INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

West Coast Times, Issue 140, 28 February 1866, Page 2

INTERCOLONIAL NEWS.

OPENING OF THE VICTORIAN PARLIAMENT.

SPEECH OF SIR CHARLES DARLING.

His Excellency Sir Charles Darling opened Parliament on Tuesday, 13th February, and delivered tho subjoined speech. The address was agreed to in the Assembly without a division. The Upper House have postponed the consideration of the speech till Thursday. Mr President and Honorable Gentlemen

of the Legislative Council : Mr Speaker and tientlemen of the Legislative Assembly :

I have thought fit to call you together as soon as possible after the general election, in order that the questions upon which the country has pronounced may be considered and determined by the Legislature without delay. I trust that the result of the appeal that has been made to the people will aid you in overcoming the great difficulties which have accrued from the differences between the Houses ; and that by a wise and considerate exercise of the powers which you respectively possess, you may be able to legislate in accordance with the public will. Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly: The alterations in the Tariff which were sanctioned by the late Assembly will be immediately submitted to you, / The Estimates for the year have been framed with a due regard to economy, while, at the same time, provision has been made for the efficient maintenance of the public service, the prosecution of works already commenced, and for such others as are required by the progress of the country. The sum of £50,000 voted by you last year for the erection of bridges ih country districts, and the amount provided in aid of the building funds of charitable institutions, will be held available for those purposes. The increase of the endowment for main roads, for which a Bill was to have been brought in last year, will be proposed to you as a supplementary vote for 1865. Mr President and Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council j Mr Speaker and Gentlemen of the Legislative Assembly ; Although the ordinary course of public business has been much disturbed by recent events, I am glad to be able to tell you that the most important measures of the late Parliament have been promptly and energetically administered by the Government.

Amongst these is the provision made for giving to the country districts a supply of water. An adequate staff of engineers and surveyors has been for some time employed' upon the work, which will be pressed on with the utmost despatch. It is the intention of my advisers to carry out the desire of the Legislature upon the subject of colonial defences, some of the ordnance required for the batteiies being now in course of manufacture in the Royal Arsenals.

The necessary applications, have been made to Her Majesty's Government for the establishment of a branch of the Royal Mint at Melbourne.

You will be gratified to learn that the Land Act continues to work satisfactorily. Should further experience disclose defects in it which cannot be cured by administra--tion, it will be the duty of my advisers to propose such amendments of the law as may secure its great objects— the agricultural settlement of the people and the more rapid growth of the country. I am happy to be able to inform you that the commission lately appointed for the purpose of arranging and carrying out the means for an Intercolonial Exhibition of Industry, to be held in Melbourne in August next, have applied themselves to their task with the utmost zeal and energy ; and that in response to their official communications, they have received from all the surrounding colonies, as from the various districts of our own, the warmest assurances of co-operation and support. Perhaps by such an exhibition only can even colonists themselves obtain adequate knowledge, and distinct impressions as to the varied capabilities of this vast and interesting island continent , and we may hope that the collected specimens of the produce ai^d industry of Australasia, which the well directed labours of the commission may bring before you, will, as in older countries, give a new and most beneficial impulse to the enterprise of our people. The almost unprecedentedly long drought by which the country has been afflicted, and which until very recently threatened to become in its consequences a great public calamity, is, I trust, drawing to an end. From various pastoral districts of this colony, and from the interior of New South, Wales, we learn that extensive districts have been relieved by copious rain. It is some mitigation of ,this visitation that the season which has been so injurious to the pastoral and mining interests, has not in the same degree affected agriculture, the crops of the present season being in many 'districts unusually abundant. A sessions of twelve months' duration, followed immediately by a general election artd the meeting of Parliament, has not left to my advisers time for the preparation of various important measures which it will be necessary to submit for your consideration. But there are some Bills which can be prepared and introduced this session without protracting your deliberations too much.

Amongst these I may mention Bills for the amendment of the laws relating to Lunacy, the Public Health, and the Volunteer Force, which cannot be conveniently deferred, and which/ with the Tariff, and the Estimates, and a Bill for the Reform of the Legislative Council, will be submitted for your early consideration. ' Anticipating that you will be disposed to agree with the resolution of the late Assembly in favour of a reduction in the postal charges, my advisers propose to submit a Bill for the establishment of a uniform rate.

The experience of the working of the. " Common Schools Act " seems to call for further legislation, and with a view to the obtainment of accurate and detailed information, it is my intention to issue a Royal Commission on the subject. I trust that your deliberations may, under the blessing of Divine Providence, conduce to the permaneut prosperity and. happiness of the people. 0i H, Darmno, Governor, Melbourne, istb F»b.iwy, )BQO,