The Evening Mail. SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 1876.

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

The Evening Mail. SATURDAY, JUNE 17, 1876.

Thf. First Session of the Sixth Parliament of New Zealand was opened yesf.civ.lay, and of course trie usual speech on such occasions was delivered by his Excellency the 'Governor. This speech is like all other Governor's orations v.'hen Parliament meets, and contains the general amount of vagueness, and mean-nothin jsort of expressions. The first important event in the Governor's opinion, since Parliament last met, has been the establishment of telegraphic communication with other parts of the world. There can be no doubt this is a work of very great moment, as allccting the interests of New Zealand, and it is also satisfactory to note that New South Wales is inclined to help this Colony in the establishment of a second cable with Lllrope. r l he recent interruption in the present line of communication must have conclusively proved that a second cable is absolutely necessary. It is now ninety-one days since a direct cable message has been received from Europe. Before the cable was established this was not considered such a long interval, but now that we have once experienced the benefit of immediate communication with Europe, this long interval of telegraphic silence, if we may be allowed the term, clearly proves the necessity yf a second cable. The next Gubernatorial effusion is all allusion ®ifo the Locfd^GovenuJTei11 Bill and the Abolition* Act. As these two measures are uppermost i*i the mil ids of all politicians at the present time, one would have exexpected a long reference to the great political changes about to take place ; but 1 the Governor merely expresses a wishthat theUoiise„ will co-operaie yid assist iri*!iiaking as benelicial as possible, t;ie changes whieh'a've to take place inunedi■afftv .->,ftcr the termination of the present Session. A hope is then expressed that, though the House will not be able to effect all that these changes render necessary, it will at least be able to deal with the principal measures, as well as to provide against any inconvenience arising frt>m deferred legislation. This, of course,., is way of asking the Grhy and 3IXr-.tM>UKW party not to f.e too severe in their opposition, nor to obstntefc the public business as _they did last Session. Then comes a special commendation regarding the Bill for establishing comities and shires. This mci-surc, if we mistake- not: will cause more discussion than any othet*Bill that will be brought before Parliament this Session. The Governor the??inform3 his hearers that he has spent .*? very jolly time with the [ natives of tire North Island. He is per- ' feetly delighted with the reception he rc- ! eeived atffhe hands of the various tribes, and the Cthdly feeling which existed between the natives and Europeans. His Excellency is inclined to think, and we agree with him, that the construction of roads arkl telegraph, as requested by the Ngapntu tribe, is a sure guarantee for the future peace and well-being of the Colony. Turning to railways, v.e get an assurance that the lines already constructed, in working expenses, are contributing towards the interest on the* cost of their construction. .Speaking generally, his Excellency is correct regarding the railways paying interest but he might permit us to remind him that this satisfactory result is due in a great measure to the splendid returns furnished by the Otago railways. As a matter of fact, the lines in the North Island ale, so far as a commercial speculation is concerned, comparative failures, and were it not for the assistance of Canterbury and Otago, his Excellency would not have been able to make the reassuring statements regarding our railways that he did. We then have a little of what the Irishman calls " blarney, ' and we are told that New Zealand is progressing with unabated success ; and that the proof of this assertion lies in the fact of capitalists from other colonies and countries coming here t" invest their money. The Estimates. of course, are referred to, and then some negotiations which the Government has made with the Bank of 'England. What these arrangements are,Hytf at present are not in a position to stated "While on the matter of finance, we note that no reference is made in the Speech to the six million loan which several Northern

journals have alluded to; as likely to be proposed this session. Some of the sition organs believe in the truth of this rumor about a new loan, partly because the Government press contradicted the assertion, and mainly because the present financial constitution of the colony will render another loan inevitable. It is satisfactory to leam that the Government is impressed with the desirability ■of enlarging facilities for acquiring land in moderate-sized blocks for cultivation and settlement. A Bill on the. subject is to be brought forward, and not before it was needed. Another important measure —in fact, one absolutely necessary—will also bo introduced. We allude to a Bill to amend the present Debtor and Creditors' Act, than which a more absurd Act never was framed. It is, in its present shape, utterly inpracticable and incomplete. In fact, from the moment the Bill was passed, it was not difficult to foresee that it was not workable, and the name of the gentleman who framed it was a sufficient truarantee that it would not long remain law. The speech winds up with a general allusion to several Bills to be brought forward during the Session, pnd of course concluding by asking the Divine blessing on the deliberations of our legislators.