GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 476, 29 May 1880, Page 2

GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

♦ : May 28,1880. Honorable Legislative Councillors, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives—

In accordance with what was understood to be the wish of both branches of the Legislature, I have called you togethea at an earlier period of the year than usual, and after an interval of a little more than five months since the last session of Parliament.

When I last met you the country was suffering from severe ; raonetary pressure, and a general depression in various branches of industry and trade. It is satisfactory to me to be able on the present occasion to congratulate you upon the partial relief whioh has been eiperenced, and upon the degree of confidence which has been established by an abundant harvest, and by the inoreased value of most of the staple products of the country. At the same time, the condition of the Colony demands your careful consideration, I regret that there should be a considerable amount, of distress among the working classes, I.trust and believe this may be only of a temporary charaoter. It is engaging the serious attention of my Government, who have taken steps for inquiring into the means best calculated to'encourage such local industries as will afford steady and remunerative employment to the people. In accordance with the decisiou of the Legislature, I appointud a Royal Commission to enquire into the alleged grivanoes of a portion of the Native race in respeot to their lands on the West Ooaßt of the North Island, the reports and reoommendationß of that Commission will be laid before you, I trust that the measures at once firm and conciliatory, which, have been adopted by my Government,'will issue in a permanent and satisfactory settlement of the difficulties which have arisen in that part of the Colony. The i etermination whioh. has'teeri shown to; •redress; grievances where ; they mayJFJe proved -to exist, and at the same time to. assert the supremacy of the- Crown, cannot but favorably affect puf relations with the whole Maori race. . The step's 'which should be-taken for the defence of Hhe. harbors'of the Colony .haye'.been-caref ally considered, and ably reported bn~ by. Colonel Scratchley; mi .experienced officer' of the Royal Engineers;/. You; will; : b : e, asked to consider, the extent to which' it will be advisableio' give effect to hiV s'ugv gestions. ■ ■•;,.■■ /■••>■■■'. '■'••'•

Gentlemen of the House.ofßeptesen--tatives,—Carefully prepared .estimates ol the revenue and-expenditure for the en suing twelve months will beWbefon you.. The facts ..elicited by the ■ commit aionera whom I have appointed to inquire into the present position of the.Civil Ser vice .will I have no doubt assist my respon cible advisers in effeeting substantial re duetionsin the. cost of that Service, j regret to have to announce to you that i falling off has taken place during-the pas financial period in almost all the prinoi pal items of revenue, while this may it some measure be attributed'to temporar; causes, it would be unwise to ignore th" fact that prior to the existing depression there'had been for a time extraordinar; inflation, consequent upon the expend! ture of large sums of borrowed money With the lessening of the abnormal influi of borrowed oapital the country must 100 l for a diminution in the rate of progress i has recently been accustomed to, both ii respect, of.its ordinary and territoria revenue. In these ciroumßtaticea, m; advisers entertain no doubt as. to th course to be pursued.. Expenditure mus be decreased, luxuries must be curtailed the public works which have already, beei constructed must be made more reproduc tive. ; It is to industry and economy tha the Colony has to, look for "a .developnien of its.resources j. and'the maintenance of healthy, progress. You will be asked"i consider apian which it is believed, wil place the finances of local bodies on i satisfactory basis, and will enable' thoß bodies to carry on their work in a self reliant and independent manner. Honorable Legislative Councillors am Gentlemen of the House of Represents tives,—At a time when it is indiapensabl that the closest attention should be be stowed upon the state of our finances upon the solution'of Native questions c srave importance, upon the settlement o the Waste Lands, and upon the genera economy of administration, it is not th< intention of my Government to aik.yoi to devote a longer time, to the Worko legislation than will be required'to com plete the constitutional measures alreadj initiated, and to deal with pressing qiiea tions of'social and administrative reform Bills will be presented to you for consoli dating and amending the licensing laws o the Colony, for placing the administratis of hospitals and charitable aid oh a souni and intelligible basis, for oompleting th changes in the electoral law. (whioh wer commenced in the.last.session of. Parlia men t) for readjusting the representatioi of the people, and for amending the'law affecting the dealing with Native lands and the constitution' of the Native Lam Court. The work of consolidating th statutes authorised by you has made con siderable progress,, and.a number of Bills the result of- -tKfe';labors of the Commii sion, will als'o'be; placed before you. Th necessity for reusing the whole system o legal procedure now in foroe in the Su preme Court, and in other Courts of th Colony, has forced itself upon the atten tion of my Government. The subject i too large to enter upon during the presen session, but it is proposed to institute ai enquiry with the view of preparing sue! reform as will render the ad ministration of justice more speedy am efficacious, as well as less costly than a present. The work of opening up th waste lands of the Crown for settlemen has been vigorously prosecuted, andblock of land for occupation upon deferred pay menta and village settlement system hav been set aside over a large portion of th Oolonjv The desire whioh exists for th occupation of land in small, holdings ex hibits a determination tin the part of th people of the Colony todevote themselve steadily to the development' of its : rt sourses. It is to be regretted that in som parts of the.country land ef thisolasshs been bought on termsiwith whioh thepui ohiserg have found it impouibl* to «*»

ply. _ Tlw subject ia under the careful consideration of. my Government. In now leaving you to the labors of the sea--Bion, I have to assure you of my earnest desire to co-operate with-' you .in your efforts to promote the welfare of the country, and.te.express my hope'thatQod'i blessing may rest upon your delibera-' | tlons. / ./;. ..:zf s

[ [To the Editor of the Waibaba?aDaiit.] Masterton, May 27. Sir,—ln your edition of thevrepo'rt of the Eire Brigade Committee of the Borough Council occurs a printers' •error.The report stated that '■' the Brigade publishes a yearly balance' aKeSfc;"*&oTTßiit you have printed it '.'a half-yearly balance sheet," By kindly correcting thf error you will oblige, as it has misled people. ■/,.•!- Yours, etc,',; •'-,! ■■ \" TownCierk.• , ; To the Editor of the Wairarapa DAiLYr May 27,1880. Sir,—lt has been remarked that that that that that man " Skaticus" wrote to you about yesterday was just a.wee bit ■ superfluous. Why was" Skaticus" surprised that " nothing" of the sort is " not" started in .the Wairarapai Be mußtbe deGcient iii his catechism, I'm afraid. I, for one,' should be glad to see skating initiated here this winter, and hope the hint will be taken by thoi9/in> tended.—ifour»,&c, Ousioat. P.B.—Why doei his oat ha oust ?