The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1881.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3884, 10 June 1881, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1881.

Beyond "fliat told by Mr Hall in his I address T to his constituents; there ;is "Very little more,-touching the policy iofr tKe^orernment in the speech delivered by the - Governor at the openiog^of Parliament yesterday. The ;speedh is;on the whole a pleasing and a hopefoljwie, without introducing in any degree ' new.; ideas, of legislation or more \ than . ordinary subjects for gubernatorial utterances. The Ministry take creditfor the snccess which haa attended the management of the West 'Coast affairs, and an opinion is given thfttra peaceful solution of the..native difficulty has Jbeen arrived at/ Bineficial rendts are Anticipated from the deliberations of the Inter-colonial Conference, lately held at Sydney^ and acting upon a- resolution of that Conference, a bill to deal with the Chinese question is tor be laid before Parliament j The Governdr stated that all public wpidlyaa was expedient. The, quahfi, | cation was required, for it cannot bes *iaid ;■ tiaafc %*ettt expedition has' been* ;|t^v^n;tKef m^tfeir^f pe fT^meslnd Waikato line. The to^^jMq^jmi by Mr Hall a^^fie4^ E'tlit>i"itmig^ b* f desirable M» gratit land to railway 1' mf:'^}titr 'construction Government were unable to undertake, it would appear 4» an aocepted item in the progtamni«,of the Ministry, for His Excelleniisy ii'mide' tdsky/'Vin view of the jiecessity for joaaintaining the progressive work oJSljii^colonwaKon, pro-; posals will come under your consideration for giving assistance to (companies prepared to construct or continue main #neß©f railway^'n ; pjbe ; assistance cvii dently means grants of land, for urifler the District Railways Act at present in forde'%he? 6fovernm«at ■ ai"e"empowered, under certain circamstenoes, to grant assistance in thedirection of guaranteeing in case of failure, a proportion of the raie of i^teresV; ta be 'paid "cai^&iists who 6iqj*»iid f mbiiey bn 1 railvfray works. If land is to bs the assistance referred to in the speech, the Government may expect; pppPß^tipn;'to their views, for Sir George Grey' stated, in feply to a question asked him after his late address at the Theatre Royal, that he was opposed"to suoKa^flcEe^ae.; The sMeinent that,anch, proposals* are called'for a m view of the necessity for maintain--jng progressive-works ef colonisation," is of itself the best of arguments that if such Vbrks^'are'" required they should be undertaken by thY Government, one of whose great objects is " to maintain the progressive work of

colonisation." -~We like the vitwr expressed of an intention to ask for a fatherejcpe^upj^'igpon roads and the obeSingai|fjp^^gt e ;lands, and believe % RolliirtThas had a great deal to do>witfe.^lj^Hng "thi« expression included; ill the spbecb. * This'proposal has teo} the approval bf^all the s« local bodies who have con3idered s the question, and it is-well-known is in unison with the views of Mr Rolleston. It is gratifying that a " fresh impulse is being given to the work of settlement, while the expatiwoirof local industries-promises: to provide profitable employment for a rapidly increasing population." The speech farther says that the legislators will be called upon to give early and attentive consideration to the question of reorganisation of the representation of | the people. This statement is some! I what of a relief, for many persons were of the opinion that the Government would not-attempt to deal this ..session with the question of* representation, although it was .well understood that the subject would be brought up by the Opposition. Upon 'the" question no doubt a great deal, of'discussion will take place,, for it is^ known that the Government we pert prepared to, accept in its" entirety "the,, principle of representation on the basis bf population. The only other measures referred to in the speech are the regulation of the administration of charitable aid, amendment of licensing laws>« administration of native reserves, rating Crown lands, and providing for assistance for local public ,wprks. The Charitable Aid Bill is likely also to cause trouble to the , Ministry we are prepared to admit, 'Jrequire amendment, and the rating p£ Crown lands is most desirable; while there is an immediate necessity for some provision being ; made to assist local bodies in the execution of pnblic #orks^ now • that the subsidies have been discontinued. The Governor concludes,the speech with a general expression of satisfaction with the present state? of t the colony, both financially and socially, all giving: promwe; of a prdsperbus fntur^.