OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Bruce Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 1208, 1 June 1880, Page 3

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Wellington, May 28. Parliament was opened at 2 o'clock by the Governor in person. The attendance of members was very small in both Houses. Honourable Legislative Councillors, and Gentlemen of the Housk of Representatives, Iv accordance with what was understood to ba the wish of both branches of the Legislature, I have called you together at aii earlier period of the year than usual, and after an interval of little more than five months since the last session of Parliament. When I last met ycu the country was suffering from severe monetary pressure^ aud a geueral depression in various branches of industry aud trade. It is satisfactory forme to be able on the preseut occasion to congratulate you on the p iriial relief which has been experienced, and on the degree of couSdenee which has been revived by an abundant harvest, and by the increased 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 to state there should be a considerable amount of distress among the working classes. I trust and believe that this may be only of a temporary character. It is engaging the serious attention of my Government, who have taken steps for inquiring into the means best caculated to encourage such local industries as will afford steady and remunerative employment to the people. In accordance with the decision of the Legislature, I appointed a Royal Commission to inquire into the alleged grievances of a portion of ttie Native race in respect to their lands on the We3t Coast; of the North Island. The reports and recommendations 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 permament and satisfactory settlement of the difficulties which have arisen in that part of the Colony. The determination which has been shown to redress grievances where they may be proved to exist, and at the same time to assert the supremacy of the Crown, cannot but favorably affect our relations with the whole Maori race. Steps which should be taken for the defence of the harbors of the Colony have been carefully considered and ably reported on by Colonel Scratchley, an experienced officer of the Royal Engineers. You will be asked to consider the extent to which it will be advisable to give effect to his suggestions. Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, — Carefully prepared estimates of the reveuue and expenditure for the ensuing 12 mouths will be laid before you. The facts elicited by Commissioners whom I have appointed to inquire into the present position of the Civil (Service, will, I have no doubt, assist my responsible advisers in effecting substantial reductiors in the cost of that service. 1 regret to nave to announce to you that a falling off has taken place during the past financial period in almost all the priucipal items of revenue. While these may in some measure be attributed to temporary causes, it would be unwise to ignore the fact that prior to the existing depression there had been a time of extraordinary inflation, consequent upon the expenditure of large sums of borrowed money. With the lessening «f the abnormal influx of foreign capital, tht; couutry must look for a diminution in the rate of progress it has recently been accustomed to, both in respect of its ordinary and its territorial revenue. In these circumstances my advisers entertain no doubt as to the course to be pursued. Expenditure must be decreased ; luxuries must be curtailed ; the public works which have already been constructed must be made more reproductive : it is to industry aud economy that the Colony has to look for a development of its resources and the maintenance of healthy progress. You will be asked to consider a plau which it is believed will place the finances of the local bodies on a satisfactory basis, and wil enable those bodies to carry on their works in a self-reliant and independent manner. ETONOUKABLE I/ECJISLATIVE COUNCILORS, AND GENTLEMEN" OF THE HOUSE OF .REPRESENTATIVES, — At a time when it is indispensable that the closest attention should be bestowed upon the state of our finances, upon the solution of ques lions of grave importance, upon the settlement of the waste lands, and upon the general economy of administration, it is the intention of my Government to ask you to devote a longer time to the work of legislation than will be required to complete the constitutional measures already initiated, and to deal with pressing questions of social and administrative reform. Bills will be presented to you for consolidating and amending the licencing laws of the Colony, for placing the administration of hospital and charitable aid on a sound and intelligible basis, for completing the changes in the electoral law which were commenced in the last session of Parliament, for readjusting the representation of the people, and for amending the laws affecting the dealing with Native land 3 a. id the constitution of the Native Lands Court. Thu v. ork of consolidating the statutes as authorised by you has made considerable progress, aud a number of bills, th'> result of labours of th*. commission, will also be placed before you. Tho necessity of revising the. whole systom of legal procedure now in force in the Supreme Court and in other courts of the Colony has forced itself upon the attention of my Government. The subject is to large to enter upon during the present session, but it is proposed to institute an inquiry with the view of preparing such measures of reform as will render the administration of justice more speedy aud efficacious as well as less costly than at present. The work of opening up the waste Crown Lands for settlement has been vigorously prosecuted, and blocks of land for occupation upon the deferred payment and village settlement systems have been set aside over a'large portion of the Colony. The desire which exists for the occupation of land in small holdings exhibits a determination on the part of the people of the Colony to devote themscivess steadily to the development of its resources. It is to be regretted that iv some parts of the country land of this class has been bought on terms with which the purchasers have found io impossible to comply. The subject is under the careful consideration ot" my Government. I now have you to the labours of the sessioa. I have to assure you of my earnest desire to cooperate with your efforts to promote the welfare of the country, and to express my hope that God's blessing may rest upon your deleberations.