GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10081, 29 June 1910, Page 3

GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

IMPORTANT LEGISLATION FORESHADOWED.

LAND, FINANCE, AND DEFENCE BILLS.

Following is the text of -the speech r elivered by His Excellency the Governor, L rd Islington, at the opening of the,third session of the Seventeenth Parliament yesterday afternoon at Welllington: — Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives. Hav- ' ing been appointed by His Most Gracious Majesty as his representative in New Zealand it gives me great pleasure to meet you now for the first time in Parliament assembled. Only ■ a few weeks since the British Nation , had to deplore the death of his Jate j Most Gracious Majesty King Edward the Seventh, and the people of this Dominion most loyally acclaimed the reign of the New King, and his accession was fittingly proclaimed. It giv.:s me great pleasure at this, the commencement of my term of office, to be able to congratulate you upon the splendid recovery this Dominion has made from the recent financial depression. It is gratifyin? to recognise the continued and marked improvement I? evinced in both'the public finances and the industries of tup Dominipn, and probably ijt is fair to say that New Zealand is now in as sound and prosperous a condition sb she has been at any'time during her history. In this connection it is interesting to, notice that the value of our products for last year exceeds that of the previous twelve months by a sum of upwards ot £6,000,000. During the last twelve'"months the alienation and settlement of - Crown Lands and of all lands pur- ; chased from native owners and also from European owners under the Land for Settlement Act, have continued with more than usual energy. The great 'and increasing demand for land by bona fide small settlers is conclusive proof of the need of the closer land settlement policy of this Dominion, and of the -necessity for procuring by every resource within the powers of Government the necessary land to reasonable satisfy this increasing demand. The purchase of Native lands for European settlement has been carried on with as much expedition as possible, aild as far as the financial limit fixed by law permitted. It is gratifying to know that the native owners throughout New Zealand who have surplus land for disposal are evincing a spirit of friendly co-operation in making these surplus lands available for settlement, while on the areas retained for thejr own use and occupation the settlement of the Maori owners is proceeding more vigorously.

It has been found desirable to promote communication with Australia and some of the South Pacific islands by means of wireless telegraphy, and arrangements have been made to achieve this end. The necessity for. improving communication with backblocks settlements in this country is increasingly. recogniEed, and during the last twelve months very large sums have been spent in improving and forming road communication with the settlers on the more remote lands, m recent years settled in small areas. The greatest interest has been shown in the scheme contained in the Land Settlement Finance Act, although some further amendments are necessary to give the Statute -tfce free and effective operation my advisers contemplate. During the recess this country has been honoured by a visit of Field-Marshall Lord Kitchener, who furnished my advisers with a most valuable communication, containing a series of recommendations for

the most effectiva protection of this. Dominion. Mr Speaker, and gentlemen of the House of Representative?, the last year's returns' of public revenue have been eminently satisfattary. The items of revenue and expenditure will in due coarse be laid befjre you. The work of reducing the cost of the public service has been completed and these savings contemplated will be substantially realised. The death duties"of last year has been found to work eff actively, and will produce the revenue, contemplated. " Honourable gentlemen of the Leg-; islative Council, and gentlemen of the House of Representatives—Returns will be laid before you showing

the results of traffic throughout oar railway system, and your attention will be directed to various questions of importance in connection with the management and extension ot that branch of the sarvice. The present condition of mail connection with the United Kingdom has been engaging the clo3e attention of my advisers, and negotiations are at pressnt proceeding with a view to giving better nnd closer mail service with Great Britain. Coneequsnt upon the recommendations made by Lord Kitchener, you will be asked to give your best consideration to amendments of tha Datence Act, which will provide, under certain conditions for an extension of the age limit for compulsory training- . Your attention will be directed to the of land legislation and the Land Bill of last year with some amendments will he again submitted to, you for approval. - My advisers are of opinoion tha the time has arrived, when, an effec tive scheme for the establishment of a sinking fund for the payment of the public debt should be instituted. Legislation will also be introduced t; aiford relief in proper cases to the j homes upon which the burden and expenses of maternity now fail heavily, and a provision will be made whereby the State will in cases where,the bread-winner earns, only a small wage, make a substantial contribution towards this relief. The National Annuities Bill of last year, with some amendments, will be introduced a I'd submitted for your consideration.

My advisers have given further attention to the very important question of local government, and proposals will be submitted to you for approval as the basis of a comprehensive measura upon the subject. It is ccnsidered necessary for the protection of the people as a whole that effective anti-trust legislation should be placed o« cur Statute Book, and a Bill for that pourpose has been prepared. It has Leen deci ei to introduce a provision into cur electoral law whereby suitable persDus will be appointed to in3ure the enrolment of all adults entitled to the franchise. Legislation will also be introduced for the purpose of establishing in this country what is known aa the Post Audit System in connection with our public accounts.

My advisers have decided upon a complete revision of the existing pri- j sons system, and the new scheme is J being steadily put into force. To complete its operation, however, some legislation is necessary, and a , Bill embodying the necessary provisions will be submitted to you. The existing mining legislation has been working smoothly, and the mining industry continues prosperous. Some amendments of the law, however, are deemed necessary, and these will in due course be submitted | to you. It las also been decided that the chief sources cf water power should be- retained in the hands of the Government, and that they should be developed for public, commercial a id mining purposes by State enterprise. To this.end legislation will be introduced.

Bills amending or c jnsolidating the law with regard to land settl - msnt, finance, land anil income assessment, gaming, destitute persons, municipal corporations, Crown suits, public holidays, mental hospitals, ! Harbour Boards, native reserve?, ! nati\e townships, rating on native lands, factories, shops and offi es, companies, criminal appeals, bankruptcy, libel and slander, indecent literature, secret commissions, silver coinage, tramways, education, noxious weeds, and other important matters will be introduced for your consideration. I feel sure that in dealing with all these propoeals you will use your test industry and judgment, and I trust that by the grace of God your deliberations and proceedings will b3 to the credit of Parliament, the gtod of New Zealand, and the honour of the Empire.