New Zealand Parliament.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XII, Issue 494, 22 July 1867, Page 3

New Zealand Parliament.

The second session of the Fourth Parliament of New Zealand was opened at Wellington on Tuesday, 9th July, by his Esusual formalities. We are indebted to oar Auckland contemporary the Herald for a copy of bis Excellency’s speech, which we append : Ho.VOKA.TU-V Lkgtstative Cocxoilloks. Gotleubn or the House of Repf.esen.

ami to recur to your assistance anil advice. It has afforded me much satisfaction to have been able to give effect to the wish expressed by me at (he close of the last session, to visit the southern portion of the Colony. I hsve thus had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with most of its leading towns and rising settlements, in all of which I have, as the Queen’s representative, met with the most cordial reception. By the people of Auckland also, on the occasion of my recent visit to that part of the country, 1 have most warmly and loyally received. It has been a pleasing duty to me to report to the Secretary of Srate that iu no part of the Empire lum Her Majesty more loyal subjects than the inhabitants of the districts through which I have travelled. I could not but be gratified by the rapid progress which it was evident the Colony generally had made, while in the settlements which have sprung into existence during the last fern years in the interior, and on the AVess Coast of the Middle Island, 1 was at once struck by their extent and importance, and gratified by the presence, notwithstanding the circumstances under which they were formed, of that regard for law and order which is the characteristic of our race. I can say with confidence that security for life and properly, and respect fox the. law, exist in as marked a degree iu those recently populated districts as in any part of Her Majesty’s dominions.

I congratulate you on the rc-eetabiishment of peace generally throiudiout the North Island, in no part of which do I anticipate in future any systematic or sustained hostility to the Queens' authority.

The. attitude of some Ilau Ilau fanatics, who, in October last, threatened the town and settlement of Napier, was such as to cause a temporary anxiety, but by the judicious measures adopted by Nlr McLean, and gallantly given eifect to by Blent.-Colonel Whitmore and all clas-as of the inhabitants of the district, the offenders were severely punished, tranquility was speedily restored, ami has not since bdisturbed in that neighbourhood. On the West Coast, abo, (he natives wlio haul for years been hostile, to the Queen’s 'authority, met with a serious check at I’ungarehu. from Lieut.-Colonel MelVumeli and the Colonial fort 's tinder his command, since which time many of them have returned to their allegiance, and others have expressed their intention of doing so. The conduct of Her Majesty's Colonial forces, huh European and native, on these, and ether occasions, deserve the highest praise. Baring the recess 1 have made a journey, partly on foot, through the Northern Island, and have traversed native districts wlticg it had for some tilin' past been deemed unsafe to enter. I everyiwhere loan,l the embers of disaffection dying out. ;aa l 1 was ree nved by the .Maori population, even in districts recently in Oekdiion, iu such a munr.er as to inspire confidence in the future peace of the country. A necessity haring arisen for revising existing

arraiigi-mmils for the tnnmmi-lon of mails h'-! tw.vn ilu* Australasian Colonies ami the Units li Kingdom by way of Suez, it was deemed expedient I that the whole question of Ocean Postal Column-' ideation, so far ss it affects these Colonies, should be shwnwed at a Conference of Representatives of the several Australian Governments, I accordingly aeeredited Representatives on the part of this Colony to the Conference. The result of the deliberations of that body will be laid before yon, and will. 1 trust, meet with your approve!. This resuit appears satisfactory, not onlv as providing i’..r the establishment of an i llleieiil and comprehensive system of postal communication with all purls of the world!'hut, also as demonstrating the great beneiils which may lie derived from cordial and united action on tins and other subjects affecting these Colonies as a whfde. The Art for the establishment of Tost Office Savings Ranks has been brought into operation during the past year, and the extent to which it has already been made use of warrants the belli f iba! it will prove an important means of fostering imhisirioiis and provident habits among the poj ulation at large.

Tiie complicated and nusatisfaclory state- of the acer,mils between the Imperial and Colonial Governments rendered imperative a cartful examination of their accounts, with a view to their early and final settlement I accordingly commissioned .a member of my Government to conduct the enquiry on behalf of the Colony, in conjunction with an officer duly appointed by the Imperial Government. The correspondence on this snhjcet, and a report from the Colonial Commissioner will shortly be submitted to yon. Tapers concerning the administration of the Otago Gold Fields will be laid before you. Gentlemen or ike House or llEnir.sr..\TATIVES, — Accounts of revenue and expenditure for the past \c.*r and estimates for the ensuing year will lie laid before- you, and I trust tint you wilt he able to recognise in both that careful regard fn r economy upon which, at this juncture, tiie future prosperitp of (he Colony greatly depends, 1 recommend you to consider a measure for the conversion of Provincial Loans into Colonial j .Stuck, with a view to placing the securities ofXew j Zealand on such a footing that, they may be more ] advantageously dealt witb than is at 'present possible, —ami to maintaining and im.nroving our S credit in the money market. Avery general belief in (lie necessity for aor.ie such measure has long been entertained, and has recently increased, | Such necessity is amply cimlnned by the present p:: lee aof man" of (tie Provincial Loans. ! AMI vmll also be submitted to you for extend- ! lag tiie benefits of the Colonial credit- to enterprise* calculate ! to foster and extend tiie import ant i industry of the Gold fields by offering a gnarau; v

of interest on cnpitnl invented (under proper -restriction and supervision) in procuring supplies of water for the operations of gold mining. The very special character of the taxation and laws of i'me Gold Fields justify and require such provision for their interests.

IIONOIUBLE G7.XTLT.SEX AXD Gexieemex, —

T'his part of Her Majesty’s dominions will probably shortly he visited by His Koval Highness the buhe of Edinburgh. I have at the earliest moment apprised yon of the probability of this visit, as I am aware that yon, and all Her Majesty's subjects in Me-.v Zealand, will dessre to imale the best possible preparations to testify to illls Royal Highness the pride and pleasure with j which they receive • prince who has mad? so

favorable impression in other parts of Her Majesty's domiuiuus, nod to Mow by their reception of one of Her Majesty's sons how sincere and earnest is their attachment to that Sovereign who has established tueh lasting claims upon their gratitude and love.

lit accordance with the intimation made to you when I last released \ua from vuiir duties, inv

Government have earnestly applied themselves to the preparation of a measure for the establishment of local self government generally throughout the country. This measure will shortly be submitted to you. The growing demand from ail parts of the country for the establishment of institutions so congenial to our race, and which have largely promoted its prosperity and developed its habits of self-reliance, will secure for tins bill your earnest and careful consideration, and you will discharge an important service if yon most this demand in a

just and comprehensive spirit by providing the means whereby the public funds shall be equitably expended on works of local improvement nailer the management and in accordance with the wishes

of those immediately interested in their construction. Measures of this character tend to diminish the expense of governing the country, to increase the ciilciency of such government, to promote settlement by stimulating local cnergms, to extend and maintain the rights of the subject, and to train and encourage all classes of the people in the performance of national duties. The large mining population on the Most Coast Gold Ticlds justices an increased representation, in Parliament, of their interests: a bill to ei'ccl that object will oonscqncmly be introduced. Tim establishment of Friendly Societies in New Zealand has been productive of great benvtit to large classes of the community, aud their daily increasing number and huporlar.ee render it advisable to improve the existing law, A bill on this subject will aecordiiigdy be siiluuiiiej to you. Several important bills will also !)■ brought under your notice, with the object of consolidating and improving the Statute Law. and of otherwi -e providing for tbe requirements of the count r , winch h.ioh.s to larhi meat mud t.,Unary measures as changing circumstances demand. f ilie repeated recommendations of the Judges of tne Supreme Court, atm (he proved necessity ot providing more dice’ively than at present for the custody o! persons cum Wed of serious crimes and sentenced to long periods of imprisonment, demand attention. It is therefore my intenthm to appoint at an early date a lloyai Commission to inquire and report on the b,--r mode of instituting a General Penal Fstablisliinenl for the Colony, ur sick other means ef meeting the necessity reierred to as may suggest itself to them in the course of their enquiries. I .submit to your wisdom the consideration of th”>e various imnortan! snlij.aas, and 1 pray that the hle.-sing of (fed may nttenl mir d., liberations, and may guide them to I lie promotion of the Welfare of tins country.