PARLIAMENTARY.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume IX, Issue 952, 11 June 1881, Page 2

PARLIAMENTARY.

[From our Special Correspondent.] Opening of Parliament. THE GOVERNOR’S SPEECH. Hon. Legislative and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, It affords me much satisfaction on meeting you for the first time to be able to congratulate you upon the steady progress of the Colony during the past year, the revival of its prosperity, and the increased confidence in the future, which animates all classes of the community. Tho course preserved by Parliament to bring to a termination the unsatisfactory state of affairs existing on a part of the West Coast of this island has been carefully pursued, and that up to the present time has been attended with marked success. Effect is being given to the recommendation of the Royal Commissioners appointed tp inquire into the grievances which are alleged to exist among the Natives of v that locality, and the determination on the one hand to assert the supremacy of the Queen, and repress any lawless action ; and on the other hand to redress all real grievances, will apparently effect a peaceful solution of the question, which a short time ago wore a threatening aspect. The lands which have been appropriated for European occupation on the Waimate Plains have been for the most part sold and are now being occupied by settlers. The prisoners whose detention up to the present time has been deemed necessary in the interests of both Natives and Europeans, have been released and returned to their homes with the exception of a small number, whom it is proposed to set free in a few days. Nor do my responsible advisers apprehend that it will be necessary again to have recourse to extraordinary measures for the preservation of peace and good order in the district in question. Papers will be laid before you containing the minutes of the proceedings of an Intercolonial Conference, held at Sydney in the month of January last, at which a member of my Government was present. You will learn from these papers that several measures of consid rable interest to the Australian Colonies, were con-idered by the Conference,-ymd in accordance with one of the conclusions arrived at a Bill will be plac d before you for the regulation and restriction of *he nflux of Chinese into the Colony. Tne recognition of a commun-

ity of interests and mutual interdepend dence among the Australian Colonies, evinced by this Conference, may hereafter be attended by results of considerable importance. The railways and other public works authorised by you have been proceeded with as rapidly as is expedient in the present circumstance of the Colony. In view of the necessity for maintaining the progressive work of colonization, a proposal will come under your consideration for giving assistance to companies prepared to construct or continue main lines of railway. The termination of existing leases of land in the Middle Island held for pastoral purposes affords an opportunity which has not been overlooked by my advisers for rendering those lands more generally useful to the State. Carefully considered plans for effecting that object will be laid before you. The systematic laying out of roads in anticipation of the sale of Waste Lands has in a very marked manner promoted their occupation during the past year. You will be asked to sane ion further expenditure to enable the Lands Department to give effect to plans, which, if carried out, will practically enlarge the area available for settlement, and induce a more extended employ of labor and capital. The revenue received from the sale of Waste Lands during the past year has exceeded the estimate, and the increasing demand for land for actual occupation, together with statistical informationrecently obtained, affords convincing proof that a fresh impulse is being given to the work of settlement, while the expansion of local industries promises to provide profitable employment for a rapidly-increasing population. Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, Large reductions have already been made in the cost of the public service without impairing its efficiency, and the estimates of receipts and expenditure for the current year, which will shortly be laid before you, have been prepared with strict regard to the most regular economy. The revenue for the past year must on the whole be considered satisfactory. The excess of receipts over expenditure upon the railway amounts to a return of 3| per cent, upon the outlay incurred upon their construction.

Honorable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, Bills will be submitted to you for the redistribution of the representation of the people and for the regulation of elections, which in view of the approaching termination of the present Parliament, I recommend to your early and most attentive consideration. The Com-

missioners appointed last year for the purpose of enquiring into the constitution, practice and procedure of the Supreme Court and other Courts of the Colony, and of ascertaining by what means the administration of justice therein may be rendered more speedy and efficacious, and at the same time less costly, have made an ad interim report, a copy of which will be laid before you. I am glad to be able to inform you that the Commissioners have proceeded so far with the work entrusted to them as to enable them to anticipate the close of their labour in the course of the month of July. The measures necessary to give effect to their recommendations will therefore be submitted to you during the present session. A Bill will be laid before you which will have for its object the abolition of restraint in the alienation of land, while guarding the interest which may arise out of any trusts to which it has been made subject. Bills will also be laid before you for the regulation of the administration of charitable aid, for the consolidation and amendment of the licensing laws, for the amendment of the existing law in respect of the administration of Native reserves, for rating Crown lands, and for providing for the grants of assistance to local public works. I have recently visited many districts of the Colony. During these journeys I have had repeated opportunities of observing signs of increasing wealth, the spread of settlement and the energy and activity engaged in industrial pursuits throughout the Colony. The impressions which I had thus been led *o form are strengthened by the result of the recent census, and by a perusal of the report and return which will be laid before you, showing the revival of trade, the growth of new and important local industries, and the satisfactory condition of the ordinary and territorial revenue for the past year. In the discharge of the high functions committed to me by the Queen, it will always be my aim to manifest the same scrupulous and local regard to constitutional practice and usage, not only in the letter but in the spirit which has ever distinguished the Sovereign whom I represent among you. You may reply with confidence in my hearty co-operation in giving effect to the deliberate decision of the legislature, and it is my earnest hope and desire that your labours may be directed, as by God’s blessing, not only to promote the mutual welfare of the C"lony, but to secure the stability of its institutions, thef development of its great resources, and the permanent happiness of all classes of Her Majesty’s subjects within its bounds.