THE SOUTHERN CROSS.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XVII, Issue 1317, 31 July 1860, Page 2

THE SOUTHERN CROSS.

OPENING OP THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

The General Assembly was opened yesterday by His Excellency the Governor. The guard of honour—loo strong—in front of the General Assembly buildings, was furnished by the Volunteer Rifles, under the command of Capt. Keily. At about 2^ His Excellency ai rived and proceeded to the Legislative Council Chamber. His Excellency was accompanied by Capt. Steward, PS., Mr. Holt, Assist. P.S., Col. Kenny, Capt. Mains, R.E., Capt Beckham, Col. Balneavis, Capt. Bulkeley, 65th Regt., and Mr. Butler, 65£h Regt. The Governor having taken his seat, the Speaker and members of the House of Representatives were introduced, when the Governor delivered the following speech. ! 1 | I

Gentlemen of the Legislative Council : Gentlemen op the House of Representatives : In the present circumstances of the Colony, I have recourse, with, great eatiifaction, to your advice and and assistance. The Province of Taranaki, ■which has long been a source of anxiety, has recently become the scene of an insurrection, involving portion* of several tribes of aboriginal natives. The immediate occasion of this disturbance of the public peace has been an attempt on the part of a native chief of the Ngatiawa tribe to forbid the sale to the Crown, and forcibly prevent the survey, of a piece of land to •which he neither asserted nor possessed any title. I felt it to be my duty to repel this assumption of an authority inconsistent alike with the maintenance of the Queen's Sovereignty and the rights of the proprietors of the land in question. In this course I have received from all parts of the Colony assurances of sympathy and support, affording gratifying evidence of the loyalty of all classes of Her Majesty's subjects. lam deeply sensible of the sacrifices made by those who have been called upon to aid in the assertion of Her Majesty's Authority, and in providing for the safety of the Colony. Her Majesty's Land and Sea Forces have displayed their accustomed gallantry; and I desire especially to express my admiration of the courage which the settlers of Taranaki have shewn in the field, and in the endurance of the privations and losses to which they aave been subjected. My thanks are due .to the Governments of the neighbouring Colonies for the efficient aid which they have rendered on this occasion, and particularly to the Government of Victoria, which promptly despatched to J my assistance its fine armed steamer. Having been compelled reluctantly, and with much regret, to uphold Her Majesty's supremacy by force of arms, and believing that the future welfare of the native race, not less than that of Her Majesty's other subjects in New Zealand, depends on the resolute maintenance of her authority, I confidently rely on your loyal and cordial support to aid me in carrying into effect such measures as ciicumstances may require. It is satisfactory to know that only a small portion of the native population has taken any part in the insurrection. A dangerous sympathy with, the insurgents has however been displayed by the Waikato Tribes. These Tribes have b*en for some years past the centre of the agitation for the establishment of an independent Maori State, under a Native Sovereign, *nd it is in furtherance of this project that aid from Waikato has been afforded to the insurgents. To check the growth of plans fraught with so much peril to both races, and to remove doubts which extensively prevail amongst the natives as to the ultimate objects of the British Government, I have invited a considerable number of the influential Chiefs from all parts of the Colony to meet and confer with me in 1 Auckland. My invitation has been responded to by a large number of leading chiefs, comprising members of almost every tribe of New Zealand. They are now assembled in the neighbourhood of Auckland, and from the results which have already attended the meeting, I feel justified in expecting that it will remove much misconception,—will confirm the loyal and reassure the doubting,—and will prepare the way for measuies to establish the relations of the Government with the aborigines on a solid and satisfactory basis. I have directed that papers relating to nil the matters to which I have alluded shall be laid before you.

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives : The Estimates for the ensuing year will be submitted to you on^ an early day They will be framed with a due attendance to economy, and a careful regard to the exigencies of the public service.