THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

North Otago Times, Volume III, Issue 46, 5 January 1865, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

The following is the Governor's speech on the prorogation of the General Assembly:— Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and gentlemen op the house op representaTIVES - I thank you for the zeal with which, you have dischorged your legislative duties during the present short session. The resolutions adopted by both, branches of tlie Legislature, relative to the withdrawal of Her Majesty's Land Forces, so soon as may be consistent with Imperial interests and the safety of the colony, shall be transmitted forthwith for her Majesty's consideration. I shall, at the same time, state that this request is made in the hope thereby to remove all necessity for interference on the part of the Imperial Government in the management of the internal affairs of the colony, after her Majesty's land forces have been withdrawn. You have given mc an express power to carry roads thiough the country, making just provisions for the compensation of land owners ; this Act, which equally applies to both races of her Majesty's subjects, will, I tiust, if wisely administered, promote the future proRi ess of New Zealand and the civilization of its native inhabitants. Gentlemen of the' House of Representatives, . I have to thank you for the measures which you have passed, having for their object the maintenance of the credit of the colony by increasing its revenue, and making provision for its immediate and extraoidinary exigencies. Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen op the House opßepke-

SENTATIVES, Special circumstances lmve compelled mc to Turing the session to a close within an unusually short period Many important questions will, however, demand your early consideration. It is my intention to convoke a session of the Assembly at Wellington before , the expiration of the current financial year. Ernestly praying, that under Divine Providence the measui*es to }ou have given your sanction niiiy conduce to the safety and welfare of the colony, and of both races of her Majesty's subjects therein.

I now, in her Majesty's name, do declare that this Assembly stands prorogued, and the Assembly is pi or ogued accordingly.

The Governor's amnesty proclamation has had no good effect with the natives:—

The " Southern' Cross" gives the following translation of a letter from William Thompson, which was laid on the table of the House of Representatives :—" To Sir George Grey, the Governor ot New Zealand. Salutations. Though our borders _, are separated by~ evil," love is not destroyed, as says St Paul. Hearken. The cause that no word was uttered to you by me' has been the weight of your words. , It is not for mc alone to answer them. The commencement of my pondering was'your proclamation just after ihe beginning of this war.. That was the first, and now your second, and about the land,' which is contained in the proclamation of the 26th October. Father, this was my settled Avord' to you. When you were preparing to go to Tataraimaka, you came up to Taugari and then you said this word to mc, ' William, I am going to Ta,taraimaka/ I said th'en, i Wait, rather let mc go first.' You replied, ' Does my land belong to a stranger, that it should be left to another to take mc on my own land ?' Then I said no more, for I knew you-would not listen to mc. Now I make a similar request to you at the present time. Leave to mc the days after the 10th December up to the end of February —indeed, I would urge to the end of April, but I presume you would not grant

that proposal, and therefore I go back to the end of February. This is the reason why I ask for those days. All Waikato is at Taranaki. I alone am here; , therefore I desire to have this delay. Let the chiefs of Waikato come up and be assembled in my presence, and then I will declare my Word to them-and also to you. What I say now does not iiiteriere with that time of suspension of hostilities which commenced at Ngaruawahia, went on to the evacuation of Maungatautari, and down to the of Eeihana and Hapimana. That remains'as it AVas. I said to them then— Waikati is for you (given.up). I shall not fight them again, and now my word is the same. The discussion which I propose when Waikato shall be assembled, is about the land; secondly, about the murders; thirdly, about arms."