LATEST TELEGRAMS.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1237, 17 July 1872, Page 2

LATEST TELEGRAMS.

♦ — • ' OPENING OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. GREAT FIRE IN SHORTLAND. • [PER NEW ZEALAND PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, July 16. Parliament was opened by the Governor in person this afternoon. In each House the usual sessional committees were appointed. In the House of Representatives, the Hon. Mr Fox has given notice or an address to the Queen, coßgx'atulattng her Majesty on the recovery of the Prince of Wales. Mr Liickie i 3 to move the address in reply' to his Excellency's speech, and Mr" Sheehan is to be the seconder. The House was adjourned unt:! Thursday. It is believed that the Hon. Mr John Hall will join the Ministry, and that he will take a seat in the Legislative Council, and conduct the Government business in the Upper House. The adjournment till Thursday is understood to have been made for the purpose of enabling that arrangement to be completed. The following is the text of his Excellency the Governor's speech on the opening of Parliament : — .' Honorable Legislative Councillors, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives — The alarming illness of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales produced in this Colony, no less than in other parts of the Empire, a feeling of profound regret ; and the subsequent intelligence of bis recovery was hailed with universal rejoicings. My advisers will submit to you addresses to her Majesty, in which you will bo asked to express your gratitude for the preservation of the Empire from a great calamity, and your sympathy with your Sovereign and the Royal Family. I have to congratulate you on th

general tranquillity which prevails in the several Native districts throughout New Zealand. The friendly disposition manifested by tribes hitherto disaffected shows the progress that 1b being made towards a peaceful settlement of the Native difficulty. I have lately made a tour:thrdugh: districts in the interior of thia Ish nd, not long since disturbed by rebellion. I was everywhere treated by the t Natives with the greatest respect and hospitality, and received from them the strongest assurances of their des ; 7e to cultivate friendly relations with the European colonists. I was much pleased to see the progress of roads, which are being constructed to a great extent by Maori labor.

I also congratulate you on the steady development and prosperous condition of agricultural, mining, and pastoral industries. ; ' ): '■' ■" : ■•■' - ' ■ :.'"■■■ ■"■'■ Since the close of last session my Government has been engaged in giving eflect to the legislative measures passed by you for the construction of railways. Contracts for sections of several lines have been entered into, upon terms which I trust you will consider satisf actoi/. The surveys of other lines are approaching completion. Papers will be laid before you which will' inform you what steps have been taken towards establishing a continuous stream of immigration. . lam glad to be able to inform you that the operation of the Act which, three years since, the Legislature wisely passed for establishing on Colonial security a system of life assurance and annuities continues to meet with marked success. The progress and development of that system on the principles on which it is based wiU, I am sure, materially tend to the social comfort and welfare, not only of those who directly share in it, but, indirectly, of the whole community. ; Gentlemen of the House of Representatives— ■'■::■:■ Estimates will be laid before you framed witn every regard for economy, consistent with efficient administration. A very satisfactory symptom of that ' reviving prosperity 'of the Colpny which I ventured last session to hope was not far ' distant, is to be found, I am happy to say, in increased and increasing receipts of revenue. Honorable Legislative Councillors, Gentlemen of the House of Representatives-— The occurrence of a few cases of smallpox in the Colony should remind you of the importance of sanitary laws. A bill will be submitted to you for improving the law relating to vaccination and quarantine, and for better enabling means to be taken for the repression of epidemic disease in town and country districts. Measures will be submitted to you to consolidate and amend the laws relating to gold mining ; to reduce the stamp duty payable on receipts and the annual stamp duty payable by certain companies ; to reduce the postage within the Colony on newspapers ; to enable municipalities and road districts to enter into arrangements or grant concessions for the conbtruction of tramways, and to make more liberal terms on which drawbacks are granted ; to encourage fisheries ; to amend the laws relating to public revenues ; to amend the law of bankruptcy; to provide for the appointment of a public trustee ; and to consolidate the laws relating tojelections and to extend the franchise. These and other measures {which may be brought before you I commend to your careful consideration, and I pray that? your labors may, under the blessing of Providence, conduce to the prosperity of the Colony, and the happiness of the two races by whom it is inhabited. < Christchurch, July 16. In the Resident Magistrate's Court today, the case of Regina v. Fereday, for giving an unstamped receipt for a cheque for Ls9,wr ! dismissed. The Resident Magistrate decided that such acknowledgment of receipt of a cheque cannot be held to be a discharge, nor. is a note, memorandum, or writing even for payment of money, as provided in section 15 of the Stamp Act 1860. ' : Wellington, July 16. The Diseases of Cattle Act comes into force on the Ist August. Another case of small-pox has occurred, the grandchild of the woman who cleaned Kaye's apartments having been taken ill. Auckland, July 16. A destructive fire has occurred at Shortland. Half of the north side of Pollen streot was destroyed. The fire Bpread rapidly, and many persons only escaped in their nightgowns. The chief loser is Mr Driver. The property destroyed includes his three houses, Mr Hale's shop, Mrs Ritchie's two. houses, Grant's painter's shop, a bowling alley, Harrison's Melbourne Boarding House, and the shops of Marks, bootmaker; Blundell, watchmaker,* Harley, bootmaker; with Gerrest's oyster saloon. All the property was uninsured. J. Perston, secretary to the Kanearanga Board, committed suicide by blowing out his brains. His accounts with the Board were short L6O. » Caledonian shares have advanced to Lso— closed at L 36 Ids,; Thames, 160s. The Harbor Board have instructed the Harbormaster to consult the Crown Prosecutor as to whether there is sufficient evidence to found an action against the captain of the Nebraska, and, if so, they intend to lay an 'information immedir ately on the arrival of ths ywse^ , <