OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1695, 7 June 1884, Page 2

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

GOVERNOR'S SPEECH,

Wellington, Thursday. I The third sessiop of the eighth New .Zealand ' Parliament was opened to-day by fcne Gipvernor hisersoni The 5 wCather 1 was splendid. The ceremony, as usual, took place in the Legislative Council Chamber at 2 o'clock. The galleries of the Chambers -were crowded. The Governor was met at the door by Sir Win. Fitzherbert, and conducted to the dais near the Speaker's chair. There were about 25 membora present, and a dozen "Lords.' ' Tho following Ministers ...were inn attendance 5— Hon. Messrs MitciVelsbn; ftouesfcori, Oliver, Dick" £rye"c", and Conolly. The speech having been handed to His Excellency, he read it as follows : —

Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Gentlemen op the House of Rtcphesentatives, —

I have much pleasure in again, meeting you in Parliament assembled. Since the cloae of last session a great affliction has falleti.upon Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen through the sudden death of His Royal Highness the Duke of Albany. Sincere sympathy has been felt by the whole British people with our beloved Sovereign in her bereavement j aiid the high character 1 , noble aims, and beneficial pursuits of tho Prince, which had endeared him to all amongst whom he had lived and worked-, have .cause his IqsS to be regarded as a. national caiajnity. J did not delay in assuming Her .Majesty" b^ tile 1 deep sympathy Vvliitjii Was felt by the people of New Zealand in her severe affliction.

When I first mot the Assembly after my assumption of the Government, I expressed the satisfaction I had experienced in making myself acquainted with the people and tho resources of the Colony —so far as I had then been able to visit different districts. During the last year I have made a more extended tour through many parts of both Islands, and the manner in which I have been -welcomed in all those places I have visited has been most cordial and gratifying. The impressions I had already formed of the great capabilities and prospects of the Golony have been much strengthened by all that I have lately seen. The depression which had been felt during the past year at many parts of the world has been intensified in New Zealand by the unseasonable weather which prevailed in some districts at harvest time ; but this depresssion has largely resulted from external causes, the chief amongst them- being the reduced value of the staple products of the colony — wool and wheat. I trust, however, that renewal of prosperity may with confidence -be anticipated. There can be no doubt that with an increased population a more varied use of the soil would result in a large development of the vast natural resouroes of the Colony. Already new industries are springing up, with regard to which there is every reason to hope that the genial climate and- the great fertility _ of New Zealand will enable the Colony to compete successfully with other countries in tho markets of the world. Having the fullest confidence that with a cessation of the causes that have led to temporary depression, there will come a revival of trade and an increasing activity in all local industries. My advisers have not hesitated steadily to prosecute the work of colonisation by assisting to introduce a class of immigrants acceptable to existing settlers, and nominated by them. They have also furthered tho same work by disposing of the Crown Lands in such a manner as will, it is believed, promote their occupation by settlers who are able to aid in increasing the productive power of the Colony. The plan of offering a portion of the Grown lands for occupation, Jon a system of perpetual lease, has met with considerable success. This result will be accepted with satisfaction generally, for the plan affords to the industrious settler all the permanency and security of freehold tenure, while it leaves his capital available for improvements and for stocking his land. You will be asked to extend the operation of this plan to other parts of the Colony besides its proclaimed goldfields. You will be glad to find, from a return which will be presented to you, that, during the past year, there has been a considerable increase in the area of landHaken up, subject to rasidental conditions, and that, notwithstanding the difficulties under which the Agricultural classes have been labouring, their engagements with the Crown have been met on the whole with creditable promptitude. A proposal for dealing with pastoral lands in small areas will also be submitted to you. It is a matter for congratulation that while settlement within the Colony has been progressing, increased facilities for the disposal of its product in the home market are being afforded through the establishment —by private enterprise —of steam communication with Great Britain. Of special interest, connected with the establishment of direct steam service and the general growth of colonial industries, is the fact that the great and rapidly increasing consumption of coal is being met by increased production of the mines within the Colony, tho annual importation of coal has remained almost stationary for the last four years. On the goldficlds much enterprise has been shown, by the Minister during the year in introducing machinery and opening quartz mines, as well as in the application of new methods to the successful working of deep alluvial deposits. The yield of gold from quartz shows an increase over previous years, and although the total production for the Colony during the past year has not been equal to that of former years, there is satisfactory ground for believing that the average annual yield will in future be maintained. The policy which has been pursued for some years in dealing with native inhabitants of the Colony is daily producing more friendly relations between the two races, and this satisfactory result is, I am assured, visible in almost every native district.

Explorations for railway purposes and surveys for ascertainment of title over large areas of the North Island, but little known to Europeans, have been carried on with such slight interruption as to show that the isolation until lately maintained by some of the tribes no longer exists or is desired by them. The progress which is being made in determining tribal boundaries in the North Island will shortly leave little to be done beyond the work of subdividing and indi- ' visualising the native tenure. The timo has arrived when a very* material change in the mode of dealing with native lands is called j for, in. the interests alike of the Maori and ! the European population. A Bill will accordingly be laid before you to regulate tho sale or other disposal of land belonging to aboriginal natives. Experience has proved that the abandonment of the exclusive right to purchase lands by the Crown has not produced the beneficial results which wore anticipated by the promoters of that policy, but that, on the other hand, direct dealing for Maori lands by Europeans had been open to -objections of a very grave character. The good of the Colony, not less than the interests of the natives, requires a complete change, and a Bill will be submitted to you by which it will be proposed to permit the disposal of native land only through the Land Boards of the Colony or by direct sale to the Crown. Papers relating to the works of tho West Coast Commission will be laid before you, together with a final report on the subject from the Commissioners. Sir William Fox, who has for several years devoted himself, with great care, attention, and discretion, to tho fulfilment of the duties of that office, and the Colony has good reason to be satisfied with the manner in which he has completed the work entrusted to him. Gentlemen op the House of Repeesentatives, — Tho estimates of revenue and expenditure for the current year will be laid boforc you very shortly. The lossened income from the inc'histriefi of the Colony have led to greater frugality of living among tho people, and during the past financial year the receipts fi tr >m some of the principal sources of revenue have consequently fallen short of the amounts they were estimated to yield. This reduotion in Colonial revenue calls for greater economy and a diminished expenditure in the public service.

Hon. Gentlemen of the Legislative Council .and Gentlemen of the Hottse of Representatives, — * . When 1 had tho pleasure of meeting you at. the opening of last session, discussion was proceeding between my Government and the Governnient of Aiis'tral|a i'egp'eqtirig 1 concerted action to induce tlie Imperial GWe'i'nmeilt to establish British rule or protection ovfcr certain Islands of the Pacific. I then informed yoti that I had telegraphed to the Secretary of State, expressing my full concurrence in the desirability of the proposed action. It was before the end of the session, and an- j nounoed to. Parliament. thaj; it was determined ] to Hold a convention, id cdrislder me, question 6i feaeMtidri arid ariiie'xatidri; drill taitt it would be attended by representatives of New Zealand. I, in reply, consented to accredit the Premier and the Hon. Sir Frederick Whitaker, his predecessor in office, to attend the Convention. The meeting took place at Sydney during 1 the months of November and December last, and afforded an opportunity for the discussion of several matters affecting intercolonial interests. The report of the convention will be at once presented to you. Papers will also he laid before' ydu relating to confederation and annexation, and td the action taken and proposed to be taken by the French Government with regard to the transportation .of convicts and relapsed criminals to these islbsi JTdu wiH be invited.to consider certaih. resolutions df the donVentlonj e^jtedially those concerning, the .convict .question ; and AIM to consider a draft Bill having for its object th't? esiablisluiieniof rf, i'cder'al Cduricil. The pOVisidna 8f this Bill-do 1 ri»3t iii aily way affect -the powers of the several Colonies respecting the control of their own affairs, but it is deemed to be of importance that there should be a body having authority to act in matters of Australasia's cpnoern as to which individual Colonies, should bo poworless, or be capable ofno more than weak or dilatory action. Any action taken from time to time by the Imperial Government would be greatly facilitated by the existence of a body representing united Australasia with which they miglit confer on matters concerning the relations between this part of the Empire and foreign countries. A return will be laid before y ( ou I from which you will learn that thei'e Wad during the year a large increase in traffic on the railways, indicating a considerable growth in the industries of the Colony, biat it was found during the last few months that, notwithstanding this increase, there would be a deficit in the actual receipts as compared with the estimates which were submitted to you last session. Larpfe expenditure had also become indispensable not only for providing necessary appliances, but also for affording increased facilities to those using the lines. In these circumstances the Government decided to exercise the powers given to them by the legislature and to raise the tariff of charges to a rate nearly equal to that which, without bearing unequally upon any class, had formerly been in force rather than allow the expense of carriage upon the railways to fall on the general taxation of the Colony. Careful surveys have been made of different routes proposed for the main trunk railway through the North Island. Reports as to these, showing their respective merits and the character of the country travorsed by each, will be laid before you. In accordance with the terms of the North Island Main Trunk Railway Loan Act, 1 8S2, your approval will be asked for that route which is shown to offer upon the whole the greatest advantage.

A Bill "will bo introduced having for its object to establish, the Civil Service on a more satisfactory bnsis. By its provisions it will be sought to to give to the officers of the service a confidence in their status as defined by legislation, which cannot but be beneficial to them and to the public they serve At the same timo a guarantee will be afforded that appointments will be the reward of merit, and that promotion will be open in all departments of the service to those who prove efficient. Amongst other measures submitted for your consideration will be a Bill to pi-ovide for the carriage of parcels by post, a Bill to amend the Regulation of Elections Act, a Bill to alter the constitution of certain City electorates, a | Bill to consolidate and amend the law relating to the qualification and registration of voters and to provide for the issue of electors' rights, a Bill to amend the law relating to the property of married women, and a Bill to facilitate the alienation of land. I do not doubt that the circumstances of the Colony and the provisions of the "measures brought before you will receive your most careful and earnest consideration, and I trust that your decisions may, by God's blessing, j tend to the happiness and wellbeing of the people of New Zealand. After the reading of the speech, the Governor and party left the Chamber. Then the members, led by the Speaker, trooped into the House of Representatives. The Speaker took his seat, and Messrs "Wakefield and Newman were sworn in. A number of petitions were then presented. Dr Newman gave notice that he would move the Addi'ess-in-Reply on Tuesday. The House adjourned at 3 o'clock until to-morrow.