OPENING OF PARLIAMENT BY THE GOVERNOR.

Evening Post, Volume XXVIII, Issue 43, 19 August 1884, Page 3

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT BY THE GOVERNOR.

?? — ¦ At 2 o'olook to-day tho two chambers of ho Legislature) assembled, and shortly afterirards tho salnto from the Wellington Artillory announocd that bis Excellency was on hia way to Parliament Baildings. Ho was rocoived by a guard of hononr fonrod by tho WollinfiLon and Potono Naval Artillery. Haying onterod the Legislative Council chambor, attended by Major Eooloe, A.D.0., Mr. Pannofeathor, Private Seorotary, the various foroign Consuls, and Colonel Pearce, a messago was sont to tho House of Representatives requesting their attendance They shortly afterwards trooped in, headed by the Speaker In hts robe?, preceded by the Sergeant-at-Arms with hl« mace. His Exoellenoy then deiivorod the Allowing Spoooh : HONOOBABLIB GENTLEMEN OF THE LeOIStATivB Council and Gbntlemen oy Tn« House or Bbpihssintatives— It affords me much pleasure to meet yon again in Parliament assembled. I have rooourso to yonr assistance aa early ns tho arrangements conieqnent 'on tho retirement of tho Into Administration have permitted. My Advisors are of opinion that it is undesirable that questions of abstract policy should at prosent bo dealt with f arthor than oironmstanoos render imperatively necessary, and that concentrated attention should be given to many urpont matters relating to tho material, economic, and industrial interests of tho colony. As far as time will allow, it is proposed to doal with snoh matters daring this session. Great importanoo is to bo attached to inproving tho industrial resouroos of the colony, prominent omongßt which may be mentioned the mining intorest, the pro* motion of settlement, and the advancement of looal production and manufactures. It is of the first eonseqnenoe that the country should possess satisfactory and saffie'ent industries. The subject reonires very careful and comprehensive troitmont, and little in suoh a direction can be «7eoted through the Customs tiu'f, whloh is already very high. Tho progress of pab' : o works also demands resolute attention. It will be necessary to consider oarofully the position of those now in progress, with a view to determining how they shall bo proceeded with. It cannot prove economical to construct works in a manner so slow and fragmentary as to postpone indefinitely any retnrn from tho money expended. On the other hand tho colony must be csrefnl to restrain tho exeroiso of its borrowing powers within reasonable limits. My Ministers oonsider that a great deal of the pressuro which is brought to boar on a Government to construct works in unprofitable fragments arises through tho fear that if works are delayed Parliamentary authority for them may be withdrawn, and are therefore of opinion that it wonld be expedient to determine that the publlo faith is pledged, unless under very exceptional oiroumgtancoi, to tho works whioh Parliament onae sanctions. If this assuranoe be well understood, the vatious distriots concerned wi'l be contented to see works carried on in a manner compatible with early returns from the expenditure My Ministers oonsidor that great care should be exoroised with regard to extending oxisting engagements. Some workß already commenced require to bo carried on vigorously— snoh, for example, as tho Otago Central Railway. The small length of lme roqnired to oonnrot Napior with Palmerston North should also receive oarlv attention. The authority to continue tho Nolson line to Roundell should bo extendt & to oonnooting Nelson with tho line befcwoon the oast and west coasts of tho Middlo Island. Tho trunk system of tho Island would then be nearly aompleted. Tho line to oonneot the east and west coasts of the Middlo Island, to whioh I have just referred, is of groat importance. My Advisers will propose to you to endoavonr, in tho first instaneo, to prooaro its construction by aiding private enterprise. There is overy reason for belioving that the wost coast of tho Middlo Island possesses mineral resources of onorir.otis value ; indood, m regards coal and gold, the existence of snoh resouroos nnder highly remunerative conditions has be en provod. The proposed railway will fc.-eatly bonofit tho distriot; bnt, for the proper dovolopoment of tho capabilities of the West Coast, othor measures will be required whilst the railway works aro in progross. I commend the whole subioot to yonr. earnest consideration. Tho completion of through railway communication between Auokland and Wollingtonisa oolonial work of vast importance, whioh must bo hastened to a conclusion with tho utmost possible oxpedition. It will be proposed to you to appoint a Foleot Coramltteo to report whioh route it would bo modt oxpodioot to adopt. Authority will bo asked-to enable thd State to acquire extonsive blooks of land along tho lino of this railway. My Advisers are of opinion that lands adjaoent to this and other railways should be set apart for the settlement of a large number of familios, npon conditions oalonlated to ensuro their prosperity, the tvtea for eaoh family bein<» limited. Yon Trill rooognise that it is of great moment the lands in the North Island that aro now held by natives should be put to prodnotive uses as rapidly as possible, either by the natives thomgolves or by Europeans. It is therefore veiy desirable that the bost moans of enabling the natives to dispose of thoir lands, when they desire to do so, should be adopted. Bnt it will be useless to provido machinery for the sale or leasing of native lands unless the natives themselves aro favourably inolised to make nse of it. My Ministers, therefore, whilst considering that the present system has most objeationablo features, propose to postpone final legislation on the subject until next session. A temporary Act may possibly be necessary ; but the object to be kept in view is to oome to an understanding with the natives during tho reoess as to the plan which, while not inconsistent with the interests of the oolony, will be most likely to lead to results satisfactory to the Maori raae. Plans will be submitted to yon this session, if possible, for strengthening and improving the system of looal government, by giving to looal bodies larger duties and an assured inoome. GXNTLIMEN OP TUB HOUBE OF KEPRISBNTATIVCB, — Estimates of revonue and expenditure will be laid before yon wf.th tho least possible delay. My Advisers ara of opinion that the present expenditure for departmental and other purposes may be considerably contracted. They consider it nocessary to establish an equilibrium between expenditure and reooipts. They greatly object to the present property tax, and will propose its repoal at tho earliest moment praoticablo. They are favourable to an equal and moderate land tax, deducting from the value of the land, improvements and a reasonable amonnt of exemption. The results of suoh a tax should as far as possible be localised, in accordance with the proposal to strengthen local government. Honourable Gbntlbmin ov ths Leo islativb Council and Gsntlkmin or THB HOUSB OF REPBESINTATrvES— My Ministers oonsider that the present management of the oolonial railways is open to muoh amendment. A measure will be submitted to you to provido for Boards of Management in the Middle Island and in Auokland, snbjoot to Parliament retaining control over tho tariff of charges. Tonr attention will bo called to tho expedienoyof promoting trade and commercial relations with the South Sea Islands. Amongst the measures to be bronght before you will do Bills to 'mprove the conditions nnder which married women may hold property ; and to incorporate and place under adequate management the Life Insuranoo Department, with provisions for establishing Looal Boards elected by tho polioy-holders. I oommend to your most oarnest attention th« largo interests confided to you, and I earnestly hope that, with the blessing of God, great advantages to the oolony may result from the disoharge of your arduous duties. The speech having been delivered his Excellency a copy of tho speech being delivered by the Private Seoretary, Mr. Pennefathw, to tho Speaker of the Lower House as he poisod out. Tho attendanoeof ladies and the public was, as usual, large. HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES. On mombers returning to the Lower House, a large nnmber of notices of motion and of questions were given The Colonial Treasurer' gave notice of motion of tho appointment of a Public Accounts Committee, and Ministers also gavo notioo of motion for the setting up of the usn.il ccsaional committees. The Premior gave notice that he would introdnce to-morrow a Bill entitled "The M-vrsiapre Act. IIS I." Mr. B.ii rou £ay« uotnjo ot Dilw to ither the honra of polling and to abolish plurality of voting. J Mr. M. J. S. Mackenzie gave notice that he would to-morrow movo the Address-in-Boply.

Tho Moitja/ei Release Extension Bill was introduced by the Preuver, and read a first timo. The Speaker having re-d the Govouor's Spe: jh a* delivered in the Cornc"', Sir Julius Vrgol ci id it was usual for tho mombc; who had form J a now Gove./iment to make a stitoment to tho House. Tho oircumst incs attending the ir«U nation of the late Ministry were, to a g.cat extent unprse dented. He thought they bad, however, shonn a wlro di cretion in not restoring bofore tho House mot, as owing to the circumstances of the colony it would havo b' in very difficult to have for m~d an b Iministration nntil the memberß woro in \Ve)' : ngbn. He had b en asked to form a Ministry last Saturday w ek, rid last Saturday he and his colleagues were sworn in. The House was already aware of how the Ministry wa- constituted , and their policy was embodied in tho speech just made by his Excellency. It was not therefore necessary for him to say more than a few words. Under ordinary oiroumstmccs he would have been entitled to the position of Promier, but ho felt pliynioally unablo to perform all tho dutio-i of that position, and had he takon it in addition to tho Treasury, its duties wonld groatly have interfered with and delayed tho preparation of tho Financial Statement, which ho hoped soon to bo able to make Ho would only add that ho and his colleagues woro thoroughly agreed regarding all important matters within the range of practical politics, a fact whioh might be judged from their having mot the Houso with the Governor's Speech on Tuesday, although only sworn in on Saturday, and th^ir being proparcd to go on with the ordinary business of the session in due course. (Choers.) On tho Premier's motion tho Houso thon adjourned until 2.30 p.m. to-morrow.