SPEECH.

Southland Times, Volume 2, Issue 85, 28 August 1863, Page 3

SPEECH.

Honorable Gent/'eemn [of the. Legislative Council, and Gentlemen of the House of "Assembly : 1. Itis with nmch that I resoriTto the a'dyice .and, assistance' of the second; Parliament of. Queensland, now convened for its firstsession after no longer delay than has been 'absolutely necessary for completing 'the elections tlnoughou t our extensive territory. 2. Owing to the late, ppriod of the year at which you commence your deliberations, there will not be manynieasures submitted lor your consideration in addition to those which were laid before the foriv.er Parliament. You will, nevertheless, be invited to legislate upon several questions of paramount importance to the present prosperity as well as to the futuie development of the colony-

3. First among t lie proposed enactments is a bill to authorise the onstruetion of a light but permanent railway through the populous and long-settled districts from which much the largest portion of our revenue is derived. The report and estimates of an engineer, who has successfully executed similar works in a neighboring colony, will serve to prove the feasibility of this undertaking at a moderate cost and the great saving in public and private expenditure that will result from its completion. A paper will be laid before you, showing the contributions of the several districts to the revenue of the past year, and the amount of public expenditure to which each of them should consequently be held entitled. Eor the proposed railway, being in the strictest sense a reproductive work, you will be met by the profits of the line, while the repayment of the principal sum wil be provided for by the sale of the adjacent Crown lands at a largely increased value A sum of money will be placed on the Estimate to meet the expense of railway surveys in the northern districts. 4. The rapid growth of our population has already rendered the Census taken in 18(51, an unreliable source of information as to the comparative progress of the several districts; and you will be requested to grant the requisite authority for the compilation of a fresh census at the commencement of the ensuing ye«r. Furnished with ihe data which this document will supply, and without which it would appear impossible for you to entertain any comprehensive measure for the re-adjust-ment of the Parliamentary representation of the people, you will be enabled, in the session of 1864, to deal with this whole subject inamanner befitting its importance.

5. The measures announced or brought forward during the late session, to amend the Impounding, Quarantine, Scab, and Supreme Court Acts, to consolidate the Acts relating to the occupa'ion of Crown Lands, to grant a lien on Crop-, and to provide for the Registration of Joint S'oc-k Companies, will be presented to you You will also be especially urged to consider the necessity of amending the constitution of the police force, the expenditure on account of which increases far more rapidly lhan its efficiency ; and, in particular. 10 substitute lor the present native police iorce, in the more settled districts, a mounted police, assisted, where necessary, by aboriginal trackers. Gentlemen of the House of A sscmbly : —

6. You will find the estimates of lfi/H [ to l)ave been franied with, strict regard to economy, and that our expenditure has been confined wiihin the nanowest possible limits. I congratulate you on ihc soundness of ouv financial position, and on the prospect of such a surplus of revenue over expenditure as will place the colony in ?, favorable position for contracting the proposed loan. You will perceive that the various services on account of which you are invited to make special provision, are of such importance as fully to justify the adoption of this course. Among these may be particularised the extension of the electric telegraph to the northern ports, the improvement of the harbors,andthe supply of immigration, which now forms a heavy burden on the land revenue. Honorable Gentlemen and Gentlemen • — 7. With reference to the general welfare of the colony, I an? happy to be able tc confirm the remarks which I addressed to the Legislature on a recent occasion. I confidently hop 3 that the larger interests entrusted to your care will be treated wilh that wisdom and moderation with which the First Parliament, under the blessing of Divine Providence, has laid the foundations of the great prosperity and of the high imputation wh'cb Queensland enjoys. The House then adjourned.