OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3883, 9 June 1881, Page 2

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

The Governor's Speech.

[By Teiegbaph ]

Wellington, This day.

The New Zealand Parliament was opened this day by His Excellency the Governor in person. There were 18 members of the Council and 24 of the House present, also it {urge- number of ladies. The Governor wore the collar and robes of a Knight Grand Cross of St. Michael St. George. ; «,j* ; . i „ ;

HoNOBABLE LEGISLATIVE OoVSCILLOiS and Gentlemen of the House of ■>' ' fiEPBSMNTATIVES-- ;. f. ■;;.. i I ...

It affords] a^e much satisfaction on meeting jou for the first time to be able to congratulate you upon the steady progress of the colony during the past.year, the ■ revival of its prosperity^ s,and; the increased confidence in the future which animates all classes of the community; the course prescribed by Parliament to bring - to a termination the unsatisfactory state of affairs existing in a part of the West Coast of this Island has been steadily pursued, and has up to the present lime been attended with marked success. Effect is being jjiven to the recommendations of the Royal Commissioners appointed to enquire into the grievances which were alleged to exist among the natives; qf that locality, and the determination on the one hand to assert the supremacy of the Queen and repress any lawless action, and on the other hand to'redress all real grievances will apparently effect' a peaceful solution of a question which a short time ago wore a threatening aspect. The lands which have been appropriated for European occupation on the Waimate Plains have been for the most part sold, and are now being occupied by settlers. The prisoners, whose detention up to the present time has been deemed necessary in the interest of both Natives and Euro peans, have been' released and returned to their homes, with; the exception of a small number, whom it is proposed to set free in a few days; nor do my responsible advisers apprehend that it will be necessary again to have recourse to extraordinary measures for the preservation of peace and good order in the district in question. Papers mil be laui before you containing the mi nates of the proceedings of an intercolonial conference held ..at. Sydney in the month of January last, at" which a member of my Government was present. You wilt learn from the* papers

that ' several measures of considetab le \ interest to the Australasian Colonies were considered By - the conference; and in accordance with one of the conclusions arrived at, * bill will be placed before you for the, regulation and restriction of the 'influx of Chinese into the coloay. The resolution ot a community of interests and mutual independence among the Australasian colonies evinced by this conference may hereafter be attended by results of conwderable importance. The, railway;b. and other public works authorised by you hare been proceeded with as rapidly aa expedient in the present circumstances of the Coloiny. In view of the necessity for maintaining the progressive -.work of colonization, proposals will come under your consideration for giving assistance to companies. prepared tio construct or continue main lines of railway. The termination of existing leases of land in the Middle Inland, held for pastoral purposes, affords |an opportunity which has not been over* looked by my advisers for rendering those lands more generally useful to the State. Carefully considered plans for effecting this object will be laid before you. The systematic laying out of roads in anticipation of the sale of waste lands has, in a very marked manner, promoted their occupation daring the past year. You will- be asked to sanction further expenditure to enable the Lands Department to give effect to plans, which, if carried out will practically enlarge the area, available for settlement, and invite a more extended employment of laboqr and; capital. The rerenue received from the sale of waste lands I during the past year has exceeded the estimate, and the increasing demand for lands for actual occupation, together with statistical information recently obtained, affords convincing proof that a fresh impulse is being given .to the work of settlement, while the expansion of local industries promises to provide profitable employment for a rapidly increasing population.. •r s . ■■:';■*■ :

lauuu...;.-;. ■ ■ < - : v s' . GBKTLKMEN OF THE HOUSE OF BEPBESEHTATIVEB— Large reductions have already been made in the cost of the public service without impairing its efficiency and the estimates of receipts and expenditure for the, current year which: will 'shortly be laid before you hare been' considered with a strict regard ta the most rigid economy. The revenue for the past year must in the whole be considered satisfactory. The excess of receipts o?er expenditure upon the railways amount to a return of 3|- per cent, upon the outlay iucurred upon their construction.

HONOBABLS LbGISIiAKVE COTJNCII.LOBB and Gentlemen of thb Hotrss of , REPBEBKNTATIVEB—

Bills will be submitted to you for the reorganisation of the representation of the people, and for the regulation of elections, which, in view of approaching termination of the present Parliament, I recommend to your early and most attentive consideration. The Commissioners, appointed last year for the purpose of inquiring into the constitution, practice, and procedure of the Supreme Court and other Courts of the colony, and of ascertaining by what means the administration of justice therein may be rendered more speedy and efficacious, and at the same time less costly, have made an ad interim report, a copy of which will be laid before you. lam glad to be able to inform you that the Commissioners have proceeded so far with the work as to enable them to anticipate the close of their labors in the course of the month of July. The. measures necessary to give effect to their recommendation may therefore be submitted to you during the present session. A bill will be laid before you which will hare tor its objeot the abolition of restraint in the alienation of land while guarding the 'interests'which may arise .out' of any trusts to which it has been made subject, Bills will also be laid before you for the regulation of the administration of charitable aid,, for the consolidation and amendment of the licensing laws, (or the amendment of the existing law in respect of the administration of Native Reserves Tor rating Crown Lands, and for providing for the grant of assistance to local public works. I have recently visited many districts of the Colony, and during these journeys I have had repeated bpportuni tieslof observing signs of increasing wealth,, the spread of settlement, and the energy and activity of those engaged in industrial pursuits throughout the Colony. The impressions which I had thus been led to form are strengthened by the result of the recent census, and by a perusal of the report and returns which, will be placed before you showing the revival of trade, the growth of new and important local industries, and the satisfactory condition of the ordinary and territorial revenue for the past year. In the discharge of the high functions committed' to me by the Queeu, it will always be my aim to manifest the same scrupulous and loyal regard to constitutional practice and usage, not only in the letter,* but in the spirit which has ever distinguished the Sovereign whom I representamongyoti. You may rely with confidence on my hearty cooperation in giving effect to the deliberate decision of the Legislature, and it is my earnest hope and desire that your labours may be so directed as, by God's blessing, not only to promote the material welfare of the colony, but to secure the stability of its institutions, the development of its great resources, and the permanent happiness of all classes of Her Majesty's subjects within it's boundaries. The business of each House was purely formal. Adjourned till to-morrow.