GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 13, Issue 689, 7 June 1869, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

(From the New Zealand Gazette, June 1.) < The Fourth Session of the Fuurth Parliament of New Zealand was this day opened : by Commission, when the following Speech ' was delivered. ' SPEECH. Honorable Legislative Councillors, and : Gentlemen or the House oir Hepresen- ; TA.TIVES, — The fulfilment of a promise given last Session, i no less than the disturbed state of the couutry, , have required a recourse to your advice and assis- ( tanee earlier in the year than is usual. That assistance you will no doubt freely give, ' for you will recoguize that the Colouy can no longer endure those evils under which it has, with ' but temporary intermission, bug suffered, from the determined hostility of the turbulent portion of the Native Race. Since the close of last Session, that hostility has , displayed itself in an aggravated form. Murders find other atrocities, entirely unprovoked, have been committed in cold blood on unarmed persons ; another misssionary, whose life had been devoted to their service, has fallen a victim; aud neither ' age, nor sex, nor race, has been spared. Every means at the disposal of the Colony have ■ been employed in the prosecution of the war which has thus been forced upon us, and which has had to be .encountered on both sides of the North Island at the same time. Large numbers of men have been raised and trained, aud have been engaged in active operations in the field; and defensive works have been erected for the protection of places exposed to attacks of the enemy. It will be your duty to consider how the efforts hitherto made may be sustained and strengthened. The thanks of the Colouy are due to Colonel Whitmore and to the Officers and Men of the Colonial Eorces, European and Native, for the conspicuous courage with which they have encountered the enemy wherever he presented himself, and for the indomitable energy and zeal with which they have tracked and dispersed his retreating forces ; arduous and harrasbiug duties, in the course of which they have penetrated forests and inhospitable wilds hitherto uuvisited by any European force, and inaccessible to the ordinary means of transport. The difficulties they have surmounted have had no parallel in the military history of this country. No troops could have displayed a more gallant spirit—no officers could have conducted campaigns with more enterprise, skill, and prudence. The great difficulty of the country must be grappled with, aud a permanent remedy applied to a state of things which is paralyzing industry, and in every way restricting the progress and settlement of the country. Any policy which tails of such a result will but abandon the country to disaster and ruin, which, spreading far beyond the scenes of conflict will be felt by all sections of the community throughout New Zealand. Such a policy demands a highly organized force, embodied for a definite period, established in the best strategical positions, and occupied iu perfecting their communications. Correspondence between his Excellency the Governor and the Secretaries of State for the Colonies, in reference to the retention of Imperial Troops in New Zealand, and especially to the liesolutions on the subject passed by both Houses during last Session, will be laid before you. The question cannot be further pressed by the Legislature with any dignity or self-respect, or auy beneficial result to the people of New Zealand. A Bill of a temporary character will be submitted to you providing summary means of dealing with persons taken iu arms against the Queen, or who may have been concerned in exceptional barbarities on the part of the rebels. The conquest of a permanent Peace will require an exceptional expenditure beyond what it is advisable to levy in the shape of annual revenue, and a portion of it should be provided for by loan. An application for a guarantee to snch loan has { been made to the British Government. You will ' probably believe that the condition of the country requires a renewal of the application and justifies ' the hope that the last prayer of the Colouy to the ! Mother Couutry will not be rejected.

Gentlemeh or the House oh Kepresekta.TIVES,— Estimates of expenditure for the ensuing financial year will be laid before you. While providing for the efficiency of the services, they exhibit, with the exception of the requieement for Defence purposes, a reduction of the expenditure of the country. The results of the operations under the Consolidated Loan Act, up to the most recent date, will be laid before you. You will gladly recognize that, owing to the able manner in which the operations have been conducted, a considerable diminution in the annual charges on the revenues has been eifected. Honorable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen oe the House oe Representatives, — The Electric Telegiaph is in course of extension to Watiganui on the one side, and towards Taupo and Auckland on the other. The cessation of active warfare will be immediately followed by the completion of the latter line to the Capital and Gold Fields of the North. These singular and rich fields continue to increase in importance, and reliable authorities prognosticate the extension of discoveries of like deposits throughout many parts of the Northern Island, which will give profitable employment to a large population. The bearing of this on the earlier pacification and security of the country is important. The approaching termination of the present Parliament calls for legislation to re-adjust the representation of the people, in conformity with the. altered condition of the several districts. Yon will be invited to consider a measure for making undevised Heal Estate distributable amongbt next of kin, in the same manner as Personal Property. Although the Native question will largely engage your attention, other matters of public interest and importance will doubtless not be neglected. In the especial circumstances under which you are assembled, may the Spirit of Wisdom so guide your counsels as to promote the welfare of the people of New Zealand. HOUSE OF KEPRESENTATIVES.. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 2. (Prom Wellington Independent's Report.}' REPLY TO THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESSi Mr Fdwards moved the reply to his Excellency's address, which was, as usual, merely an echo of the Governors' speech. It was usually accepted as a fact, that the mover of the reply to the address must be looked upon as a staunch supporter of the Government, but although that might be partly taken for granted in this case, he should neverthele-s retain his right of exercising his private judgment when he considered it to be necessary. At the commencement of the war, no doubt, many might be disposed to blame the Government for not having taken measures to prevrnt the natives taking advantage of the opportunity presented by the departure of the Imperial troops to commence disturbances; yet the Government had since acted with vigor, and had done so much with the limited means at their command that he thought the thanks of the House were due to them ; and also to Colonel Whitmore and his forces. While he did not pretend to say how the native difficulty was to be met, yet it was evident that some measures must be adopted to check the evils which were flowing from the native rebellion. While an advocate of the self reliance policy, he considered we had a moral claim upon the mother country for assistance in other ways than troops. While a loan was to be avoided by every means, if possible, yet the Customs' tariff was already so high that it , would not bear an increase, and an income tax was so slow in oporation that it would not meet the emergency of the case. He thought that the successful carrying out of the consolidation of the loan was largely due to the ability of the Colonial Treasurer. The hon. member commented on other portions of the speech. Mr Swan seconded the reply. He would like to congratulate the House upon the determination expressed in the Governor's address to put down the Maori rebellion with the strong hand (Hear, hear) ; and upon the fact of the country at last possessing a commander and a force upon whom every reliance could be placed. He should also like to see measures adopted for preventing the interference of the Civil Commissioners with the military authorities. He would prefer to see the war expenses paid out of the current revenue if possible; but if a loan were raised, it should be solely for war purposes. He hoped all the sectional differences exhibited iu the House during last session would be sunk in this, and trusted that in the adjustment of the representation measures would be taken to give the country districts a larger representation. Some mention ought to have been made of the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh, but he presumed this was merely an omission. Mr Fox, speaking individually, wished to say that he did not acquiesce in every part of the address, but would not vote against it, not being iu a position to propose anything in its place. In the absence of financial and other information, he was not able to express an opinion upon many subjects dealt with in the speech; and iu ussenting to the passing of the address, he reserved to himself the right of opposing ■ any opinions expressed in it at a subsequent period of the session. The address was curried unanimously. Mr Edwards then moved that a com- , mitteo consisting of the Hons.Mr Stafford, ■ Mr FiUhorbert, Mr Hall, Colonel Haul* ! tain, Mr Kichinond j Mr Swan, and the ' mover, be appointed to draw up an address ' in accordance with the above resolution I lor presentation to his Excellency the Governor,