The Reporter.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 13, 24 June 1893, Page 8

The Reporter.

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

The fourth session of the eleventh Parliament of New Zealand was opened by His Excellency the Governor on Thursday afternoon. The “ speech from teh Throne,” after paying a tribute to the memory of the late Hon. J. Ballance, congratulated the representatives of the people upon the buoyancy of the public finances, the continued prosperity of the country, and the soundness and marked improvement of the colony’s industries. The public accounts showed a gross surplus of revenue over expenditure unparalleled in the history of the colony, and the progress of genuine settlement had been most satisfactory. Referring to proposed legislation Ilis Excellency stated that the House would be asked to deal with the reformation of the Native land laws, and continued : Returns will be laid before you showing you the results of the

traffic in all branches of the railway. You will be asked, to assent to a bill restoring to the, representatives of the people a poetic n of the control which they formerly possessed over this important possession of the nation. You will be asked again to consider the Electoral Bill and to pass measures dealing with the extended jurisdiction of Magistrates and District Courts. Bills will also be placed before you dealing with municipal corporations and the placing of the banking institutions on such a basis as will afford greater financial security. The Conciliation and Arbitration Bill of last year has been revised and will be laid before you at the earliest possible date, together with a bill in substitution, for the present Shops and Shop Assistants Act. Several measures relating to the wage-earners and workmen of the ■colony are ready for your consideration. Amongst these are bills to amend the law relative to shipping and seamen ; to further secure the wages of workmen ; to repeal and amend the conspiracy laws bearing on trade disputes; to deal with “sweating” contracts ; to facilitate the collection of industrial statistics and others.