OPENING OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF NEW SOUTH WALES. Thursday, October 16.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 583, 15 November 1851, Page 3

OPENING OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL OF NEW SOUTH WALES. Thursday, October 16.

Tin. Council assembled at noon, for tlio purpose of receiving Fliy Excellency tlio Governor-General, who dad notified that lie would open tho business of the Session. The floor ol the House was oowilod with l.iriies, and the gallenes weio filled with spectator?. Outbide the Council Chambers a considerable uuitibi'r o( poisons were assembled to witness His Excellency's ajjpioneh to the House. A giurd of honoui, with the military hand, wem btnlioned in the Council yard, and jccoived His Excellency with the usual salute. Upwaidb of forty members weie present. IJis Excellency having taken bis Boat, and desired Jio.ioura»l« inembeis to bo seated, read the following Minute :— • Mr. Speaker, and Gentlemen of the Legislative Council : — In calling you together for the (irat time since tlie poiieral election, 1 gladly av.nl myself of the opportunity o( exposing (o you my anxiou.s desno to coopciate with you in eveij wny calculated to promote tho beat luU're&tb of the culony, and with the same coi-

diahiy winch happily characterised my intercourse with your ;>re']rCi3-,si»'J. ] leinet ihnt the n.^p-saiy n>eii.uir> lor th^ settlement ol the Klectoul Division') ot tlio colony and the pieparaMon of llie Llecioial l,t*>ts ficcoiilii)" to the extended franchise cioated by die New Coiibtitution Act, have prevented your meetiug at an eailiei pei iod oi the yeai, and one more convenient therefore, — especially lo those members of youi body whose uitejesf.i are connected with die «<jncultu»al ami pastoral puisuits ol the co'ony. I think, under these ciitumstnnces, I shall hest consult >oui gonuial convenience, by confining the measures to bo introduced bv thi' Government in the present session to those of sucli an urgent nature as v ill not admit oi' delay without inconvenience 01 injury to public interests, and by appointing (in eailur peuod thau usual (or your meeting m tho ensuing je.ir. y. Her Majesty having been graciously phased to confer upon me the impoitim appointment ot Goveinor General o( all Her i\l.i|esty'h Australian Possessions, 1 deem it propei to l.iy belore ,)ou a cojiy of a Despatch from t he lli^lit Honorable Uic Secietaiy of State, explaining the objects for which this nppouHim ut has been created, it will affbid me much giatification in the oxoi ciso of the poweia wine ti aie thus conveyed to me to promote and cement those (ru'iully lelations between the several colonies c/vci whiub my Comniisnon extends, winch are. go desinble lor their mutual welfnie and prospenfy. 3. 1 lie wii(s for (lie fiist election of members (o servo in the Legislative Council ot Victoiu having be»n issued on the Ist of July last, that portion of tho former territory of JN'ew bouth Wales became a sepaiate colony, und the autltouty ol th.> Goveinoi and Council ol this colony therefoie dually ceased theiciii from that date. ■L. In tho very short peiiod which has elapsed since the teinunation of the last Session, a most important change has taken plnco in the leßOurces of tlio colony. '1 hu discovery of an extensive and pioiluctive gold Cv Id baa opened out iresh pio^pecls of advancement and pros pen ly which cannot i.nl eventually to piovc highly advantageous in Hi remits. I urn happy to say th it thia discovery baa not hitherto been attended with any serious uitPiruption to or disturbance vi the oidiur.ry industrial pursuits of the colon.) . The order und obedience to the Itpgulations which the Government has deemed it expedient provisionally to establish lor the collection of levHiuie und foi the decision of disputes m woikmg the gold field ore highly creditable to the lurge body of peraous emp.oyod, and aftoid the giatii'ving piedumption that the same ouleriy and satisfactory conduct will chtirnctenze l)?eir future pioceedingb, — a lesult equally favourable to their own prosperity and the gcueiul welfare of the colony. I have found It neceasaiy, under the peculiai circumstances which have so suddenly ausea out of this extraoidinaiy state of tilings, to inciease the pay of the constabulary ioice nnd ot some other peisons holding suboiduiate. situations undtr the Government, I rely upon jour giving your legislative sanctiou to this inciease, which the g/eat nae in the price of provisions and tho tpmpi/iliDii to leave public service offered by the successful prosecution ol gold digging, rendered absolutely ueces»ary for tho public advantage. 5. I regret to say that the wheat crops, both in this colony and the neighbouung settlement?, pait.aily failed during tho List season j and the puce ot flour — partly owing to tins cause, and partly to the speculation created by the gold Uiscoveoy has been considerably higher than usual. lam bappy to learn, however, that there 13 at piesent a larger breadth of land under whoat culture than at any foimer period ; and, as tbo season hres been vciy faromablo, theie i->eveiy prospect, under the Divine blessing, of an abundant harvest, while it is to be expected that the recent importations of wheat will prevent a fuuher use in the price of flour until the giowmg ciops can be gathered in. ihe other necessaries of hie foiiunately continue bwih cheap and abundant. C. I will immediately lay before you a Dospaicb from the lliglit llonoiable Eail Giey, containing the decision ot Her Majesty's Government on the Addic-s of the late Council to Her Most Gracious AJajesty, of the Ist of October, 1850, on the subject of Transportation, and intimating the intention of advising Her Majesty to take an eatly opportunity of revoking the existing Older in Council bo fsu js U lelates to New Soutu Wales. 7. I have also received from tbo Right Honorable the Secietnry lor the Colonies a Despatch in lpply ti an, Addiess of the late Council, of the 9th October, 1819, which requested me to foiwmd to His Lordship llieiepoit of tho Select Commutee on Crown Lands. A copy oi the Despatch will be immediately laid before you. 8. I will also lay before you without delay several other Despatches replying lo various Addiesses froia the lato Council, together with feucu luitl.t r documents of public mtoiest as it will be desirable to communicate lo you. 9. The estimates of revenue and expenditure have already been prep.ued, and will bo forthwith presented to you. The latter have been framed wHb an anxiou* <ieMre to observe eveiy posmbile economy in the public expenditure; but in the peculiar circumstances ot the colony at tho present lime soiue considerable additions mil bo necessuiy to ensure eibciency in the public soivice. Tlip increase m the levenuo has happily Jtept pace with tlio iticro.KStng demand upon it. iit'sidos a considerable amount beyond useslimiUod pioduc« mtlio present year when the esliuiates weie laid befoie the late Council in the Session of lO.iO, there wa 3 a much, larger balance unexponded at the close ot that jearthan was anticipated. The particulars embracing the whole ol th« financial anangement» of the Hc-osion will beful'y explained to you when the estimates arc laid upou the table. 10. Amongst the most important measures to bo laid bufoie you is" a Bill for imposing a new and impioved taiifl of duties on articles impoited into the colony. This measure has been framed upon the mofet moderate scale consistent with the i.ming of a &u(hueut levenue lo provide for the public requiioinenti, and abolishes ill distinction whatever in the rates impo^d on article* in whatever country produced or from whatever country imported. 1 anticipate the mo->t /arouiableiesultliora a mca»uie based upon a liberal j.nnciplu ol tins natuie, —no less to tho interests of commerce ttm-i to those of the community generally. It is calculated by the icmoval of the present high duties on many articles of foreign produce and manufaciuie, to open out a nnrket in this colony for ilieir disposal, and thus to otfei invaluable productions in those countries winch may uso this new field for their commeicial ei.tei prise. Wn.'iher it may be expedient to pioued with liib. iiujiortdnt measure in the present Session, or whether thu Bill should be merely punted, und us further progress postponed until next year, with a uew to obtain the enactment in the other Austialian colonies of a similar comprehensive measure, is worthy of your serious and :!elihorato cousideiation. It appears to me that tho general interests of all tlie«o communities tender it deniable that the same principle should bo adopted as far is local cucumstances will permit m iho enactment of » law of this nature. 11. By the Constitution Act 13 and U Vie. cnp.o9, a considerably increased couiiul tb given to the Colonial Legislature over that part of the expenditure which is included in the Schedules to that Ac(. In consequence of tho inadequacy ol the sums theieby appiopmted for the administration ot justice, and an excess in tbe amount expended, ansing principally fiorn the establishment ol Ciicuit Courts at Aloroton Uay and Geelon"-, and for winch some Legislative provision Will be necessary, I have avwletf rnjsplf of ibe assistance and advice of their Jionois tho Judges of the Supieme Court, and of the Crown Law Officers, to suggest bucli measures « r is tlmy might conceive desirable, having a due regard for all t))B interests concerned ior bringingthe expendituto xvttlun tho mount provided for the mirpOßu. A copy of the nbl>> Ilepoit wli.cli has btien hawn up by Ins llonot tbo Chu-f J\istice sis the Chairman of ibe Boaul, and the accompanyinj; documents, togKhpr wilh a copy of tho Minute of my Executive [Jouncil containing the decision which has been made jii the rgvcia! reeommeinlaMons of the lioard will be mmi'ilialcly laid beloic _> oo 1 1 . Jt v^ill be peiceived that Lhe reductions piospect'ivul) proposed and ordeicd to ■)«• etiried into i-fi'ert fully accoinplisli tlio object ro•jimeu. The expcnditurJ ior the olher depaitments jbarg«able on the Schedules if within iho amount apfoi their .snppoit. I am dcsiious nevei.helessthat the whole Hiibjcct of the expenditure in Viuat ion should be biouglit under your carefu and utentne review; and I be,? >o iccommend (h..t it ihould form th/> subject ol investigation by a beloct Committee of the Council, eithei in the present or the snsuino Se^ion, as may he found most convenient. It ivitl alroidinemuchsjt.sfacuon to see ibe important .ntevests concerned plac.d upon a satisfactory and permanent basis. 1 w»U mubly concur witli you in any ineasu.es for the purpose »l.icli may be consistent with j n.oper .egard ior tbo claims of Misting omeo LoJdeih, nlio accents those oll.ces wiili oxpectations wlncli ■annot justly b? dis^'poinled. It will also be nccessaiy

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under the mstiuctious winch 1 li.ivr- received liom Her ftJajesty'* (Joveiiimi'iii, that any reduction of fixed establishments vr ot .»»/ expenditure piovided for by , » 'ifHipnt !.i" , '!j"ul(l Iv ei'recled by Acts of Ihe Li»l,i tin . ■sulijev.t in the usual manner to the assent of th" CIOVMI l'J in accoi.^.uico with the intention erprpssed in xiM < t) the lit<-(Juuncil.ot tup l2Od> \pril last, <» v- iv "i i I-" n-poi-t o{ the Bor..<i on tre management (), «,p pnsi OfiCß Dejwifninit will belaid before you, vivi .hei with a copy of the Minutes of the Exeoutivo Council containing the decision at winch I at rived with their advico on the several points iccommended by the ]3oard. The necessary Hill to give effect to these recommendations w ill he iinmeih.itely laid bofoie you. In <lefei«nce to public opinion which lias been so generally expiessed, it is my intention to introduce in it a provision foi exempting in futuie all newspapers passing through, the Post Oihce from tbe'payment of any chaige foi postage. I have received and will lay before you without delay, copies of a Despatch from the Secietary of Stnte, anil corie^]>nndence with the Postmaster General of Fn;>land, intimating; the intention of Her Majesty? Government to comply with the request contained m the Address of the late Council foy the establishment of a system of optional pie-payment in respect to letters passing between this colony and the United Kingdom. l.>. In conspquence of the present unsatisfactory state of the Marn.ige Laws in the colony, and the uneasiness which js elt on this important subject, it is my intention to introduce in the present Session a Bill which 1 trust will have the effect of removing all future cau^e of complaint m tins respect, aiul of placing the matter on a compiehensive, satibfactory, and permanent basis. 14. Having brought the subject of the military defences of Poit Jackson under the confederation of Her Majesty's Government. I have received from the Secre» tary of State a Despatch, of which a copy shall be communicated to you, offering certain assistance in the execution of the works by means of military labour, piovided the necessary funds be supplied by the colony, | for the ordinary and woilting pay of the troops, who would he bent out for this purpose at the expense of the Home Government, and to whom inducements would be held out eventually to settle in the colony. This pioposal appears to me to oifer such advantages as to iendei it desiiable that it should be favourably entertained; and ] accordingly lecommend it to your early and attentive consideration. I shall be glad to be favoured with the result of your conclusions on the subject as soon as may be convenient. 15. Any fuither measures that I may have occasion to submit to you shall ba communicated to you in the usual way by message. CIIS. A. FITZ ROY. His Excellency having left the Chamber with the same ceremonies as those with which he entered, the House adjourned till 3 o'clock.