OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2242, 9 June 1881, Page 3

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

I The Governor’s Speech, The third session of the seventh Parliament of New Zealand was opened by, the Governor to-day, at 2 p.m. The following is the text of the Governor’s speech : HONOBABBK liKGISIATIVB COUNCILLOEa AND Gbnxlbmen op ids House op BepbhSBNTATIVEB. It affords me much satisfaction, in meeting you for the first time, to be able to congratulate you upon the steady progress of the colony during the past year the revival of its prosperity, and the increased confidence in the future, which animates all classes of the community. The course prescribed by Parliament to bring to a termination the unsatisfactory state of affairs existing on a part of the West Coast of this island has been steadily pursued, and has, up to the present time, been attended with marked success. Effect is being given to the recommendations of the Boyal Commission appointed to inquire into the grievances which were alleged to exist among the Natives of that locality. And the determination on the one hand tp assert the supremacy of the Queen and repress any lawless action, and on the other hand to redress all real grievances, will apparently effect a peaceful solution of questions which, a short time ago, wore a threatening aspect. The lands which have been apportioned far European occupation on the Waimate Plains have been, for the most part, sold, and are now being occupied by settlers. The prisoners whose detention up to the present time has been deemed necessary in the interest of both Natives and Europeans have been released and returned to their homes, with the exception of a small number, whom it is proposed to set free in a few days. Nor do my responsible advisers apprehend that it will be necessary again to have recourse to extraordinary measures for the preservation of peace and good order in the districs in question. Papers will be laid before you containing the minutes of the proceedings of an Inter* colonial Conference held at Sydney in the month of January last, at which a member of my Government was present. Ton will learn from these papers that several measures of considerable interest to the Australasian colonies were considered by the Conference, and in accordance with one of the conclusions arrived at a Bill will be placed before you for the regulation and restriction of the influx of Chinese into the colony. The recognition of a community of interets and mutual interdependence among the Australasian colonies evinced by this Conference may hereafter be attended by results of considerable importance. The railways and other public works authorised by you have been proceeded with as rapidly as was expedient in the present circumstances of the colony. In view of the necessity for maintaining the progressive work of colonization proposals will come under your consideration for giving assistance to companies prepared to construct or continue main lines of railway. The termination of existing leases of land in the Middle Island, and held for pestoral purposes, affords an opportunity which has not been overlooked by my advisers for rendering those lands more generally useful to the State, and carefully considered plans for ejecting that object will be laid before you. The systematic laying out of roads in anticipation of the sale of waste lands has in a very marked manner promoted their occupation during the past year. You will be asked to sanction further expenditure to enable the Lauds Department to give effect to plans which, if carried out, will practically enlarge the area available for settlement, and invite a more extended employment of labor and capital. The revenue received from the sale of waste lands during the past year has exceeded the estimate, and the increasing demand for land for actual occupation, together with statistical information recently obtained, affords convincing proof that a fresh impulse is being given to the work of settlement, while the expansion of local industries promises to provide profitable employment for a rapidly-increasing population.

Gentlemen of the House op Rupee senTATIVEB.

Large reductions have already been made in the cost of the public service, without impairing its efficiency, and the estimates of receipts and the expenditure for the current year, which will shortly bo laid before you, have been prepared with strict regard to the most rigid economy. The revenue of the past year must on the whole be considered satisfactory. The excess of receipts over expenditure upon the railways amount to a return of J per cent, upon the outlay incurred upon their construction.

Honobable Legislative Counoillobs and Q-bntlbmbn of the House of RepbeSENTAXITBS, Bills will ba submitted to you for the Redistribution of the Representatives of the people, and for the Regulation of Elections, which, in view of the approaching termination of the present Parliament, I recommend to your early and most attentive consideration. , , The commission appointed last year tor the purpose of inquiring into the constitution, practice, and procedure of the Supreme Court and other courts of the colony, and of ascertaining by what means the administration of justice therein may be rendered more speedy and efficacious, and at the same time less costly, have made an ad interim report, a copy of which will be laid before you, I am glad to be able to inform yon that the Commissioners have proceeded so far with the work entrusted to them as to enable them to anticipate the close of their labors in the course of the month of July. The measures necessary to give effect to their recommendations may, therefore, be submitted to you during the present session. A Bill will be laid before you which will have for its object the abolition of restraints on the alienation of land, while guarding the interests which may arise out of any trusts to which it has been made subject. Bills will also be laid before you for the regulation of the administration of charitable aid, for the consolidation and amendment of the licensing laws, for the amendment of the existing law in respect of administration of Native reserves, for rating Crown lands, and for providing for the grant of assistance to local public works, .... ‘ I have recently visited many different districts of the colony. During these journeys I have had repeated opportunity of observing signs of increasing wealth, the spread of settlement, and energy, and activity, engaged in industrial pursuits throughout the country. The impressions which I have thus been led to form are strengthened by the results of the recent census, and by a perusal of reports and returns, which will be placed before you, showing the revival of trade, the growth of new and important local industries, and the satisfactory condition of the ordinary and territorial revenue for the past year. In the discharge of the high f unc- ] tions committed to me by tlo Queen, it will always be my aim to manifest the same scrupulous and loyal regard to constitutional practice and usuage, not only in the letter, but in the spirit which has ever distinguished the Sovereign whom I represent among you, Tou may roly with confidence on my hearty co-operation in giving effect to the deliberate decisions of the Legislature, and it is my earnest hope and desire that your labors may be so directed as by Q-od's blessing not only to promote the material welfare of the colony, but t© secure the stability of its institutions, the development of its groat resources, and the permanent happiness of all classes of her Majesty s subjects within its bounds.