PARLIAMENTARY.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1387, 26 July 1878, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

OPENING- OF PAELIAMENT . [Bv Telegbaph.] [PEB PBESS AGENCY.] Wellington, July 26. Parliament was opened to-day with the following speech by the G-overnor: HON. legislative counoillobs and gentlemen OF THE HOtTSE OF BEPREBENTATIVJBS. It affords me much pleasure again to have recourse to your advice aud assistance, and I confidently anticipate that your deliberations will tend to promote the prosperity and good government of the colony. Since the last session I have been uniformly received by the colonists with the utmost loyalty and cordiality as the Queen's representative, wherever I have been able to visit, and it has been with the greatest gratification that I have observed the marked progress in material prosperity which is everywhere taking place, and which testifies so manifestly to the industry of the people of this country. I congratulate you on the fact that peaceful relations have at last been established with the Waikato and Ngatimaniopoto tribes. Complying with the pressing and frequently received invitations of the leading chiefs of these tribes the Premier and the Native Minister visited them on several occasions in their own districts, and met them also at the Waitara. Papers on this subject will be laid before you. They will show that the long period of serious difficulties with the Native race may be reasonably considered to be approaching a termination. There is now a fair prospect; that before long European enterprise and settlement will be welcomed by those great tribes, and that they will gladly avail themselves of the advantages which roads, railways, and telegraphs will bring to their magnificent territory by which its value, and consequently the wealth and happiness of that portion of the Native race so long estranged from us, must be largely increased. In consequence of the disposition thus recently manifested on the part of these natives, you will be asked to consider the question of extending the North Island trunk railway from Auckland to Taranaki. It is probable that blocks of land of great value will be acquired upon reasonable terms along the line. While negotiations with these tribes have not been negle-ited, many of the principal Native settlements have during the recess been visited by the Premier or the Native Ministor. Several long pending questions, out of which more or less ill-feeling has arisen, have been finally and satisfactorily settled. Tha question of the survey and settlement of the West Coast of this Island has been firmly taken in hand. One large block has been surveyed, and v/ill shortly be opened for sale, and the immediate survey of the Waimato plains has been ordered. Whilst the utmost consideration for the former Native owners will be shown in dealing with these lands, a large extent of valuable country will be available for sale and settlement. My advisers have found the position of the Q-overnment Native land purchases to be very unsatisfactory, and but for the legislation of laet session, which enabled the Government temporarily to protect lands under negotiation by the Crown, many blocks upon which large sums of public money have been spent would have passed into the hands of private speculators. Tlr's is a question with which you will be called upon to deal, and information sufficient, it is hoped, to enable you to conserve the interests of the colony in this respect will be afforded you. Measures for simplifying the procedure in investigations of titles to Native lands, as well as their alienation will be submitted to you. The principles of these measures have been discussed with many sections of the Native people, and it is believed that the effect of them will be to place upon an equal footing all the Queen's subjects who may desire to purchase Native lands. The threatening aspect of European affairs caused the Imperial Government to assemble in London a committee of scientific officers to consider the question of colonial harbor defence. Those officers made recommendations for the defence of the chief harbors of New Zealand, and the substance of these recommendations waß telegraphed to me by the Secretary of State lor the purpose of ascertaining whether the colony would carry them out. On the advice of my Ministers I have replied that New Zealand accepts the duty, and the necessary armament will shortly arrive in the colony. Papers on this subject will be submitted to you. Measures have boon prepared and will be brought before you dealing with electoral reform, which it is hoped will tend to place the franchise and the method of electing members of the House of Representatives upon a satisfactory basis. gentlemen or the house of bepbesenta--TIVES. The estimates which will be laid before, jove p have been prepared so as to promote economy and effective administration in the- several departments. You will find thai there is a largo increase of revenue, which indicates the prosperity of the colony, &h& its progress is rendered more certain by a marked extension of the export trade. [RerjiaindQ? aofc yet telegraphed.]!

CHEISTOHUROH WEST SCHOOLS. The prizes were distributed at the above school, on Thursday, the 25th inst., by Mr T. Q-. Hawley, in the absence of the chairman. The following is the prize list : VI. Standard—Dux medal, Willie Parker: 1, Willie Barker : 2, Walter Dunnage ; 3, James Tait. Extra subjects: Willie Barker, Frank Dunnage,(Latin), Samuel M'Murray. Progress : Charles Batten, Frank Brown, and Walter Pilliet. V. Standard—l, E. Clark ;2, 0. Manning ;3, J. H. Smith. General improvement: E. Scott. Latin: 1, O. Manning; 2, J. H. Smith. IV. Standard-1, W. Tait; 2, S. Eeece: 3, G. Pope. General improvement: C. Menzies, F. Willis, C. Whittiugton. 111. Standard-1, J. Priestnall; 2, L. Cane ; 3, Eobert Cross; 4, F. Gourlay. Neatness: E. Nicholl. Lower Division—l, Stephens; 2, John Fox ; 3, F. Goodchild; 4, W. Bowden. 11. Standard-1, John Midgley; 2,. John McLean ; 3, William Scott; 4, James McWilliams; 5, G. Croll; 6. William Heaven and A. Lusk. Special: Harold Gardiner and John Jcnkin»on. I. Standard—l, C. Wood ; 2, F. Malmanche ; 3, E. McTaggart; 4, H. Siuister, 5, W. Davis; 6, P. Jackson; 7, H. Jackson ; 8, Walter Davcy; 9, G. Bird; 10, H. Patterson. Infant Departhent. boys. Upper Division—G. Murray, A. Kingsford. J. Feathers, W. Schra ! er, S. Bowie, and T. Jones. Middle Division— T. Patterson, B. Willis. W. Feathers, W. Sneddan, H. Smith G. Johnstone. Lower Division—F. Bourdot, J. Agnew. GIRLS. Upper Division—A. Lusk, E. Dixon, F. Widdowson, K. Knutson, M. A. Berry. Middle Division— E. Walford, M. Higgot, J. Coppeck, J. Green. Lower Division—E. Smith, A. Jackson, M. Whittington, B. Gee, A. Jacques. Girls' Department. VI. Standard—l, Kate Alexander; 2, Margaret Menzies; 3, Annie Mayne. Sewing : Maggie Lusk. Good Conduct: Jessie Donald. Ixtra Subjects :1, Kate Alexander; 2, Margaret Menzies. V. Standard—l, Eleanor Cross, 2; Jessie Menzies ;3, Eose Seager. Extra suhjects :1, Alice Pickering ; 2, Elfreda Merritt. Writing and sewing : Emily M'lnm >n. IV. Standard-First Division: 1, Charlotte Stratton; 2, Ellen Griffiths; 3, Annie Judge. Improvement: Mary Sword. Middle Division—l, Eliza Chapman; 2, Maggie Munro; 3. Anno Mills; 4, Maggie Spiers. Lower Division —1, Louise "Rogers ; 2, H. Starkiss ; 3, H. Johnston ; 4, Lizzie Dowdall. _ 111. Standard—l, Sarah Johnston ;2, Lizzie M'Caldon; 3, Emma Henwood; 4, Nellie Brown. Lower Division—l, Alice Pickering; 2, E. Merritt. 11. Standard—l, Janet Proser; 2, Susan Brown; 3, Nellie Mayne ; 4t, Edith Hartland; 5, Nellie Henderson. Lower Division.—K. Ives, A. James, Louisa Eakens, E. Phillips, N. Starkiss, M. Treloar, M. A. Telland, E. Eeece, B. Smith.