THE PROROGATION SPEECH THAT WASN'T DELIVERED.

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 123, 17 November 1876, Page 3

THE PROROGATION SPEECH THAT WASN'T DELIVERED.

♦ Parliament having been prorogued without a speech, the Wellington Argus gives the following as the speech which " was not read" : — Honourable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House of Rerresentatives — The state into which youhave brought the public business, and the strong "probability of grenter mischief being done, if the session were prolonged. enubJfs iTie to re'ease ,T OU l r om further attendance in Parliament. I regret that 1 am unable to express fully my opinion of the manner in which you have performed your duties during the session. When, some four mo.iths and a half ago, I had recourse to your ad view and assistance, I did so with much satisfaction, and I urged you mosf, earnestly to j co-operate and assist in rendering as beneficial as possible the great Constitutional changes which were impending, and which this Parliament was elected to carry out. I commended to your notice a Bill for establishing Counties with independent powers. I earnestly directed your attention to the necessity for amending the law relating to .Native lauds. I invited your attention to certain negotiations with the Bank of England, regarding the inscription of stock. I forcibly impressed on you the necessity of enlarging the facilities for acquiring land in moderate sized blocks, for cultivation and settlement. I asked you to consider a Bill regulating friendly societies ; and finally, I committed to your grave consideration the business of the session, imploring* the Almighty to guide and order your deliberations that they might be productive of happiness and prosperity to the people of New Zealand. I deeply regret tLat, in bis wisdom, the Almighty has not seen fit to vouchsafe an answer to this well-meant prayer. Gentlemen 01? the House of Representatives — You have passed most of the session in useless talk and disgraceful recrimination, while what business you have done has been slurred over at hours when, both in mind and body, you were mentally incapable of devoting the requisite attention to the important work you were engaged on. I thank you for the supplies you have so lavishly granted for the current; year, and for the enormous power you htive placed in the hands of my responsible advisers > without knowing who they will be I deeply sympathise with many of you who, hftvintr been led to believe that your consistent support of, and services to, my •'government would be rewarded by suitable permanent provision at the public expense, are now rendered incapable of accepting Government employment for a period of 12 months, by an Act to which I have just given my assent. From the provisions of that Act 23 of your number are 3 however, happily exempt. Honourable Legislative (JororcrxisbßS — True to your own interests, 1 have observed how carefully you have interposed to guard property from taxation, and to prevent the settlement of the country on such a system as that of

acquiring; freeholds by deferred payments. This policy, it' only it can be steadily persevered in and submission can be enforced, will in time render you enormously wealthy, and enable you to quit the Colony which has made you so. honourable legislative councillors and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives — I do not know of a single measure which has been passed in such a shape as to prove satisfactory or beneficial to the country. My Government has promised attention to a great variety of subjects, and to prepare a very large number of Bills during the recess, but to prevent disappointment you had better not rely too implicitly on these promises. Ii would be a mockery on my part to express the usual hope that under the blessing of Divine Providence the measures you have authorised in this session may tend to promote the progress of this Colony, and the welfare of the people. The age of miracles is past, and the measures in question have not been designed in that spirit, or passed with that view. I do, however, earnestly pray that during the recess you may have time to reflect upon the events of the session, and that the reflection may, under the blessing of Divine Providence, lead you to repentance and amendment, and that when next I am forced to call you together } r ou may return here wiser and better men, conscious of the crave responsibilities resting upon you, and anxious to discharge the high and important duties of your position honestly and faithfully, to the advantage of the Colony and people.