THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 1, 9 July 1874, Page 3

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

The Co'onialParMainent was : opei&Sp 2o c»ok «m FriVa) I ; The foltowWisl his Lxc lltuc>V>pee-)h:^- / 'U .;-.! r^?M@£&. -Honorable Leg^l a 'iye7.Cbuncilibr^^lll Gentlemen ot. the House of " Rew^ M-nf stives — ' "--. . ;:.-■'/. '--''''.x^^Bg *•* Lhave recourse with pltasure to lyr^M advice and assistance. '*•• / •'/■"■ ''■."■ "'^^^S The marriage of his' Royal Higbnew tS Duke of Edinburgh with her Imreriall Highness the Grand Duchess Marie^^ Russia, seems to me an occasion Vupp'fil which you will be glad to express ito hlrfl Majesty your congratulatirtnsi/and -rnyfl advisers will submit to jou addressed ib/£ ' the purpose. ••--■' ,; •: -■-■ I "M:y{^ Since the prorogation of tbe General^ Ast-euibJy I have visited most bt the rp/o-'^ yinces. I have taken every opportunity in/my power of acquainting myself With /the? circumstances of the whole country.^X am glad, in the course of my tours and visits, to have become known to a great number of the inhabitants, and I have had; the pleasure of .viewing the great natural resources of New Zealand,, and the con-/// siderable progress already made in their •/ development. Everywhere are evidences 3 of comfort and contentment among^the^ colonisti, while in those districts* in which Europeans and Natives are mingled there are gratifying signs of mutual confidence ' and even of regard. , ' The public jwbrks sanctioned by - you 1 . have been prosecuted with the utmost vigor. //_. ... l■■ ':■ •''-..- ; ■}:■• J The resources at the command- of the : Public Works Department permitted the number of immigrants into the country to be largely increased. Papers will be laid before you from which you will gather all the circumstances in connection with the selection and passages of. the immigrants,/ and the views of the Government thereon. You will also learn with pleasure that without impairing their own responsibility :>; to Parliament, my advisers have made arrangements with the Provincial Governments, to aid in locating and settling the immigrants on their arrival in the Colony The contract ably negotiated' by Mr. Russell, on behalf of the Colony, by which New Zealand, in conjunction with New! South Wales, baa;/again established a mail packet service with the mother countryi by way of the United States, will be laid befoaeyou. Owing to delay in obtaining the ratification of tbe Parliament of New South Wales, no envct has yet been given to tbe agreement approved by \ you last year between the colonies of New South Wales, Queensland, and New Zealand, for ' establishing telegraphic communication be- ' tween New Zealand and Australia, shl between Queensland and Singapore. The approval of .the Parliament of New-South Wales, which has recen'ly reached thU Government, will, it i 8 hoped, enable measures to be shortly taken, to promote a communication so important to this Colony. The gene-a! prosperity which prevails * throughout the country will be agratif\in<' proof to you of the wisdom- of the pr&s» visions which you have made for, at tfi^j *•->-•?. time increasi g the population; asii| enlargement; of, and putting tp; orontabill uses, the resources of the Colony.^/ ''fiH The continued peaceful relations wlth-'AH Native race, and the di.spositiotf>which -'flßi Maoris evince to recognise in your pojienH desire to promote the ? interests i of '■- bo-rT-F* race?, are subjects calculated to afford 3ou the utmost gratification. ' Gentlemen of the House of Represen- . . tatives-- '.-•>•-■'--'.•>-.• -■-//,-.' ; -"-,•; Estimates, framed with due regard to"---economy, but which necessarily indicate ? the largely increased work -bf administra-' tion, will be laid before you. The very considerable increase in the revenue/ will gm*. yoa co .fidenee in , continuing the ; ; great public wo. ks of the C »lony, and in ; expending money upon immigration^ / .: Honorable Legislative Councillors;- and • Gen bmen of the House of Ret re- •-•■• sentatives-— ; ...;•■■ „;/;, lam pleased to assure you of th'e*VoriV-'''. : tinued success of the Government system v ot Life Assurance and Annuities. "The time has come -when it is desirable voushould s:amp upon, this / institution the w unselfish nature of the motives : which ;? called itr into existence, by deciding tb>/: relinquish it to those who by usih- it^have -^ responded to your desirevto cultivate%o^ vident habits-^he prbfi/a^which may; arise^ from it. My advisers'will submit^b yoii^ a measure which will contain provision forperiodically allotting to the : poiicy^lders i« ™ C ?.P™™ as may be considered/^safeiyS divisible. .•'.'.-. -.'• I' '■■•--:;^-.. Ji&sit**tpapers will be presented Wyo#wifieK will enable you to judge that my advisers »^ opnnder. that the Polynesian Ulinds^ their ?^ civilisation, -ee< element*, ' 'commera^-ind. * ' forms of. Government^ present a p&bJeiiK ot great interest and imp-brtance/ to this^i Colony. .'.'■/■- yr':y-.--y^y^ Meaeures.wili be submitt^dib^rbvidb an -? additional election qualification/;^ cre*te S" and conserve State astGolonlaL % property- a mean^fbrftu^ine >^ against difficulties \A^h^o, : '^io^i^^:i consequence of continued ' / ain^rences^f 3*2 opinion between/the/two; brMlies of ithtl" Legislature:; and ,to;, make"pTQvi^ various requirements: of pressing nature,; / urgent? 'dentandsS upontbeir t administrative^ attenrjoh^rlleiS quentpn the rapid,progreMoWthe^oloijyM and the, many matters '\^XM^MWsx^m «rreßS: makes prompt- att^tionrd^sirableS lead my advisers to think/it^^ eipediegt^fotS to lnyite je£ißlatip^ do not press for immediate r s brufibh^#rl® responsible. :^ji^^i^%f^^^f^^M P^iPTpy^enceiifurther add^:thfe« fare of the;Co]pny and-the happinesslif fffiM people;pf both races^'.- '/■- v^^3--^'^^^l Zi?s9 )ai«l^p^e¥-of^the ;^Nlw^ ZeaJahd^Hand-B^bu!tfe P^rs^reiatirj^/ to/immigr-atioo^>^el#He» also|nM^ed^Bii^t(^i|^ m^^eb^h|ch;^af^te adjo'urhed. ? fill^Tueß^a#®-^MJ«t^S