THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH. [BY TELEGRAPH.] Wellington, Yesterday.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1541, 20 May 1882, Page 2

THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH. [BY TELEGRAPH .] Wellington, Yesterday.

Honorable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, — It is with much pleasure that I have recourse to your advice and assistance on the occasion of the opening, of the eighth Parliament of New Zealand. I forwarded to the Queen an expression which-1 feel sure will have your hearty concurrence of the deep-felt thankfulness with which all classes of Her Majesty's subjects in New Zealand heard of her preservation from danger, and of their prayer that she may long be spared to reign over a loyal and united Empire. The measures adopted by the last Parliament to extend the franchise, to increase the representation of the people and afford more frequent opportunities of ascertaining the opinion of constituencies may, I trust, cause all classes of the community to take an interest in your deliberations, and be found conducive to the permanent welfare and happiness of the colony. I am glad to be able to congratulate you upon the renewed and well-founded confidence which exists as to the commoroial prosperity of +)»» ovlvuy upon the dissappearance of distress among the working classes and upon the general increase of the revenue. The proposals submitted to Parliament last session for the laying out of roads to promote the colonization of waste lands have had careful attention during the recess, and in all parts of the colony the work of settlement has progressed favorably. New openings are in course of development for the employment of labour, and capital, railways have become more productive, and fresh groups of population are settling in the districts, which only require the means of convenient access to make prosperous. A desire for permanent settlement on goldfields, and for profitable union of miningand agriculturalinterests, points in the same localities is becoming more manifest. The present is in the opinion of my advisei s a veiy favorable one at which to press forward the contraction of roads, and to faciliate the influx of population. The success of the scheme which has been adopted at Rotorua, on a limited scale, for administering lands on behalf of the owners leads me to hope that it may have beneficial and more extended operation in future. My advisers are of opinon that a plan for leasing agricultural lands with fixity of tenure upon reasonable terms, may, with advantage, be incorporated into the general system of administering the Crown lands of the colony, and a measure will be submitted to you with that object. Towards the close of the last session of Parliament, the aspect of affairs on the West Coast of the North Island appeared to my Government to have become more threatening than had previously been the case, and my advisers felt themselves compelled to consider M'hether more active steps than had been taken might not be required for the repression of lawlessness, the protection of Her Majesty's subjects, and the termination of the mci easing excitement in that district. At their request, the House of Representatives voted a sum of £100,000 to meet such a contingency. In the month of October the time had arrived when conciliation having, iv the opinion of my Ministers, failed to effect its object, they considered the adoption of more vigorous measures to have become necessaiy. A pioclamation was accordingly issued, during my absence fiom the colony, by the Administrator of the Government calling on Te Whiti and his adherents to accept within a given time the lands offered to them, a requisition with which Te Whiti failed to show any sign of compliance. The dangers and difficulties ot the position were judged by my Government only to increase with the continued exercise of forbearance, and it was resolved that the periodical meetings should cease, and that the natives from other localities congregated there should be compelled to return to their own districts, and that Te Whiti and Tohu should be removed from a position which was deemed by my advisers to constitute a stauding menace to the peace of the colony. Te Whiti and Tohu were therefore arrested, and were committed for trial on a charge of sedition. In order to secure the success of the operation necessary for these objects, the Yolunteeis were invited to lender assistance and a large addition was made to the Aimed Constabulary. Thethanks of the colony are due to the Volunteers, for the readiness with which they answered the call made upon them, ami for their soldierlike conduct, while on active service. The discipline and good conduct of the Armed Constabulary entitle them to the highest praise. My Government desire it to be recorded that in the course pursued they have been and aie actuated by anxiety to ai'ert consequences disastrous to all classes of Her Majesty's subjects, rather than by any desire to inflict punishment. A bill will be laid before you, having for its object to render the trial of Te Whiti and Tohu unnecessary, and at the same time prevent them from returning to Parihaka, or re-commencing an agitation which has long caused alarm and apprehension of danger on the VVest Coast. I am assured that confidence in the tran« quility of the district is established, and a feeling of security exists amongst its inhabitants which has long been unknown to them. Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, — The estimates of revenue and expenditure for the current financial year will shortly be placed before you.

Honorable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, — Returns will be laid before you which show that the revenue has considerably exceeded the amount estimated. The railway returns, especially, show a gratifying increase. Tne surplus of receipts over expenditure during the past year amounts approximately to 4 per cent, upon the cost of construction. New impetus appears to have been given to every branch of industry ; the yield of gold for the year, which lias just closed, as compared with that of several previous years, shows a marked improvement of this important industry, and encourages the belief that further exdenditure in the opening up of the goldfields will be productive of the best results to the colony at large. These facts appear amply to justify your making provision for the extension and ultimate completion of the ' main trunk lines of railways, as w.ellas for other important works'jn connection with them,' to which' Parliament "has*^already given its sanction. Proposals wittf&ese objects will be^made to you, which the 'increase of 'revenue "and * the value of property appear fully to justify. The Commissioners app6inied k to enquire ;into the constitution, practice, and procedure of the courts of judicature , the 'colony, f of preparing such;measures of reform tas woufdc rentier* the administration of justice more speedy.' and, efficacious, and at the same time less

costly than at present, have completed their labors. And bills will be presented to you for giving effect to the recommendations of the Commissioners. Bills will also be introduced to amend the Counties and Road Boards Acts ; to regulate the making and levying of rates ; to effect important changes in the working of the Government Insurance Department ; to improve the law effecting lunatics ; to enable affirmations to declarations to be taken in lieu of oaths ; to abolish the restraints on alienation of land ; to amend the law relating to the property of married women ; to consolidate and amend the law relating to legal practitioners, and lor the better mauagement of native reserves. Each of these subjects will require your very careful consideration, and under the guidance of Providence I trust that your deliberations will result in just conclusions beneficial to all classes of Her Majesty's subjects in this colony.