THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 381, 30 June 1876, Page 3

THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

The Governor's Speech upon the Opening of Parliament is noteworthy if only for its barrenness. The practical idea of a Speech is that the Ministers of the day string together a few sentences referring to what all can agree upon : The Governor adds anything personal he likes, or general, provided it is agreeable, or at least not repugnant, to his advisers. In tbie way a Speech is finally framed, which, bearing in mind its process of construction, can be to a certain extent guaged in proportion to its vacuity. it» this case ouo point ia worth notice. The Speech implies—as Abolitionists, in defiance of their last year's compromise, have persistently held during the recess—that Abolition is accomplished. His Excellency is made to say:—" In pursuance of the legislation of last session, important measures will be submitted to you to give to the country districts r.nd to the towns a larger share of Rolf-govcrntnent than they have hitherto enjoyed. Other legislation, consrquent upon the abolition of Provinces, will be proposed to you. I •earnestly unrc you to co-operate and assist in ninking as beneficial as possible the changes which "are to take place immediately after the termination of the present session." " Which are to falcc place," not " which arc with your approval as specially delegated to consider the matter, are, &c," but something which is already settled —placed beyond your reach. The E;>rl of Carnarvon, while expressing indirectly a doubt as to the benefits likelyto accrue, from the proposed changes m the Constitution, thoroughly sanctioned the Opposition policy in claiming a right for the people to review the innovation proposed. The Governor himself clearly shows in his . despatch to the Colonial Office a leaning to the Opposition. So strongly is this marked that, we hardly understand his approval being given to the Speech hewas made to give utterance to. The action taken of course does not alter the real position of the fac s. Abolition was not accomplished last year, is not even yet accomplished, and probably, in its complete form, never will be.