THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4506, 14 June 1883, Page 2

THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

[Per Press Association.j

r WELLINGTON. I

This day.

The Governor's Sp«ec]i. Hon. Gentlemen of the -Legislative Council and Gentlemen of the House of; jßbpbesenjtatitpbb-* 1 .1 It affords me great pleasure to meet -yon for the first time in Parliament as sembled, since my aMumptibn of the Government of this country, to which Her Majesty has been graciously pleased to appoint me. X hara^i'iUtd ST«<msi.d<M»ble<' portion of each Island, and ' have thus open able to obtain.:* personal knowledge ' qf various districts, and to make the acquaintance of manvof the residents. I trust fire long to be able to^complete my, tour through the colonyM can't but regard the cordial manner in wtiioh I hare everyVh,ere been receired. as an evidence of the lbyal, attachment* of ,tbet people; of Bew,, i iealan'd to the throne and person of our 1 teloved Sovereign I have been especially gratified by'the hearty weleirtwe given to Sic by the natives, wfcm I have met in different p»rU I «ra« OMrth impressed Wherewl wenfcby tbe *^» ofiprcwrtt prosperity, and especially >l>y; tfii vast taxabilities of New Zealand, which only need-j&ff jtfrj^ derefcjw^t&laiaelpopu-.j ration and more extended markets for the produce of the colony: *r feel sure that i ,*i the inducements.lbii^cpuntrv has to < iffer become more' 4 'fully' ■ realised ( in ', 5 irope, increasing numbers qf suitable { c itlers will be attracted , 'to *' its "sifjores. A few days./ago^ : the Governwent of Victoria""tpiegraphed to my advisers, proposing that New Zealand should join the Australian colonies in ask* iojjt the Tt»]£ri«l, Government tojejtablish British rule over.thj'jlfpwj 1 Hebrides and other islands of the Pacific. Realising the great importance of thwie hHptoi'ko Am* trßlasis/andtheserioui^trfmeritltVoflld be, to Bri'ish interests should they fall inttf tbje band*. q(, a pforeiJrnCßjtwer, I. bare wired 1 lo 7;^?-Secretary ty&Mft for ftp colonies, expressing n^fjjil,^ concurrence injthe desirability of such action, and my advisers at once acceding t» the proposal made to them by, the Victorian Govern ment, telegraphed to the Agtfit'Gerierii! of} this colony Instructing*him to en-ope-rate wifliP the Agent General "tff* Vietbtia in| ,nrgjpg- tbesevi»wi:*n th«,Coloni*l ( OpSce. On Tnesdu^ last a tele rram was received from the AgentGeneraK* io" * tbVf" rfff*^ -librd' Dpvby would b» williDg-io promote the views of the colonies on this subject if some *;«il»fa«toFy- 'aiaavanteW were "given tM«t they would ' b'par ■■ |he' < necessary expense. Since Parliament last met a marked vimprov<>*ment has become appa^ rent in (he relations between the Maoris on; the one hand, and the Government and European settlers on the -other,;, on the west coast of the North If land, where great anxiety recently; prevailed, there now exists a general feeling of security. The Native Chiefis, Te;Wbiti and' Tohu,! have been released from custody and permitted to return to Parihaka. where they are residing. There is no indication that this concession will lead to the renewal of dangerous proceedings on the,part of the the natives. The labours* of the West Coast Commission, _ which - are' now drawing to , a close, , w^ll, no ;doubt,be productive of much good among Hue Maoris, and will greatly promote the beneficial occupation and improvement) of the country, by both races. The^anlrs of the colony are especially due \o Sif r JSV. Fox for his very valuable services towards, bringing about so satisfactory a result. The Maoris who have for so many years maintained their isolation in the districts between the European settlements at Waikato and those on the Waitara, have now, unreservedly renewed their intercourse with the Government,' and the European population, and it is a gratifying fact that on a recent occasion, important chiefs of the tribe which has hitherto maintained a most exclusive attitude, and which occupies tlie most isolated part of the colony, have recognised our laws by voluntarily attending the Supreme Court in Auckland, to give evidence against a number of their own people, who had committed a serious outrage on a par.ty of Government surveyors. There are grounds for a reasonable hope that in the future the natives will yield a willing obedience to the laws of the colony. The unopposed re-opening of the harbor of Kawhia, which had been closed to Europeans for more than twenty years, the laying oat of a Government township adjacent to the harbor, and the exploration for railway purposes of a part of the country—where for many years Europeans had not been permitted even to travel—-Warrant' the belief that the natives are realising the development of the resources of the country, and will most effectively promote their own interests. I have issued a ' proclamation under the, Act of last session granting an amnesty without any exception, and there is every reason to believe that' the amnesty has produced an excellent effect on, the native r population. The pressing > forward of surveys and the construction of roads prior to the alienation of Crown lands hare proceeded actively during the past year, and satisfactory results have been attained in the promotion of permanent settlement. Further • experience in departmental * administration has' shown that some , changes are requisite in the land law, in 1 order to give fuller effect to the desire of the Legislature. The public estate should b*| ro disposed of as to promote the distribution of the land amongst a numerous and industrious population; aneadmen tv of existing Acts having (hat object will be submitted for . jour , consideration. , During the last session Parliament deter* miowLJet...adopt, within fixed limits a system sof tf leasing agricultural lands with a perpetual tenure; the initiation of ti>,& system hat oeen attended with re- j M;lts» which may on the whole, be deemed ' satisfactory. The introduction of pottU* i^tic-B under the nominated system of ua*

oniiira-ioa was reamed on iis b^'tig auth-orised-by parliament, and has been carried on during the recess. Tbe increaseing facilities" of communication with Europe. the large area of land which is beiner opened for settlement hy r-iads and railways, and the extabli«h ment of new industries, offer, year by yea»", greater inducPTn^nts for the int.roduftion of c«pi£;jl, and at the sam" tim- 1 point to the necessity of steodily c ntinuing the assistance which i* given from ,th* s pahlic Junds^in -oymmigwtion. With the aid of money voted Sy Parlia«. ment, increased facilities for the development of the goldfielrfs hare been provided, dndfencourastement to this importint" in • dustry has been thereby:offered. L»rge sums hare been expended by private en« terprise in opening,out quartz reefs, and that branch of the industry is steadily assuming large proportions, and is becoming a permanent source of wealth to the colony.. I have been able to give effect to the wishes of the Legislature, jby arranging for the continuation of the San Francisco mail service for a period of two years beyond tbe termination of the existing contract, at a cost to this colony. i something less than that prescribed by the resolution passed last sessionV-tbe par* ticulars are contained in papers'which will be laid before you; Tenders < for the establishment of a direct line of steant" ships,,,jbetween Gre^t Britain and; the? Colony w«»rei adrertised for here,'"as". >ell as in the TTnited Kingdom, but neither the yigentJGretjeral; nor the Postmaaterjprineral ha« received -any offer for renewal"; attention to this subject wiH be invited during the session. » . 1 .'*;.;: W'f [Lett Speaking.]