THE MEETING OF THE HOUSE AT WELLINGTON.

Thames Guardian and Mining Record, Volume I, Issue 246, 23 July 1872, Page 3

THE MEETING OF THE HOUSE AT WELLINGTON.

(FROM, our special correspondent.) Wellington, July 16. The members of the General Assembly are slowly arriving at the Empire City. Up to the present Auckland is better represented than any other province. The passengers from Auckland by the Wellington and Luua stood a fair chance of undergoing quarantine on the delightful breezy island set apart for that purpose, known as Soame’s Island. The fates were, however, propitious, aud they escaped from that prospective discomfort. The two Houses met this day, but there was some doubt as to whether the Governor would make his speeuh, as the Speaker of the Legislative Council was absent, and it was doubtful whether the Chairman of Committees, who is only elected for the session would take his place. The speech was read, notwithstanding, and no persou expresses either satisfaction or dissatisfaction about it, as all agree that there is nothing ,n it. I was present in the gallery and did not hear what was said very distinctly, but give you my version of the speech as I understood it :

“ Honorable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House of Represen-

tatives, — The ’ alarming illness of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales produced in this colony no less than in other parts of the Empire, feelings of profound regret, and the subsequent intelligence of his recovery was hailed with universal rejoicing. My advisers, recognising the truth of the old adage, ‘ better late than never,’ will submit to you addresses to Her Majesty, in which you will be asked to express your gratitude for the preservation of the Empire from a great calamity, and your sympathy with your Sovereign and the Royal Family. As it is possible these may be rather after date it will be my duty to recommend the Honorable the Secretary of State for the Colonies to hold over the addresses until Ilis Royal Highness has another attack of illness.

I have to congratulate you on the supposed tranquillity which prevails in the several Native Office districts throughout New Zealaud. ‘I hope the calm does not precede a stonn.’ The friendly disposition manifested by tribes hitherto disaffected, and the hollow friendship uow manifested by some tribes formerly friendly, shows that but little reliance can be placed in the progress which is being made in the settlement of the native difficulty. I have lately made a tour through districts in the interior of this island, not long siuce disturbed by rebellion, care-

fully avoiding the banks of the Waikato between Lake Taopo and Cambridge, nnd the neighbourhood of Tokangainutu. Having taken every precaution, I was everywhere treated by the sugar and flour subsidised natives with the. greatest respect and hospitality, and received from them the strongest assurances of their desire to cultivate frietiuiy relations with the Europe in taxpayers who found the money for their regular supplies of flour, sugar, and blankets. I was much. pleased to see the progress of tne roads, which are being constructed to a great extent by Maori labour. As a proof of the advance of the native lace in civilisation, it may he as well to point out that the Mami in the Arawa district have followed the example of Brogden’s railway navvies, and struck for higher wages.

I also con gratulate you on the steady development and prosperous condition of the agricultural interest, through the protective policy pursued by my Government ; of the mining industry, as shown in the Green Harp and ot'.i eases ; and of the pastoral, as indebted to the confidence felt in the present advance by the great European powers for the increased price of wool. Since the close of the last session there has been a good deal of talk about railways, and numerous plans and surveys have been made, but hitherto but slight progress has been made in really useful works. It' you will, however, leave my Government a little longer in office, t hey will make you any number of promises you can desire, but do not expect me to. pledge inyße.U to the performance thereof. Papers will be laid before you which wiil inform you what steps have been taken towards establishing a continuous stream of immigration, and the simiil laueotis introduction of those classes of disease from which the colony lias for so many years been free? I am glad to be able to inform yon that the operation of the Act for establishing on colonial security a system of Life Assurance and Annuities continues t<> meei with marked success, winch will, I am sure, materially tend to the social comfort or the whole community as long as tne Colonial Government can pay twenty shillings in the pound. It is impossible to predict what will be the position of the holders of these seeuriti -s ten years from the present date. 1, however, have great confidence in the elasticity of the colonial fioaucjs, and the strength of the bank of the colonial taxpayer, and hope for the best; and trust we shall never be called on to repudiate our liabilities. Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, estimates will be laid before you, framed with every regard fur economy, consistent with efficient administration, and the retention by the present occupants of the Executive benches of their seats and salaries.

A very satisfactory symptom of that reviving prosperity of the colony, which I ventured last session to hope was not far distant, is to be found, I am happy to say, iu the increased and increasing receipts of revenue; but I have no doubt that it will le easy to increase the number of officials, so as to dispose of any surplus which would otherwise he available for reducing the colonial liabilities, or the amount of taxation. Honorable Legislative Councillors and gentlemen of the House of Kepieseutatives the occurrence or a few cases ot small-pox in the colony ueed not put you iu any great fear fur your personal safety, as many of the members have been vaccinated ; and you should be duly grateful for this and the otuer benchls you are likely to receive from the Umi. : ei-cum-Vogel ’ mail contract. 1 hope you will, therefore, carefully cuusider a bill which will he submitted to you fur improving the law relating to vaccinatum ami quarantine, and for better enabling means to be taken for the repression of epidemic disease iu towns and country wlieie sucii laws were not previously required, owing to the salubrity of the climate and tne hcalUiiiie-'S of the iuliamia.its of Hie colom. Health is not, lmwe»er, of so much* value as that very efficient mail service, and 1 particularly commend lo your consideration a measme to provide tor the payment of the lull amount of subsidy, in consequence of .ie failure ol the Australian Government tu provide their quota. Measures will be submitted to you at the tail end of the session (after you have had your squabble out as to who are to hold office) to consolidate and amend the laws relating to Goldmining, and to increase the Revenue bv inflicting further burdens on the Mining population, to reduce Stamp Duties on Receipts and Mining Scrip, to facilitate the formation of New Goldminiug Companies, to make your own Roads and Tramways, within Provinces, by local taxation and with no assistance, from the General Government, to do away with all drawbacks to our present advancement except the present Ministry, to prevent any further Fisheries and Fisliy transactions, to amend the law relating lo the Public Revenues with, a view to gettirg as much as possible into the Colonial Chest and keeping it there, to amend tne law of Bankruptcy so as, in conjunction witn the Abolisii ueiit of Imprisonment tor debt, to enable debtors lo teel easy in their minds and safe from their creditors, and lo consolidate and amend the law relating to Elections so as to secure the return ot Ministerial duppoiters. These and other measures which may be brought before you 1 coin.n in i to your careful consideration, and I pray Lnut your labours may, under the blessing of Providence, conduce to the prosperity of the Colony, and Hie happiness of the two races which inhabit it.

His Excellency then retired, to the well-known tune of “ Let dogs delight to bark and bite.” The members of the House of Representatives then retired to their Hous*, but no business was done, except the giving a few notices of motion. It is curious to observe the influence which Chinese immigration has already exercised on the minds and tastes of the inhabitants of the Empiie City, as evinced by the style of architecture of that remarkable structure called Government House. The old building very much resembled a “ Preventive Station” on the English coast; and the new erection is in some respects like to a Chinese pagoda. The General Government buildings have also received considerable alterations and additions since last session. Here also a little of the Japanese style comes out again in the new portion of the buildings. It is stated that the beams and rafters over the House of Representatives and the Legislative Council Chamber are decayed; so do not be surprised if you hear of the flower and pride of the country being buried under the roaf, and dying ou the floor of the House during the flrst severe shock of earthquake which occurs.