NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 19, Issue 1377, 17 July 1872, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND PARLIAMENT.

THE OPENING SPEECH. Parliament was opened yesterday at 2 p.m. The following is his Excellency's opening address, as telegraphed to our contemporary the Herald : Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, 4 — The alarming illness. <>t his Ttoyal Highness the Prince of Wales produced in this colony, no loss than other parts of the Empire, feelings of the pro founded regret; and subsequent intelligence received informs us that his recovery was hailed with universal rejoicing. My advisers will submit to you addresses to her Majesty, in which you will be asked to express your gratitude for the preservation of the Empire from this great calamity, and your sympathy with your Sovereign and the Royal FamilyI have to congratulate you on the general tranquility which prevails in the several native districts throughout New Zealand. The friendly disposition manifested by the tribes hitherto disaffected shows that progress is being made towards the peaceful settlement of the native difficulfcy. I have lately made a tour through the districts of the interior of this island not long since disturbed bv rebellion. 1 was everywhere treated by the natives with the greatest respect and hospitality, and received from them the strongest assurances of their desire to cultivate friendly relations with European colonists. I was much pleased to see the progress of the roads, which are being constructed to a great extent by Maori labor. I also congratulate you on the steady development and prosperous condition of the agricultural, mining, and pastoral industries. Since the close of last session my Government has been engaged in giving efiect co the legislative measures passed by you for the construction of railways. Contracts for sections of several lines of railway have been entered into upon terms which I trust you will consider favorable. The surveys of other lines are approaching completion. Papers will be laid before yon which will inform yon vvhat steps have been taken towards establishing a continuous stream of immigration. I am 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 wi< h marked success. The progress and development of that system, on the firm principles on which it is based, will, f am assured, tend to the social comfort and welfare, not only of those who directly share in it, but indirectly, of those of the whole community. Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, — The Estimates will be laid before you. They have been framed with every regard for economy, consistent with efficient administration. A very satisfactory symptom of tho great and reviving prosperity of the colony, which I ventured last session to hope was not far distant, is to be found, I am happy to say, in increased and increasing leceipts of revenue.

Honorable Legislative Councillors, and Gentlemen of the House of Reyrescntativesf — . The occurrence of a few cases of smallpox in ih'e 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 " regulations, and for better enabling means to be taken for the repression of epidemic diseases in towns and conntry districts. Measures will be submitted to you I o consolidateand amend the laws relating to gold mining,; to reduce the stamp duty payable on receipts, and the annual stamp d'lty payable by certain companies; to reduce the postage on newspapers within the colony \ to enable municipalities and road districts to enter into arrangements or grant concessions for the construction of tramways; to make mono libeial the terms on which drawbacks are granted to encourage- fisheries ; toair) end the laws relating to publicrevenues ; to amend the law of bankruptcy ; to. provide for the appointment of a public trustee to consolidate the laws relating to elections; and to exxend the franchise. These and other measures which may be brought before you I commend toyour careful consideration y and pray that your labors may, with the biesiing of' Providence, conduce to the prosperity of the colony and the happiness of thetwo. races which inhabit it.