BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 988, 19 July 1872, Page 2

BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.

OPENING OE. PARLIAMENT. THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH. (pek greyille'stelegiiajU COMPANY.,) WELLINGTON July 16. Honorable Legislative Councillors, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives. The alarming illness of his Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales, produced in this colony, no less than in other parts of the empire, feelings of profound regret, and subsequent intelligence of his recovery was hailed with universal rejoicings. My advisers will submit to you addresses to her Majesty, in which you will be asked to express your gratitude for the preservation of the Empire from a great calamity, and your sympathy with your sovereign and royal family. I have to congratulate you on the general tranquility which prevails in tho several native districts throughout New Zealand. The friendly disposition manifested by the tribes, hitherto disaffected, shows tho progress now being made towards a pacific settlement of the native difficulty. I have lately male a tour through districts in the interior of this Island, not long siuce disturbed by rebellion. I was everywhere treated by the natives with greatest respect and hospitality, and received from them tho strongest assurances of their desire to cultivate friendly rtlations with the European colonists. I was much picascd to see the progressof roads which are being constructed to a great extent by Maori labor.

I also congratulate you on the steady development and prosperous condition of agricultural miniug and pastoral industries. Since the close of the last session, my Government has been engaged in giving effect to Legislative measures passed by you for the construction of railways. Contracts for sections of several lines have been entered into, upon terms which I trust you will consider favorable. The surveys of other lines are approaching completion. Papers will be laid before you, which will inform you what steps have been taken to wards establishing a continuous stream of immigration. I am glad to be able to inform "you that the operation of the act which, three years since, the Legislature wisely passed for establishing, on colonial security, a system of Life Assurance Annuities, continues to meet with marked success. The progress and development of that system, on the principles on which it is based, will, 1 am sure, materially tend to the social comfort and welfare, not only of those who directly share in it, but indirectly of the whole community.

GENTLEMEN OF THE H.OUSE OF BepreSENTATIVE3: Estimates will laid before you, framed with every regard for economy consistent with efficient administration. A very satisfactory symptom of that reviving prosperity of the Colony, which I ventured last session to hope was not far distant, is to be found, 1 am happy to say, in the increased and increasing receipts of revenue. Honorable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen op the House of Uepresenxatives : The occurrence of a few cases of small-pox in the Colony should remind you of the importance of sanitary laws.. A bill will be submitted to you for improving; the law relating to Vaccination and Quarantine, and forjbetter enabling steps to be taken for the repression of epidemic disease in town and country districts. Measures will be submitted to you to consolidate and amend the laws relating to gold mining; to reduce the stamD duty payable on receipts, and within the Colony on newspapers ; to enable Municipalities and Koad Districts to enter into arrangements or grant concessions for the construction of tramways; to make more liberal terms on which Customs drawbacks are granted; to encourage fisheries; to amend the laws relating to public revenues ; to amend the law of bankruptcy ; to provide for the appoint-

merit of a public trustee ; and to consolidate and amend the laws relating to electors. These and other measures which may be brought before you, I commend to your careful consideration, and I pray that your labors may, under the blessings of Providence, conduce to the prosperity of the Colony and the happiness of the two races which inhabit it. July 18. Mr O'Onnor presented a petition from GOO Resident in the Buller District, re Land Purchase at Westport. Mr Steward moved that a Select Cominittee should report thereon three weeks hence. The motion was carried. Mr O'Conor made an explanation of what he termed a malicious and coarse article in a Nelson paper. On the honorarium question, he denied having s id that he received more honorarium than he was entitled to. Mr Fox moved, and Mr Stafford seconded an address congratulating the Queen on the recovery of the Prince oi Wales. The motion was carried. The following Bills have been read the first time:—Public Health Bill; Permanent OfuYers Salary Bill; Drawback Bill ; Public Trusts; Life Assurance; Tramways. The Upper House passed a vote of censure on the Government for not appointing a representative to the Upper House. PICTON. July 18. The railway was commenced yesterday. CHRISTCIIURCH. July 18. Coleridge District Election—General Assembly—Bluett, 21; Hart, 7 ; Jebson, 6. AUCKLAND. July 16. A great fire has happened at Shortland, on the south-west side of Pollen street, from the old Bank of New Zealand to Litchfielels and Baraett's. One mile of houses has been destroyed.