PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XVII, Issue 844, 16 June 1885, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

Thursday, June 11th.

His Excellency the Governor, accompanied by Major Eccles, Mr Pennefather (private secretary), and Consuls Pearce, George, and Toxward, opened Parliament at two o'clock this afternoon. governor's opening speech. His Excellency then read the Address, from which we extract the following : I have much pleasure in again having recourse to your assistance in Parliament assembled. The depression that was prevalent throughout the Colony when you met last year shows signs of passing away. In many parts notwithstanding the low price of wool and wheat, satisfactory evidence is apparent of renewed enterprise, and of confidence in the future progress of the Colony. The loyal disposition of the Maoris and the readiness they have displayed in aiding the construction of the North Trunk Railway must be exceedingly gratifying to you. Throughout the Native territory signs are shown that the attitude of the Maoris is not only peacful but friendly, and tribes and hapus hitherto standing aloof from Europeans have shown an earnest desire to co-operate heartily with the Government. My advisers are of opinion that in order to avoid misunderstanding in the future, it is most important that a better mode of dealing with Native lands should be devised. To accomplish this in a manner just to the Maori owners and beneficial to the Colony, they propose to submit to you a bill to regulate the sale and otherwise disposing of the lands belonging to Natives. My Ministers have proceeded cautiously, but effectively, with the prosecution of public works. They hope that at no distant date the Wellington - Napier railway will be finished. Rapid progress is being made in the construction of the Otago Central Railway, which, when completed, will open up the interior plains of that Provincial District. No time was lost in making an agreement under the West Coast and Nelson Railway Act, and Ministers are in hopes that in accordance with its provisions Nelson and the West Coast will, before long, be connected with the East Coast of the Middle Island, and that a vast area of land, which from its nature requires a railway to develope it, will become available for useful purposes. You will be asked to consider whether the effective workings of the railways open for traffic could not be improved by the constitution of Boards of Commissioners, to whom would be entrusted the general management of the railways. To enable you to deal with this subject, my Ministers, will submit a bill for your consideration, in accordance with the authorities given by members in Parliament in 1882, and by you lost session. The loans of £1,000,000 and £1,500,000 have been raised, and exceedingly satisfactory prices obtained. Papers on the subject will be laid before you. The industrial Exhibition in Wellington will soon be opened, and my advisers believe that through it an impetus will be given to manufacturing enterprise throughout the Colony. Considerable attention has been given to the encouragement of agricultural settlement. The* special settlements formed under the regulations lately gazetted promise to be a great success. Applications far exceeding the area available at present by law have been received by the Lands department. The constitution of the Legislative Council has often been discussed. A bill dealing with the subject by limiting the appointments to a term of years will be submitted for your consideration. My Ministers believe that the time has come when there should be some readjustment of taxation, and proposals with this object will shortly be submitted to you. For some time during the recess considerable apprehension existed of an outbreak of war with Russia. My Ministers therefore felt it necessary to make immediate and strenuous efforts to put the Colony in a state of defence. With this object considerable expense has been incurred, to which you will no doubt readily assent. There has been a desire throughout the Colony to improve tlie system of local government. My Ministers consider that any reform attempted should interfere as little as possible with existing institutions so long as the object sought can be attained. They have prepared for your consideration various bills making provision for granting local bodies larger powers, with a more assured local finance, thus enabling them to perform their important functions without continually referring to the Central Government or to Parliament for aid and assistance. The attention of my Ministers has been much directed to the development of the great mineral wealth of the Colony. The interest and enthusiasm awakened in the mining centres by the various lectures recently delivered on chemistry and mineralogy, and the desire for the permanent establishment of Schools of Mines, demonstrate the confidence these enterprising settlers have in their pursuits. You will be asked to give further facilities to the mining industry. THere are also other industries which require your careful attention. The forests of the Colony, if properly cultivated, would not only give full employment to many colonists, but their value would be greatly enhanced. Much valuable timber is now being recklessly destroyed, and it will be for you to consider whether for economy as well as climatic reasons greater efforts should not be made to conserve and utilise the forest lands of the Crown. A bill on the subject has been prepared and will be submitted to you- The fisheries, though known to be valuable, have hitherto received very little attention. Proposals to found fishing settlements, and to aid in the development of the fishing industries, will be laid before you, and I have no doubt they will receive your careful consideration. Dispensing aid to the poor and sick has proved, especially since the abolition of the provinces, a difficult task. My Ministers think that such aid cannot be efficiently administered by a Central Government, but should be locally controlled. A bill with this object will be submitted to you. I commend to your careful consideration the bills which will be brought before you for various purposes, among others, for consolidating the land laws, for limiting the liability of insurance companies' shareholders, for modifying the criminal law, for consolidating the various Municipal Corporation Acts, the Native Land Laws, and the Land Transfer Acts, and for establishing a system of parcel post, and for the issue of postal notes. NOTICES. Notices were given of the usual Sessional Committees and of several bills. Sir George Grey gave notice of the introduction of a bill to abolish plurality of voting .it elections of members of the House of Representatives, The lion. Mr Stout introduced a bill to amend the Adoption of Children's Act, which was read a first time. Mr Pearson gave notice that he would move next day the Address-in-Reply. the commandant of the forces. A message was received from his Excellency the Governor informing the House that Sir George Whitmore had been appointed to the command of the Colonial forces. The hon. Mr Stout moved that, as the appointment concerned a member of the other Chamber, .the Government bring in a bill in connection with the matter. Friday, June 12th. notices. Mr Macandrew gave notice to move that the House should meet during the session at halfpast 10 a.m., and adjourn at half-past five. Sir George Grey gave notice to move that an Address be presented to the Queen, congratulating her Majesty upon the steps taken by New South Wales to render assistance to England in time of need. BILLS INTRODUCED. The following bills, among others, were introduced :—Bill to Abolish Plurality of Voting at Election of Members of House of Representatives (Sir George Grey) ; Bill relating to Encouragement of Fisheries in New Zealand (Sir J. Vogel) ; Bill to Regulate the Admission of Persons to Practice in the Courts of Law (Sir George Grey). The usual sessional Committees were then appointed. THE ADDRESS-IN-REI'LY. The hon. Mr Stout said that it having been

represented to the Government by the member for Waitotara that it would be more convenient to the House generally if the Address-in-Reply were not considered till Tuesday, he desired to move that the motion be adjourned till Tuesday next. , After some further discussion, the Housu adjourned till Tuesday next (to-day).