PROROGATION OF COUNCIL. SUPERINTENDENT'S SPEECH.

Waikato Times, Volume VI, Issue 328, 20 June 1874, Page 2

PROROGATION OF COUNCIL. SUPERINTENDENT'S SPEECH.

Me Speuceh. axd Gentlemen of the Pbovixcial Council, — " I have to thank jou for the careful attention bestowed by you upon the sevcial matters which hare been submitted to your consideration during the present session. The I various important measures which have resulted from your deliberations will, I trust, conduce to the public advantage, and prove to be beneficial to the province at large. It will bo my desiro lo co-operate with you as far as possible in giving effect to the recommendations contained in your addi eases, more particularly those which will require my attention at the forthcoming session of the General Assembly. From your concurrence in my proposal te alter the financial term of the province, and the time of the yearly session of Council, it may be anticipated that a great benefit will result in the opportunity thus afforded of enabling the Council to ponsidor many important matters affecting the welfare of tins piovince which may require to bo dealt with, by the Colonial Legislature. "I thank you for tlio appropriations which you have libernUy voted for Ihe Provincial service, and for public works, botli at the Thames and Coromandel goldfields ,and throughout, the pi ounce generally (North and South). Those supplies shall bo carefully administered by me in such a manner us is best, cnlculatctl to secure the permanent advimeemcMil of the prou'.ice. " I am happy to inform you that friendly relations still continue to subsist between the General Government and (Ins province ; and I trust that nothing will ariso to interiHjjt these relations, the maintenance of which cannot b? otherwise than mutually beneficial to the province and colony as a whole. " Tiio subject of immigration will receive my best attention, whether in supervising the management of the General tbvprnment scheme, so far as it has been entrusted to my hands, or in providing such auxiliary means as may be found desirable to 'promote mimigantion to this piovince, in the appointment of loc.il agents in various parts of the United Kingdom and elsewhere, as occasion may require. " 1 shall gladly use every exertion in my power towards giving effect to jour conclusions in regard to the settlement of the waste lands of the province, and the necessary modification of the land laws. " The pains whioli you have taken in collecting statistical information upon the traffic and commerce of the Kaipara diit rift will enable me, I trust, to place tho subject ol the proposed railway extension from Kiveruead to Auckland beforo the authorities at Wellington in such «, light as will show the data upon which Mr Carruthers' report was based to have been cnoneous, and lead to the construction of that important line of railway nt no distant date. " In addition to the twelve bills passed during tho present session, to which I have already declared tho Governor's a«ont, I have assented, on behalf of his Excellency, to the following bills : — The Auctioneers' Liconsicg Act, 1563, Amendment Act, 1871. Tho Tuakau Road Act, 1874. The Municipal Corporations Act Amendment Act, 1873, Operation Act, 1874 The Manukau Harbour Endowments Debt Eepeal Act, 187*. » The East Coast Diitrict Sheep Act, 1874. The Private Burials Prevention and Regulation Act 1574. ' The Opotiki Road Act, 1874. Tho City of Auckland Loan Empowering Act, 1874. The Maioro Road Act, 1574. The Newmarket Hall Act, 1874. The Fencing Act 1855, Amendment Act, 1874. The Fencing Act Suspension Act, 1874. The Impounding Act, 1867, Amendment Act, 1874. The Sheep Act, ISG3, Amendment Act, IS7I. The Hauraki District Fire Rate Act, 1872, Amendment Act, 1874. Ihe Members' Remuneration Act, 1874.' The Public Building Act, 1874. The Mangapiko Road Act, 1574. The Arapohue Roads Act, 1874. The Auckland Supreme Court Site Grant Empowering Art, 1574. l " The Appropriation Act, 1874. The Highways Act, 1874. And I have reserved for the signification of the Governor's pleasure — Tlie Coolahan Milldam Goit Act, 1574. The Education Reserve Sale Act, 1874. The Auckland Grammar School Reserves Act, 1874. I ' ' "With respect to the very important question of providing adequate means for the education of the youth of this piovince, which has been under the consideration of the Council during this and former sessions, I need not assure you of my entire sympathy. I must, however, express my regret that you have not approved the principle embodied in the bill originally submitted by me, namely, to commit the charge of education to a Commissioner, representing the Council and tho Government, rather than leave it to be managed by a Board possessing large discretionary powers of administration, and yet constituted in such a manner as to attach at tho most but a partial measure of responsibility to its proceedings. It is also a matter for regret that no provision lias been made in the Amendment Bill for charging i\w Boavd -which administers tho funds wifch the duty o^f collecting Iho lax. There arc, as you are aware, other serious objections entertained by me to tho Act of 1872, but as I understand the present measure is designed only ns an ex.pertinent., I would not irish to prolong tbo Session by re-Uu-nmg the EiJl to you for amendment in this and other respects. As, however, it is probable that an adjustment of tho whole question of tho taxation (direct and indirect) of this colony must soon take place, I hesitate to givo my assent, on bchnlf of the Governor, to a measure which will increase the divcel faction of this Province, lest its effect should jv cjudicc or embarrass any action which may bo taken ly Iho Colonial Legislature towards equalising tho taxation of tho country, embracing (ns such action no donbt will) n |iii>tmon for tho educational icquircmcnts of tho colony w ithout tlin necessity ior tho imposition by tho Provincial Legislature of a direct tay upon sections of 'tho community. Notwithstanding llics* objections 1 am, nevertheless, unwilling to oxerciso the power vested in me under the Constitution Act, of withholding tho Governor's assent, and I have theirforp rrservetl ' Tho Education Aet-1872 Amendment Act 187 1' for tho signification of tho Governor's pleasure theioon. "I now declare that this Council stands prorogued, and it is prorogued accordingly. " J. Williamson, Superintendent. '• Provincial Council Chamber", i r "Auckland, June 17, 1571." r lho Council ruto at a quarter past 1 o'clock.