THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH ON OPENING PARLIAMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 49, 17 June 1876, Page 2

THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH ON OPENING PARLIAMENT.

We received the following gubernatorial address after we went to press last evening, and consequently were unable to publish it in that issue :

The First Session of the Sixth Parliament of New Zealand was this day opened by the Governor, when his Excellency was pleased to make the following speech : Honorable Legislative Councillors axd Gentlemen of the House of Representatives :

I have recourse to your advice and assistance with much satisfaction at an earlier period "of the year than has hitherto been usual. Since the Assembly last met, the Colony has been brought into telegraphic communication with other parts of the world. You will recognise that this event is of great importance to New Zealand. Proposals from the Government of New South Wales to aid in the establishment of a second line of communication with Europe, and the reply of my Government thereto, will be laid before you.

In pursuance of the legislation of last Session, important measures will be submitted to you, to give to the country districts, and to the towns, a larger share of self-govern-ment than they have hitherto enjoyed, and other legislation, consequent upon the abolition of the .Provinces, will be proposed to you. I earnestly urge you to co-operate and assist in making as beneficial as possible the changes which are to take place immediately after the termination of the present Session. You may not be able to effect all that these changes will render necessary, but will at least be able to deal with the principal measures, as well as to provide against any_ inconvenience arising from deferred legislation. I desire specially to comemnd to your notice a Bill for Establishing Counties, and for giving to them powers and revenues of an independent character, but with liberty to adopt concerted action with boroughs and roads districts.

During my recent visit to Auckland I availed myself of various opportunities of becoming personally acquainted with a large part of the North Island, and visited several of the native tribes who occupy that portion of the Colony. I cannot refrain from expressing to you the gratification I derived from observing the rapid development of the splendid pastoral and agricultural country in the Province of Hawke's Bay and on the East Coast. I visited the Arawa tribes of the Bay of Plenty and Taupo, and also those of the Thames, as well as the large and influential Ngaputu and Karawa tribes of the North, by all of whom I was received in the most cordial and loyal manner. The kindly feeling which I found existing between these tribes and the European settlers in that district, together with the increasing desire on the part of the natives to adopt the practices of civilised countries, as evinced by the requests made, especially by the Ngaputu tribe, for the construction of roads and telegraphs, and the establishment of courts of justice and schools, affords the most promising guarantee for the future peace and prosperity of the Colony. You will also learn with pleasure that iii other native districts besides those to which I have referred, the relations between the two races continue to improve. Recent interviews between the Minister for Native Affairs and Tawhaio, and other leading Waikato chiefs, have been of a highly satisfactory character.

The results from tlie portions of railwayopened for traffic are encouraging land assuring.' Beyond'tlife good effected by promoting settlement the railways already yield in excess of working.expenses, a material contribution towardsthe interest on the cost of their construction.

• ' Tlie prosperity of the Colony continues unabated, the prospects of the agricultural and industrial interests are satisfactory, and there are notable evidences of improvement in-the results from mining of all descriptions. Not the least pleasing feature of the progress of the Colony is the remarkable extent to which persons possessed of capital are coming from other colonies and countries to invest their means and settle in New Zealand. I direct your earnest attention to a measure which will be proposed to you for largely altering.the system of dealing with and disposing of native lands. Gentlemen of the House of Repre- • SENTATIVES :

The estimates of expenditure for the coming year, framed as far as possible to meet all .the. conditions arising from the Abolition of the Provinces, will be laid before you without delay. I invite your consideration of the papers relating to the negotiations which my Government have entered into with the Bank of England. - Honorable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House, of Representatives :

My advisers are forcibly impressed with the-necessity of enlarging- the -facilities for acquiring land in moderate-sized blocks for cultivation and settlement. A Bill for the purpojse wall be submitted to you, which will also contain provisions for continuing the local administration, of the Waste Lands. Various other measures - will be placed before you, as far as the .time pf the session' permits. Amongst them will be-a'Bill to Consolidate: and Amend the Laws Relating, to boroughs; a Bill to Attend the Debtors sn&Creditbrs Act, a measure to Consolidate tjie -Laws. Relating to 1 Works and Immigration; arid. Biils Amending the Laws Relating to Friendly Societies and to Buildin^Societies." . - •- : £ commit to your grave consideration! the 'laasiness of the Session, and' I pray that the will so guide and order your delifigratiens that they may be productive of happiness and prosperity to the people of New Zealand.