OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 170, Issue VIII, 16 July 1873, Page 2

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

The third session of the fifth pf|Hß|ent of New Zealand was opened yew|Praay afternoon by His Excellency the Goptrnor, who read the following Speech: — f '^ : Honorable Legislative Councillors, and Gentlemen of the House op Representatives — It gives me great pleasure to meet you at so early a moment after assuming charge of the Government of New Zealand, to which her Majesty has been graciously pleased to appoint me. lam gratified to learn that the condition of the colony is extremely prosperous, and that the colonists at large are manifesting faith in its reeourccs, and developing themwith energy and enterprise. The Public Works already authorised have been proceeded with as rapidly as circumstances permitted but in order to render effectual the policy p| Public Works' which has been adopted^ by Parliament, you must bear in mind* that the principle upon which J,liese works were undertaken, involved tiiot only a syatem of arterial communication throughout the country, but the concurrent 'settlement by numerous occupiers of the lands co opened up. Papers will be laid before* you indicative of the anxiety of the Government 1 to promote and assist; Immigration. The increasing success of the' Life Assuruneo and Annuities Department is highly satisfactory; whilst the system of state insurance afford*- -great 'advantages to colonists, it does not close the door to private associated enterprise in the same useful direction; At the IntercoFdfiial Conference, held during the recces, mtyny

important results were arrived at, to some of which your attention will be directed. In consideration of the unanimous desire of the Conference, Her Majesty's Government have obtained the assent of the Imperial Parliament to a measure by which the Australian Colonies will have the right fo enter into reciprocal traffic arrangements. I do not doubt that thia concession will be granted to the Legislature of New Zealand, which has constantly advocated its justice and expediency; and I express a hope that such care will be exercised in making proper and reasonable use of it, as will prove that it had been wisely sought and granted. Arising out of the Conference, though not directly associated with it, are proposals for (he establishment of cable communication between Australia and New Zealand, and Normantown and Singapore, in joint connection with other colonies. Your early attention will be invited to these proposal?, which await and are subject to your concurrence. I regret that whilst so many other subjects received satisfactory consideration and decision at the hands of the Conference, upon the subject of Mail Services a unanimous conclusion was not arrived at, and in consequence it yet awaits final arrangement. My advisers have given much consideration to the matter; whilst they are anxiou3 to ra-open tho Californian service, they are only disposed to do so on terms which will do justice to the requirements of this colony, and which will not disassociate New Zealnnd from the use of the Suez service. Negotiations - are still pending, but in all which have been entered into, the approval of Parliament,has been male an absolute condition. The work of making roads in native districts in the North Island, and thus through fheir aid of opening up the country for future settlement has been prosecuted duriug the year with steadiness and success. It is gratifying to c';.;:iiv6 that the opposition originally manifested in several points to this undertaking is gradually lessening as the Datives more .fully understand the intention of Government, aud the benefit accruing to themselves from these works, in affording employment in several districts, and in giving increased value to tribal lands. It is also gratifying to observe that the natives generally appreciate the advantages of peace, and are directing iheir attention to industrial pursuits, and to the establishment of schools in which their children can obtain the advantages of an English education, The murder committed ia Waikato by certain natives has attracted much public notice: while lamenting the circumstance of a crime now happily so rare, I would announce with satisfaction that it has evoked from leading tribes throughout the Island general and public condemnation, as well as renewed declarations of their loyalty. The Goveraraent have left the criminals to the,, ordinary operation of the law; that operation may be tardy in a district still remote from European settlement, in which they have taken refuge; but Government, while mindful of the requirements of justice, and of tho protection of industrious inhabitants, have not deemed it expedient by any precipitate measures to risk the disturbance of the generally' peaceful condition of the colony. Gentlemen of the House of Representatives — Estimates, prepared with every desire to consider economy to tho utmost extent, consistent with the requiremenes of the public service, will be laid before you. Your consideration will be asked to subjects relating to the Civil Service. The public revenue is increasing, and the improved credit of tho colony is shown by the enhanced value of its securities. Honorable Legislative Councillors, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives — Measures will be laid before you to initiate the reconstruction of the constitution of tho Legislative Council; to amend the laws relating to the goldfields; to provide for education; to consolidate laws relating to prisons; to amend and consolidate the electoral laws; to establish a silver aud copper Mint; to amend the insolvency laws, and abolish imprisonment for debt; to provide for the election of a Native District Council ; to amend the laws relating to Native lands; and to g*ve increased security to persons insuring their lives. I confide to your careful attention these and other measures designed in the interests of the, whole colony and of the two races which inhabit it; and I trust that Divine Providence will bless your efforts to discharge efficiently your onerous duties.

who now attend. Ihe chiefs and committeo bring the confiscated lands before Parliament, for them to decides whether to return it or Dot. All tribes, chiefs, and committee object to million loan, which has to ba paid for by both races. All chiefs tribes, and committee write to ask Parliament to pass a new Native Lmsds Act. That Parliament be requested to destroy Native Lands Acf, Crown grants, leases &c. All unite in overthrowing Government and their servants when acting wrong. All carry these resolutions to Parliament All request Parliament to ignore all disputed signatures. AH tribee, &c, to have a say in remaining lands." Perhaps Ihe most significant observations made in reference to these resolutions was from Heta Matua, the younger brother and right hand man of Henare Matua. Be said: —These resolutions have come from the sea and the clouds, and noi; from the valleys, hills, and cliffs of thio island. They were, made by Europeans, who when they wish, will find some means of putting them aside.' At the close of the meeting a collection was made for the lawyer: about £130 was raised. Karaiatiana and Renata have already subscribed £200 between them. Some difficulty was felt as to how the balance should be raised. Hence Henare Matua coolly suggested that the Government should join aud subscribe £100. Another native interposed that perhaps the Government would require all their moneys to defeud themselves in the cases to be brought against them. Old Harawiia, and one or two other geutlemen wera much exercised about * the million loan,' as they called it, for which ♦ New Zealand had been mortgaged,' and without thoir consent. One of them, named Hori Te Aunga, objected to it very decidedly, ' because,' ho said, 'if it were not paid back, New Zealand would be taken as payment, and if that were not sufficient, then his horses and cattle would be takeu as well.' This is the sort of political instruction that ihe natives get from the precious European advisers to whom they have betaken' themselves."

Libel Actions are getting unpleasantly common. We were informed a few weeks ago that Mr Travere had no less than teu cases of this description on hand in Marlborough, Wanganui, Wellinf-ton, and Napier. Thß Wanganui Herald of the 3rd instant adds another to the list. It

says a writ claiming £1000 general', and £100 Bpecial damages, has been served this day on Mr George Hutchison, solicitor, Wnngauui. The plaintiff in this case is Isaac Emery, the alleged libel being contained in a document written by Mr Hutchison and published as a letter in our eon temporary the Chronicle, Captain Fairchim>.— The Wanganui Chronicle says that Captain Fail-child has lately had a regular plethora of present?, amongst others when on board the ' Luna ' the reporter noticed some silver ware presented by Mr-VogeT, -a valuable opera glass by Major Pitt, and a book of Travels in New Zealand (Anthony Trollope) by Mr J. D. EmySj besides greenstone aod jewellery. Captain Faircbild, in addition to being a thorough Navigator omits no opportunity of attending to the comforts of his passengers, the result is that he is a favorite of every one who has travelled with him; we trust he may long live to hold the command of the 'Luna' and that h^ may be as successful in the future as he has in the past. For remainder of news see Jjamth page.

Advices received from New York state that the steamship " Great Eastern," after laying the new Atlantic cable, is to take a cargo of coal from Cow Bay, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia to Europe. The cargo will consist of 15,000, tons of coal, and one of the principal shippers in Cape Breton has contracted to load the monster steamer in fifteen days. A of the Ballarat Star, in an account which he supplies of the recent voyage of the Star Queen, from Melbourne to Hong Kong, relales a curious circumstance. After the vessel had been about a month at sea, and had come safely through the perils of a cyclone, eight sharks were caught, and in the stomach of one of them was found a copy of Sands and M'Dougall's "' Melbourne Almanac for 1872." How the book came into the possession of the fish is a problem for the curious. Indiartjbber. — The belt of land 500 miles north and 500 miles south of the Equator abounds in trees producing indiarubber. These trees, we are told, stand so closely together that a man may tap eighty in a day, the daily average yield of each being three tablespoonfuls. 1 Forty, three thousand of these trees have been counted in a tract of country a mile long by eight wide. There are in Europe and America more than 150 manufactories of indiarubber articles, employing 500 operatives each, and consuming more than 10,000,000 pounds of gum a year, aud yet the business is considered to be in its infancy. The Sydney Evening News states : — - "The schooners recently constructed by order of the Admiralty for the suppression of the South Sea Islands slave trade have all been ready for sea, and will sail within the next two or three days. The Renard and Conflict have both had j trials under canvas, and appear to be very weatherly. The Renard took her departure on Friday morning, with a fine fair wind. • The Sandfly, Beagle, and Conflict are still at anchor in Farm Cove. It has been decided to send the schooners to cruise at Fiji, New Hebrides, Solomon's and New Britain Islands. With reference to the reported annexation of New Guinea, the Sydney Morning Herald, in confirmation of the telegram which reached us the other day, says : — "We learn on authority that Captain Moresby's proceedings at New Guinea consisfced-of hoisting, as is usual in such , cases, the national flag of the discovering vessel u^on several new islands heretofore supposed to be part of the main island. in a telegram to Commodore Stirling, Captain Moresby explains that the right of discovery was exercised by taking possession of these islands pending the decision of the imperial authorities." The latest Fiji papers give the following description of an exciting shark adventure: — "Here' is an adventure with a shark : — -Our informant tells us that he was coming over from Goro in an open boat, on the Bth June, and when nearing Wakaya the frail craft was attacked by an immense ahark. The boat was first struck somewhat violently, which made him think that she had struck some coral patch, but he was soon undeceived, for on looking down into the water he saw the monster of the deep about to renew the attack. The boat-hook*was at once called into requisition for purposes of defence, and a combat ensued. The shark renewed its attacks, and each time was violently assaulted with the hook, until the laet time the hook was driven with such force as to cause the fish to beat a retreat. There was a lady in the boat at the time, and the horror of her position can be better imagined than described. In a private letter received from a tailor in London recently, the following pathetic passage occurs .•— " The winter has been a very dreary one, work haa been extremely scarce, but the spring buds are bursting around, and a few gleams of sunshine occasionally appear. Beef is a shilling a pound; mutton, eleven-pence half-penny ; potatoes, twopence, and diseased at that price, and as for cabbage, the London 1 tailor can get none ; and goose, even at Michaelmas, is beyond the reach of poor snip. There has been a great meeting at Exeter Hall, where some of the speakers spoke of New Zealand as a perennial paradise. Of course there are no poor tailors in your town ! " This letter is dated 9th April, 1873. A Story "with a Moral — A story is told of a French gentleman who, having lost the bulk of his property through, the the rascalities of his friends in whom he trusted, crowned it all by the loss of his mental balance, and for the remainder of his days found his only delight in riding in omnibuses and passing the fares from

the passengers to the driver, taking care when the change was returned to add to it a sou or two frbmhie own poefcefy and watch the effect on the receiver. In nine cases out of ten, as the story goes, the passenger, counting over his change, and finding, as he supposed, that the driver bad cheated himself, would look bewildered for a moment, and then pocket the change with a quiet chuckle. The special delight of the lunatic was in satisfying himself in this way that nine-tenths of. his fellow-men were dishonest, if they only had the opportunity. Unlucky Days for Matrimony. — We may possibly be doing a service to some of our readers by informing them on the authority of a manuscript of the 15th century, quoted in the "Book of Days") that there are just thirty-two days in the year upon which it is very unadvisable to go in to join hands—viz., seven in January, three each in February, March, and December, two each in April, June, July, August, September, and November, and one in October; so that January is the worst and October the best month for committing matrimony; the unlucky days being these : — • January ], 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 15; February 6, 7, 18; March 1, 6, 8; April 6, 11; May 5, 6, 8; June 7, 15; July 5, 19; August 12, 17; September 6, 7; October 6; November 15, 16; and December 15, 16, 17. As to which is the best day of the week, why — Monday for wealth Tuesday for health; Wednesday the best day of all ; Thursday for crosses. Friday for losses; Saturday no luck at all.