GOVERNOR'S SPEECH

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 21 February 1912, Page 3

GOVERNOR'S SPEECH

IMPORTANT LEGISLATION

PROPOSED.

The first session "Of"'the* 18th Parliament.was opened on Thursday by cpmmissioii, and Sir ; Arthur Gumness was unjanimously''. re-elected Speaker. '

His Excellency the Governor, Lord Islington, delivered the customary speech at the opening of Parliament on Friday last, in the Legislative Council Chamber at 2.30 a.m. His Excellency, addressing the Hon. Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Gen^ tlemen of the House of Representatives, said: — ;■

" The circumstances which have arisen in consequence of the last general election have, in the opin- 5 ion of my advisers, made it expedient that Parliament should:" be called together at an earlier-d'aLte than usual. During the recess'; I have visited various p^ts-^f tne Dominion, and made myself battei* acquainted with the.people. "^fWh. glad to be able to congratulateyoV upon the continued prosperity of the country. Theoutlo^l&is most promising, and contentment and happiness obtain everywhere. The very great and difficult (iuestion of revising our Jocg,! govpm-: ment law has had tjs closest |,tr. tention of my advisers, aiid "a bilF will be introduced providing- a completely new a^d 'comprehensive scheme unftgrwhiciJoL, amongst many other reforms, the finances of local bodies, and the important question of the construction ' and maintenance of roads, will be placed on a more stable and satisfactory footing.

: Continuing, the speech c.onfcain- : ed some important proposals forecasting legislation for an Elective Upper House, Lands for Settlement, Unoccupied Native Land Tax Exemption Earned and Un r learned Incomes, Complete, Social •Questions, Labour Troubles, Industrial Profit Sharing, The Mining Industry,' Electoral Law Amendment, Customs Traffic Revision Reduction of Duties, ■Railway Fares and Freights, Railways, Roads and Bridges, Trained Nurses, Old -Age Pen-sfoTis,-Bureau- of-Justice, Trusts and Combines Nationalisation of 'Iron Industry, Protection of Oil Field, State Coal Mine in Auckland, State Cottage Farmers Co. operative Fruit Farms, Farmers Co-operative Banks, Railway Classification-'aiid^-'Fi'ee Higher Education. ••:;•"-;.;,-.

Concludingv-^he- speech:stated that provision;,wiir also,.be made for the development of agricultural colleges andexperimental farms, to equip our-•"-present and future settlers with" .the best and most up-to-date /"scientific, training. You will, I feel •confident, give the position ipf:the. Dominion, and the severar""""matt'ers I have brought, under: your notice, together with the measures that your labours and decisions may, with God's blessing, result in materially promoting the prosperity, ha pin ess1, well-being, and lasting benefit of the people of. New Zealand.