hitherto been usual since the Assembly last met. The colony has been brought into telegraphic communication with other parts of the world. You will recognise that this event is of great importance to New Zealand. Proposals from the Government of New South Wales to aid in the establishment of a second line of communication with Europe, and the reply of my Government thereto will be laid before you. In pursuance of the legislation of last session important measures will be submitted to yo.u to give to the country districts and to the towns a larger share of self-government than they have hitherto enjoyed Other legislation consequent upon the abolition of the provinces will be proposed to you. I earnestly urge you to co-operate and assist in making as beneficial as possible the changes which arc to take place immediately after the termination of the present session. You may not be able to effect all that these changes will render necessary, but you will at least be able to deal with the principal measures as well as to provide against any inconvenience arising from deferred legislation. I desire specially to commend to your notice a Bill for establishing counties, and for giving to them powers and revenues of an independent character, but with liberty to adopt conceited action with boroughs and road districts. During my recent visit to Auckland I availed myself of various opportunities of becoming personally acquainted with a large part of the North Island, and visited several of the native tribes who occupy that portion of the colony. I cannot refrain from expressing to you the gratification I derived from observing the rapid development of the splendid pastoral and agricultural country in the province of Hawke’s Bay and on the East Coast, 1 visited the Arawa tribes of theJßay of Plenty

and Taupo, and 'also those of the Thames, aa well as the large and influential Ngaputu and Rarawa tribes ofjthe North Bay, byall of whom I was received in the most cordial and loyal manner ; the kindly feeling which I found existing between these tribes and the European settlers in their districts, together with the increasing desire on the part of the Natives to adopt the practices of civilized countries, as evidenced by the requests made specially by the Ngaputu tribe for the construction of roads and telegraphs, and .the establishment of Courts of Justice and schools, affords the most promising guarantee for the future peace and prosperity of the colony. You will also learn with pleasure that in other native districts besides those to which lhave referred, the relations between the two races continue to improve. IRecent interviews between the Minister for Native Affairs and Tawhaio and other leading Waikato Chiefs have been of a highly satisfactory character. The results from the portions of railway opened Jfor traffic are encouraging and assuring. Beyond the good effected by promoting settlement, the railways already yield in excess of working expenses a material contribution towards the interest on the cost of their construction. The prosperity of the colony continues unabated. The prospects of the agricultural and industrial interests are satisfactory, and there are notable evidences of improvement in the results from mining of all descriptions. Not the least pleasing feature of the progress of the colony is the remarkable extent to which persons possessed of capital arc coming from other colonies and countries to invest their means and settle in New Zealand. I direct your earnest attention to a measure which will be proposed to you for largely altering the system of dealing with and disposing of Native lands. Gentlemen op the House of Representatives— The estimates of expenditure for the coming year, framed as far as possible to meet all the conditions arising from the abolition of the provinces, will be laid before you without delay. I invite your consideration of the papers relating to the negotiations which my Government have entered into with the Bank of England. Honorable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen op the House op Representatives—

My advisers are forcibly impressed with the necessity of enlarging, the facilities for acquiring land in moderate sized blocks for cultivation and settlement. A Bill for the purpose will bh submitted to you. It will also contain provisions for continuing the local administration of the waste lands. Various other measures witl.be placed before you, as the time off the session permits. Amongst them will he a Bill to consolidate and amend the laws relating to boroughs, a Bill to amend the Debtors and ,Creditors Act, a measure to consolidate the laws relating to public worka and immigration, and Bills amending the laws relating to friendly societies and to building societies. I commit to your grave consideration the business of the session, and I pray that the Almighty will so guide and order your deliberations that they may be productive of happiness and prosperity to the people of New Zealand.

It is not yet known who are to move and second the address in reply. It is to be settled this evening. My Fitzherbert was presented to the Governor this morning,' and his appointment as Speaker duly confirmed.