OPENING OF PARLIAMENT!

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X, Issue 179, 20 July 1875, Page 2

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT !

THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH. WELLiNOTO-f, Tuesday, 2-5 p.m. The Governor opened the Parliament to-day with the following address : Honorable Legislative Couxotixoßs and Gentlemen of the House of Reprksextatiaes — I hive great pleasure iv now, for the first time, meeting Par lament, and I trust your deliberations during the present session m-sy tend to advance the well being and good .overnment of the colony. Since my assumption of Gavernnient I have had the satisfaction of visiting four great centres of population, and becoming personally acquainted with some portions of the Middle Island, and I must congratulate you upon the great energy which lias betn evinced, and the rapid stri ies wh*ch have been made towards the development of the resources of this rich aud fertile couutry. The reception which I every wheie received as her Majesty's representative been most or<ii.**l nnd loyal*, and it wili, I can assure you, be my anxious desire to ext« nd ray visits with ai little delay as possible, to ali portions of the co'ony, in order that I may brcome peronaly acquainted with the resources and requirements, and as far as possible, witb the inhabitants of the various districts. I observed with the utmo>t satisfaction the progress which was being male in the construction of thess great public works which had teen unfertiken by the Government under your authority, and I trust that the time is not far distant when the industries of the colony will receive fresh impetus by thar completion. The debt incurred in the formation of railways has indeed bten large, but at the ea-ue time the returns ree jived from those sections already opened are most encouraging, and tend greatly to prove the wisdom of the policy adopted by you. Our relations with that section of lhe native ; people of the colony which has be2n so long | estranged from us continue to improve The | recent meeting of Tawhiao with the Native j Minister, a meeting sought for and arranged by Tawhiao himself, give, promise that the isolation in which the immediate adherents ot the Maori king have liMu-rto field themsslves isabouc to terminafe. The renewed d sire of the natives to provide an English c luc ition for their children, rs tlnwn by the large increase in the number of schools in the native districts, and generji resumption o* -n-ustrinl pursuits give assurance of the maintenance of peice and cf a desire on iheir part to participate wi li tha European c demists in the general prosperity. A communication by tilt graph his been rec-ivel intimating that a new contract for the mail s'.eitn service to an 1 from San Francisco, hRs been m ide by Sir Dau'el Cooper as representing tin Gover.-.ment of New ! t-outh Wals, and Mr Russell as representing the Government of Ketv 7,< aland, subject tratifieaiion by ths LegiVatu-es ofthe respective coonies. The ccn.raci. pipers will te hid before you when received. You wil be gratified ti team that a con'r ct ha |.)e:n;ma(.'e ly Sir Julius Yogel acting oa fcehilf of the Govern meet, for the lavin» ef telegraph cable between New South Wales aud New Zealand upon terms much more advantageous than were believed to .c attiinabie, when the underatking was fist authorise 1, and that the Government of New t-outh Wales has become a party to the contract, and haa agreed lo cintributo one third (£•2500) of the annual subsidy (£7500). Gentlemen of the House ov REPRESENTATIVES — The estimates of expenditure for the current financial year will be laid belore you. While providing for the requirements of the public service, these estimates have been so iraroed bs to secire the utmost economy found to be consistent with the complete efficiency of the several departments. The Immigration and Public Works loan of four miliona authorised by Act in the l.st session has been successfully negotiated. X'apers relating to this operation will be liid b fore you without dtrlay. It will afford you sali_f iction to be informed that the public revenue continues to increase, and tint the actual receipts for the past financial yeir have been considerably in excess ofthe official estimate. Honorable Legislative Councillors AND GeNTLESIEN OF THE HOUSE OF KErREBEt*TATIV.t38 — In accord -nee with resolutions adepted by tbe House of Herriasentativ. s last session, the necessary measures fur the abo'it'on of the provincial form of government, and for the establishment of a more thorough form of local government in tiie North Isiand. have be°n prepare), ani will be iramediVely laid before 3 ou. You will b? invited ta decide whether, taking tbe circumstances of the colony into consideration ns well as the present financial cc ndition or the coiony, and the I future prospects of Baltic of the Provincial Governments in tlie Middle Islaud, the operation of the proposed measures may not at i orue with general advantage be so extended as to include the whole of the province. j Iv view of the Bppreachinsr constitutional change* and of the proposed termination of the existence of the present Parliament, a readjustment of the representation of the people to meet the altered circumstances of electoral divhions h-<s become necessary. Bills will accordine-ly be submitted for your consecration for amending the law relating to the qualification of e'ectors, and for a rea'juptment of representation, Alii to consolidate and amend the laws relating to »t*»mp duties, and a Bill to amend the law relating to insolvency will also bo laid before yon. I confide to your earnest a' ten tion those and other measures to be b: ought before you, in the hope that Divine wisdom wil guide your efforts faith- fully to discharge your onerous duties.