OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Southland Times, Issue 1266, 17 June 1870, Page 2

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS. —: — ** ; | ; > i , 1 i I , . ,

Wellington, June 10th. Parliament was opened with the usual ceremonies at 2 p.m. to-day by the Governor in person. He read the following speech:—. Honorable Legislative Councillors, and .Gentlemen. _o£. the... House—of - TRepre^ sentatives, —lt is with great satisfactou that I have recourse to your assistance and advice. lam glad to be able to congratulate you on the steady progress which has been made under exceptional difficulties. during;the past year —-in the suppression of Native disturbances; in the restoration Of order; in the establishment of friendly relations with the Native race; and in the renewal of industrial enterprise in the recently disturbed districts. In referring to these results, it is only fair that I should testify to the ability and zeal display by Mr Ormond, as agent ofthe General Government. I' trust that it will be your determination to continue the beneficial policy of strengthening our peaceful v relations with the Natives. Active operations in the field, for the protection of our settlements, and for the defence ~ "OT~our~roya:i TiaT^ve-Teiibv-suTyjßCTs;"tiave • been necessary during the past .■•. year; Those operations have been conducted , -with considerable success by Native ! parties under the command of these distinguished chiefs,_Major Kemp, Major ; Bopata, and IVfajor Topia, and.l gratefully • recognise the valuable services which they • have rendered. The conduct of,*the Militia, Volunteer, • and ' Constabulary ■ forces deserve high commendation. CorI respondence will be laid before youi which will make you acquainted with the state v of the *hegociations conducted by the 7 Colonial Commissioners with the Imperial j Government on the subject of-troops. I ; congratulate you on the establishment of i steam communication with the principal port of the. United States on the. Pacific coast. This service bring* the Colony into direct" intercourse with this great : nation, and can hardly fail to lead to results which will, confer great benefit on; this Colony. It also provides., speedy; communication with Great Britain. Tour attention will be invited to the condition of the Colony, ahd to the stagna-! tion and depression under which it labors, consequent on the comparative suspension of colonisation during the last few years. With the view of renewing the great w.ork of colonisation, proposals will be laid before you to provide- for encouraging and aiding immigration, and for constructing public vrorks. Gentlemen of the House of Bepresentatives,—Estimates of expenditure for the coming financial year will be laid before, you. While providing for the efficiency of the public service, they will exhibit a.strict regard to the economical administration of the various departments of Government. '.-' ' * Honorable Legislative Councillors, and Gentlemen of the House of Eepresenta-tives,—-I am happy- to inform you that the telegraph has made most satisfactory progress in various respects. Communication is open with Patea. and Taupo, and is being rapidly extended, to Tauranga. Tou will be glad to learn that the New Zealand Commissioners • are negociating for the construction of. a cable between . New Zealand and Australia, Tou will be asked to consider the subject. The beneficial -measure for promoting life assurance, which you. passed last session, has been , brought into operation, and, short though the time has been since that date, it gives every prospect of success. Amongst other subjects, you will be asked to give yourY consideration7 to measures to: readjust the representation; to provide for vote by ballot; to amend the law of bankruptcy; to enable local rates to be readily recovered from absentees; to reduce the duty on gold of ah inferior quality; lo reduce the rate of -interpro vincial postage; to reunite of their ownxdesire the provinces of Otago and Southland; and to facilitate the registration of titles and the transfer of land. I trust the divine wisdom will guide your deliberations, and that yoiir united labors will result in the establishment of permanent peace, and tlie promotion of the generla prosperity pf the colony. ■