OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 180, 27 July 1878, Page 4

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

THE GOVEEXOK'S SPEECH.

Honorable 1 egi-lative Councillors, AND PENTLFMKN OF THE HOTJSF OF RaPfiESENiTATrVKS, — T' >.ff >d j m> i> p)it p!»nsura Hffftin to have recourse to your advice and assisfnrjcp, nni I confidently anticipate that your dclib-^rntions will tend to promote the prosperity and good qovernmeut of the folony. Sinrp th»* l»sr session I hive been Uniformly received by the colonists with the u!most loyalty nnd cordiality as the Queen's rr-presntntive wherever I have been «hl« io vh it ; nnd it has been with the greatest grsi'inVation that I have observed the marked progress in material prosperity which is everywhere taking plßr-e, and which testifies so manifeg'ly to the industry of the people 1 ot this country. I you on the fact that peacpful roliitiooß have at lust be?n established with the Wuikato aud the Ngntimaniapoto tribes. Complying with the pressing and frequently received invitntions of the leading chiefs of thosa tribes, the Premier nnd the Native Minister visited them on several occasions in their own districts, und "met thvm nipo ai the Wailara, Papers on this subject will be laid before you. They will show that the lone period of serious * fficuliiei; with the Native race msy rnMonahly he considered to be approaching a (trminntion. There is now a fair project that, before long, Enrc.pprtt' enterprise aucl settlement will be welcomed by those great tribep, an t th t they will gladly avail the.mBelves of tha advantages which roads, railways and telegraphs will bring to their magnificent tenitory, by which its value, aud consequently the wealth and happiness of ihtt portion of the Native race bo long e£tmuged from üb, must be largely increased. In consequence of the disposition thus recently manifested on the part of these natives, you will be asked to consider the question of ex'emiing the North Island Trunk Ruilway from Aueklund to Taranaki. It is probable that blocks of land of great vnlue will be acquired upon reasonable terras along the line. While negotiations with thse tribes have not been neglected, many of the principal native districts have, during the recess, been visited by the Premier or the Native Minister. Several longpendiniz questions, out of which more or less ill feeling has arisen, have been finally and satisfactorily settled. The j question of the survey and settlement of the West Coast of this island has been firmly taken in hand. One large block h«8 been surveyed, and will shortly be opened for sale ; and the immediate survey of the Waimate Plain has been ordered, Whilst the utmost consideration for the former Native owdptb will be shown in dealing with these lun^e, a large extent of valuable country will be available for Bale, and settlement. My arlvis-rs have found the position of the Government Nutive land purchases to be very unsatisfactory, and but for the legislation of last session, which enabled the Government temporarily to protect lands under negotiation by the Crown, ranny blocks, upon which ' large suma of money have boen spent, \ would h;ive passed into ' the' han'ds of privsie speculators. Thia is a question with wbii;h you will bs culled upon to deal, and information sufficient, it ia hoped, to enable you to conserve the interests of 4he Colony, will be afforded you. Measures for simplifying the procedure in investigating the title to native lands, as well as their alienation, will be submitted to you. The principles of these measures have been discussed with many sections of the native people, and if. is believed that the effect of j them will be to place upon an equal footing all the Qoeen's subjects who may desire to purchase native lands. The threatening aspect of Europeau affairs caused the Imperial Government to assemble in London a committee of scientific officers to consider the question of Colonial harbor defence. Thosa officers made recommendations for the defence of the chief harbors of New Zealand, and the substance of those recommendations were telegraphed to me by tfie Secretary of State, for the purpose of ascertaining whether ihe Colony would carry them out. On the advice of my Ministers, I have replied tbat New Zealand accepts the duty, and the necessary armaments will shortly arrive in the Colony. Papers on this aubject will be submitted to you. Measures have been prepared, and will be brought before you, dealing with electoral reform, which, it is hoped, will tend to place the franchise and the method of electing members of the House of Representatives npon a satisfactory basis. Gentlemen of the House of Repbesentatlves, — The Estimates, which will be laid before you, fmve been prepared bo as to promote economy and effrfctive administration in the several departments. You will firju th'it there 13 a laige increase of reveiue wiiich indicates the prosperity of the Colony, and its progress is rendered more certain by a murked extension r.f (he export trade. The flUCCfStnl is-ue if fin lo;in authorised las: MBninii, is a iut her p>uoi of the opifiou ent-i taiooil m ofitr couuiri a of the stabiliiy of our financUl position, and ot ttiH general prosperity and peace •which prevail in New Zeulano. Authority has been given to the agents under the Consolidated Stock Aot to convert New Zealand aecariUea of a

reierellaneous character into long dated debenture^ beariog a uniform rate of interest. Measures will be introduced fo plaCB the taxation of the Colony on a raoro pquitable hasip, apportioning the public burdens Recording to the edacity «o beer them, and the tariff will he submitted to revision, ten ling; lo relieve commerce of some reetrieliona which rean! iis growth. Honorable Legislative Councillors, and Gentlemen of the Hodse or Representatives, — The Government have found tha', in order lo entry out any real administrative reform, there must be an amnlgama'iou of cfßc.ee »9 well as a (simplification in their administration. This has b9en specially felt in the Department of Justice. To effect a saving of departmental expenditure, end nt the same time to increase the efficiency of the ndrnicistrfltion of justice, a bill, extending the jurisdiction of the inferior courts Übs been prepureJ, aud will soon beflaid before you. My Ministers have endeuvored, by t h is I ill, to simplify the proceedings it the local courts. Steps have also been taken to obtain a simplification of the Supreme Court procedure, and the Governmect hope that the benefits obtained in other countries, from amending the procedure of the higher courts of judicature, will be secured for this Colony. A report will be laid before you showing the effect so fur of the Education Act pased ldßt session. The time that h*B elapsed since its passing has been too siiort to allow a fair estimate of its working to be arrived at, but, the Government do not believe that any material amendments are at present expedient. The question of higher education deserves most careful consideration, but, as a preliminary thereto, it is necesary that the mole of working and the effects of existing institutions should be ascertained. It is intended, therefore, to appoint a Royal Commission to enquire into, and report upon the operations of tha New Zealand University, and its relations to this commission will, if legislation be neccessary, enable Parliament to deal effectively with the aubject next session. Arrangements have been entered into with the Government of New South Wales for modifications in the San Francisco mail service contract, and as to coming within the terms of the postal uuion. lo conjunction with New South Wales, the Government have also negotiated with Coionel Glover, the representative of the Eastern Extension Australian and China Telegraph Company, for a duplication of the cable from Port Darwin to London, and for a reduction ni ibe tariff on the New Z:aland cable. The present state of these negotiations will be laid before you. The goldfields of the Colony are still prosperous, ond there can be no doubt Unit there are yet numerous and extensive deposits that only require population and enterprise for their development. You will, I have no doubt join, wiih me in the hope that the proposal to establish direct §team communication between New Zeuland and the United Kingdom may prove successful. The results of the gradual extension of the ruilwuy system have been such as to jusiity the Colony in undertaking its large indebtedness for the prosecution of ibose public works. It it i-ratifying that the District Railways Act of last session, is being taken advantage of, and that the faith of the people of New Zealand in railway extension, is being shown by many important lines iv different parts of the Colony beinsi undertaken by private and local enterprise. This spirit of selfreliance, my Ministers think, should be fostered, and you will be uskbd to make some slight amendments with the view of offering facilities, which experience bas shown to be desirable during the recess. Various changes huve been introduced into the management of the Public Works and Railway Departments, changes which, I venture to hope, may prove beneficial to the public service. I commend to your serious consideration the various measures and subjects that may be brought before you for your advice and action, and'l pray that the spirit of Divine wisdom may so order your deliberations, that peace happiness may be promoted throughout the length and breadth of the Colony.