THE GOVERNOR’S SPEECH.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2676, 23 June 1894, Page 2

THE GOVERNOR’S SPEECH.

[By Telegraph.] Wellington, June 22. The first session, of the twelfth Parliament of New Zealand was this day opened by the Governor, when His Excellency was pleased to deliver the following Speech:— Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gbnttembn of the House of Representatives, — It gives me great pleasure to meet you in Parliament assembled. During the present year I have been enabled to visit Karatonga and other parts of the Hervey Group, indirectly connected with this colony. 1 was not only charmed with the romantic scenery of that beautiful cluster of islands, but I was gratified by the uniformly local and friendly greeting accorded me by the natives. They appear to be both fairly happy and contented, and thoroughly satisfied with the protection given them by the Queen’s rule. My observations led me to conclude that a fair opening exists there for developing a useful trade with New Zealand. The protracted confusion still disturbing Samoa has induced my Advisers to urge upon the Imperial Government that England should utilise this colony to control and manage the Navigator Islands. It is obvious that the triple control contemplated by the treaty has been as unsatisfactory to the Great Powers concerned as it has been injurious to Samoa. It is so clearly the destiny of New Zealand to play a leading part in Polynesia, that my Advisers confidently expect your concurrence in the suggestion made by them. Papers relating to the Postal Conference held here will be laid before you. The imperial importance of the Conference now assembled at Ottawa has been recognised by ray Minisiers, who have therefore despatched thither a gentleman of approved standing, and commercial experience, to represent New Zealand. Though 1 cannot congratulate you either upon an abundant harvest or upon the high prices to be obtained for the colony’s staple products, nevertheless, I think that the position of New Zealand affords matter for real satisfaction. Natural causes, the state of the Home markets, and the caution instilled into financial institutions, presumably by the late Australian panic, have undoubtedly thrown temporary difficulties in the path of rapid progress. Nevertheless, the energy and the courage of our colonists and the resources of the country have never been more clearly displayed. Thanks to these, and to prudence, and success of the financial policy sanctioned by the late Parliament, the volume of our products continue to increase, our colony’s credit stands preeminent, in London, public and private indebtedness diminishes relatively to our , numbers, and unemployed are proportionately fewer than in almost any other civilised countryFigures collected at ports of entry and departures for last five months show that the influx from Australia of men in search of employment has for the present virtually ceased. Once more I am enabled to state that the provision made last year for carrying on the public service has proved much more than sufficient. The accounts will show you both a gross and net surplus of revenue over expenditure of a most solid and gratifying kind. Certain proposals will be laid before you whose object will be to enable the Government to carry on absolutely needful work of settlement without either impairing the colony’s credit or laying intolerable burdens upon the taxpayers. It appears to my Advisers that the time has arrived for the State to be no longer satisfied with the carrying on as well as its finances permit a certain share of the work of colonisation. Some efforts should now be made by which Government, without incurring dangerous obligations, may aid private enterprise to avail itself, on reasonable terms, of vast supplies of English capital, the holders of which are only awaiting openings for secure investment. Tfie spandalous mismanagement which led to the suspension" of an important company bearing the name of this colony has impressed upon my Advisers the necessity for safeguarding shareholders and tfie public against those methods of company management. A measure will be introduced for this purpose. You will be asked to take up an important work begun but loft unfinished by the late Parliament. I refer to the business of making the tfiitivo land laws simpler, and methods of acquiring Native lauds easier and speedier. In the opinion of my Ministers the time has come when private dealings in Native binds should entirely cease, and when every title granted for such lands should bo given directly from the Joverumert under the Laud Transfer Act. 1 notice with pleasure that the action of the Validation Law of last year promises to be as satisfactory to settlers on the East Coast as was the effect of the West Coast Settlement Act to those on the opposite side of the island. Still my Advisors think that a fair share of our time this session cannot bo bettor devoted than to tho Native Lands question. Exhaustive enquiries among the Maori race seem to show that tho tribes generally are ready

and willing to co-operate in this matter. Hand in hand with the ateady acquisition of Native land must go the repurchasing of private lands for closer settlement. Three years ago my predecessor drew the attention of the late Parliament to this. Since then the results of acquiring the valuable Cheviot estate and certain other similar areas have been so entirely successful as to lead my Advisers to ask you for further powers to enable them to carry on the work with all needful vigor. To this end the Laud for Settlement Bill rejected last year will again be brought forward, with certain extensions and improvements. Toil will be pleased to learn that the process of settling / waste lands of |the Crown has gone on during the past year with unabated speed and good results. You will be asked also to pass into law measures for enabling’ the Agricultural Department to effectually help to regulate the rapidly-growing dairy industry by a system of grading and cool storage. Other Bills intended to be of practical use to farmers and stock-owners will be laid before you. The yield from our goldfields cannot be said to have increased during the past year, yet by improvements in appliances as well as in methods of treatment in both alluvial and quartz-mining, considerable areas have been worked successfully, which in former years would not have yielded profit. A Bill will be laid before you, which, it is hoped, will aid in attaching to the soil the miners now spread over our gold-bearing country, if by improving their present unsatisfactory occupation tenures they can be given an interest and stake in land. It is thought that the change will tend to the good at once of .themselves, the mining the colony. You will be afforded full opportunity to consider the liquor question. A Bill will be brought in to consolidate and amend the licensing law, and simplify procedure at local option polling. My Advisers desireto make it plain that they have no wish that this important matter should be approached by members in any other spirit than that of adherence to public pledges and individual convictions. During the recess the term of office of the late Railway Commissioners expired, and in accordance with what waa believed to be the intention of the Legislature, which passed the Government Railways Act 1887, and with the wish of the country as expressed at the late election a change was made in the personnel of the Commissioners. At the same time care was taken to leave yon entire power to arrange for the. future management of the national railways in such a way as yon may deem proper. Gentlemen or the House or Representatives—

I think it fitting to take notice of a feature of peculiar interest belonging to this Parliament. Ton are the first body of New Zealand legislators elected under the law granting the suffrage to women. 1 have to congratulate the colony upon the quiet and peaceful course of the elections held under these novel conditions. I trust that by your aptitude for business and zeal for the colony’s welfare you will show yourselves in no way inferior to the members of former Parliaments, and thus justify the hopes of the framers and passers of the Electoral Act. In order to aid ytm in the conduct of your House’s business, new Standing Orders containing highly important changes will be submitted to you, and you will be asked to give them precedence over all other matter. While loth to interfere in any way with oldestablished customs and privileges, my Advisers have been driven to think that the time has arrived for a bold reform of procedure, and experience has forced them to conclude that under the honored name of “ Parliamentary privilege ” has been masked in practice the discomfort, if not slavery, of a majority of your members. It is notorious that the license of prolix speech indulged in by a few has continually led to the enforced silence of deb aters capable of stating relevant facts, and contributing valuable suggestions within a reasonable compass of words. My Advisers think that the truest method of safe-keeping your House’s freedom will be found in forms under which members will be free to despatch business with speed and comfort. Estimates of the revenue and the expenditure for the year will be laid before you, the estimates of the expenditure having been framed with due regard to economy. Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, — Measures will be submitted to you designed to further simplify the administration of justice, and to consolidate the

law on various subjects. The moment appears fitting for reprinting the statute* at present in force, and my Advisers recommend that a commission for the purpose should be set up. The important principle of levying rates upon the land values only will again be urged upon your acceptance, and a Bill introduced to prevent loans at a ruinous rate of interest will be presented for your consideration. During last Parliament a number of measures designed especially to improve the condition under which the manual laborers of the country work were read in the House of Representatives, but only one finally became law. This is exactly what happened in the last session before the dissolution of 1890. Then, as now, there followed a very plain expression of public opinion in favor of passing not only the rejected Bills, but other measures of the same kind. My Advisers, therefore, propose to press forward both the Labor Bills of last year and certain measures relating to factories, apprentices, and indiscriminate immigration. The measure last referred to, involving as it does an important questioq of policy, will be introduced at an early period of the session. I desire you to give these matters your attention. I earnestly assure you of my wish to aid your exertions for tho good of the colony. I pray that your efforts may, with God’s blessing, promote the happiness and wellbeing of the people of New Zealand.