OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 22 September 1921, Page 3

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

G<)VERN OR-G E NT, It AL' S Si’ KEC 11. (Per favour of Government.) WELLINGTON. September 22. His Excellency the Governor-Gene-ral (Lord .Jellicoe) delivered the foilin'. ing speech at the opening ot Parliament to-day: I Icnunrahlc Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen of the House ol Representatives:

Your present session has been postponed to an unusually late period of the year, in accordance with your decision during the short session held in March last, when von gave an emphatic intiniatinn of the desire ol the Parliament of ibis Dominion, that New Zealand should he represented by its Prim* Minister in the great Council of statesmen of the Empire, appointed to be held in London in the month of. June last. It is expected that my j'lime Minister will arrive in a few days on his return from his visit to England and sis soon as possible nitet his arrival, papers will he laid hemic you from which you will he able to gather the details of some „f the mutters of Imperial concern which ha«e been under discussion at th,. Conlerelle. IMPERIAL CONFERENCE. The brief siimiiiary of th" proceedings furnished by tin- ptess has lo a certain extent already enabled you to appreciate the gravity of the subjects de:rlt with by a i (inference. which by common consent, has proved to he more important than any held in former vears. PRODUCE PRICES. The fall in values of wool and frozen meat still 'materially affects the l"" s “ perity of the Dominion. The revolt if the fall has I cell serious and the conie, i n, nt loss to the farmers of their auli-lipaled profits has, affected all classes df the (•(immunity. The otltl"os at present is sufficiently encouraging In positively hope that prices will gradn ally improve, with the result that the prosperity "f the Dominion will he restored to its former high level. In the meantime the resources of the hanks and mercantile houses have beet) strained Io provide the necessary advances to enable farming properties to he carried on in the absence of returns of normal vears.

financial string esc ’v The curtailment of expenditure has i,'Suited in ituejiiploymeiit of a eottsidetahie number ol persons In meet which expenditure oti special work- employin'' labour has been undertaken by the Government. and by local aut Imnl ms. thereby reducing the funds expected to be available for building- and the P"' cha-e uf plant and material. Anotliei CIII-e,, 111 m e of the eeniuimyji''r"«anly pt-ai-iivd. has been a redueliull in the volume ef guilds imported rc-nlting ina considerable fall in the revenue derived I rum Custom-.

Fortunately flu l market for dairy |n’»lias been well maintained and the prospects of good returns lo all engaged in th" dairy industry are blight. IMPROVING CONDITION:'.

My Ministers confidently anticipate that it cannot Isc Song before Ike market price for frown meal will rise to a reasonable level, and the absorption ~r the surplus stocks ol wool b\ tin manufacturers of the world create mire mote it demand equal to, il not in exio-s ,;f the annual supply. As a natural consequence of lower prices strict economy is essential to all public and private concerns lntL We have always the certaintv that out' climate, the fertility of soil mid the industry . 11H 1 determination of our people, will provide Zeulnol with advantages i„ comparison will, oilier countries. which riKiHV that oU.r I^oinillinll WllMu* one nf the first to receive from the dillionlties which beset almost most countries throughout the civilised world. NATIVE I.ANIWi H is with pleasme tluit I am able to inform v»u of the very satisfnetorv result of negotiations which have talon place between my Ministers ami the Nativl- owners of the I rewora Country, in the course of which many serious difficulties have been disposed of and an agreement arrived at for the aggregation of the interests purchased |,v the Government in various Idoeks. and a similar aggregation into other I,locks nl the interests ol the native noil-sellers. Von will he asked to give licet to these arrangements by legislation during your present session opening for settlement a large area of land which hits hitherto ronuiitied idle. OF SAMOA. During the recess, since your last short session ,tlu> Minister of External Affairs lias visited Western Fan.on, which New Zealand in charge under His Majesty administers in pursuance of the mandate of the League of Nations. My Ministers trust that good results will follow from Hie opportunity of personal conimunioM ion between a responsible Minister null llq, people, whom New Zealand has undertaken to control. Legislation ".ill le submitted during the present session substituting laws passed by the I’ar--1 inme'iit of New Zealand for the Orders in-Council under which hitherto tin# Government of the Islands lias been administered and my Ministers desire your careful attention to the legislative function which i,s thus to he exercised for t|lie first tame by the I’urlialnrtit of this Dominion.

11.M.K. CHATHAM. The arrival in our waters of 11.M.5. “Chatham” during the present year, marked the initiation of the policy of the lirilons’ uuntrilmtions to the maintenance of the Empire Navy by our accepting from the Admiralty a light cruiser to he stationed on our coast and to be used partly for visits t,, the Islands under the. control of New Zealand. I join with my Ministers in hoping that success will follow our administrations; that the naval service of New Zealand may prove to be popular with officers and men, and that recruiting for the navy of those of our youths who desire to solve llis Majesty at sea may be encouraged. THE FINANCES. Mr Speaker and Gentlemen of (lie House of Representatives:— In your consideration of due provision for the finances of the country, you have the exceptional advantage by renson of the late period of the session-, of having before you the actual revenue and expenditure of 6 months on which to form ('(inclusions and opin-

ions. The Estimates which will be submitted to my Ministers showing the necessity for economy in all Departments of the State, will be impressed upon you, and your consideration of methods to reduce the expenditure will no doubt occupy much of your time The increased cost of the management and working of the railways and the Post Office has not been met by the addition to the rates and charges to the public for those services made during la-t year. hut it is not considered that there is any prospect of the future increasing these sources of revenue. In relation to this subject proposals will he submitted to Parliament during its present session.

The loan of £5,000.000 placed in London at a minimum price of £9(5 and nt a rate of interest of fi per cent, was fully .subscribed and became almost immediately saleable at, a premium. In comparison with loans recently opened by other sef-governing parts of the Empire, the price and rate of interest and the prompt advance or the selling price afford gratifying proof of the stability of New Zealand’s credit- on the London market. The presence of my Prime Minister in England onabb'd him to afford valuable* advice and assistance in his conferences with the financial experts who were consulted in the determination of the terms of issue. NFAY TARIFF. A new tariff has been prepared and will ho submitted for your scrutiny and revision. The preparation has ettga.ed the attention of my Minister ft Customs and of ii number of experts, who have been consulted. A’ou will appreciate tlmt the presentment of a tariff does not permit any intimation at this stage, of the session, of ihe proposals Of my Ministers with regard to li , tera < tons in the methods or subjects of taxation. You will also lie asked to give consideration to certain amendments of the Land and Income lax Ait.

AERIAL MAILS. Honourable Gentlemen of th" Legislative Council, and Gentlemen ol Hr.’ House of Representatives: \ hill for the establishment of c.utaiii mail aerial highways and making provision for the' finance of ('(instruction and maintenance of such highway. will he submitted to you. My Ministers consider this subject to he one of special importance ami trust that you will lillil it possible to esta'i-li-h on a linn anil lasting ha.-i-. a system it licit l !* which the definition of and the expenditure upon such rnaib may he increased under specially eompulcut control. AMENDING I ILLS. You will be asked In repeal tie |> csen! Mortgages Exton-inn Art o', and its amendment, made during t’*e slim l sessimi ol ibis year, applying l ■' princ iple of the extension to deposits, and to substitute an act pm, iiling loi 11,,, g; a, Inn I p i wnen; of t,.e principal , ::ii, ~n condition ol ll" punctual paynieiti o| i"‘*ux’st. at a la e ,ai:ly trp.csen iiig the aaniui l : iG'leh th. l bnrover in eil bet ease would he requited to pay if he raised the iiunicy to discharge Ins obligal iom*. I A hill will he submitted amending the line ill libel in certain inspects, amongst others by providing tor privilege for fair reports of the proceedings nt local in it Imrities and public meetings and etlahling the press, ill the absence ol malice, to print such matter without liability. A Bill consolidating the land laws has also been prepared lor your consideration. Snell an Act as hing been desired, hut the labour involved in its special consolidation has hitherto prevented it being tiiuleitaken. An opportunity is thus afforded for considerable amendments ol the existing law and several such amendments have been incorporated in the consolidation lor which your approval is asked. Dinilitless other iiineodnieiils may he proposed mid my -Ministers oi.rnestlv trust that the time at yow disposal will enable von to complete the task. FORESTRY ACT. A Forestry Act making provision lor the establishment ol I Orest ry. on_ ■' ; scientific and practicable basis in New j Zealand has also been prepared and is ( ready Ini' ymir consideration.. . I Keverai other measures which it is, unnecessary to specify at this stage, are also ill print, among them a Bill to enable the adoption of the Impel ini | Act which provides for the eaturceltieuL ill any part of the Empire of maintenance "orders in favour of wives and others issued by a court having jurisdiction in the Dominion of colony i where the order is made. UOMI'ANY LAW. Fuder the direction ol the Compiler of statute's, a Compilation ot the law relatiii" to companies has linen (halted am? will he laid upon the table of Imtli Houses. The English Companies Act 111 Dlls wiis passed in til* same vear as thV last compilation of the New Zealand Companies Act, ami '< has been found desirable to incorporate some of the provisions ol the Elighs i Act which do Hut appear in the New Zealand Act. Care has been Inkon to preserve the New Zealand law relating to private companies in Us pteseiit form Mv Ministers propose that the Companies Act should not he proceeded with beyond its first stages dining vmir present session, in nidet 1 1,1 members of the public specially concerned, may have full nppurtunity ol examining its details and suggesting amendments or al erati< us. Compilations have aha ■ e.i ll,I ! i pleted in each ease with ecrDun amendments ol the Stamp . i.s. 11 Death Duties Acts, and the Ad* - j M „ i,, |a, n.l ies, industrial, miu inali.ui ami arbitration, shops and offices and workers' oompensaUnn. M> isters trust that vonr enict 'r..tum will result in these comp'!:’ t urns 1 emg placed on the Statute Bom ol tus vonr.

■ | „„„ llu „id all these matters to your consideration and pray shai i e Providence may guide jour nclibei.i----t ions.