THE GOVERNORS' SPEECH

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 121, 11 June 1881, Page 2

THE GOVERNORS' SPEECH

Honorable Legislative' Councillors and Gentlemen of the House- of Representatives,—

It affords me much satisfaction, in meeting you for the first time, tor be able to congratulate you upon the. steady proI gross of the colony during the past year, the revival of J its prosperity, and the increased confidence jn the future, which animates all classes' of the- r community. The course prescribed by Parliament to. bring to a termination the unsatisfactory state of affairs existing on a part of the west coast of this island has been steadily dursued, and has up to the present time» been attended with marked 6Uccess.;Effect is being given to the -recommendations of the Boyal Commission appointed' i to ; enquire into the grievances -which- were alleged to exist amongst the natives of that locality, and the determination on the one band to assert the supremacy of the Queen and repress any lawless action, and on the other hand to redress all real grievances, will apparently effect a peaceful solution of questions which a short time ago wore a threatening aspect. The lands which had been appropriated for European occupation, on the Waimate Plains, have been for the most part sold, and are now being occupied by settlers. The prisoners, whose detention up to the present time has been deemed necessary in the interest of both natives and Europeans, have been released and returned to their homes, with the exception of a small number whom it is proposed to set free in a few days ; nor do my responsible advisers apprehend that it will be necessary again to have recourse to extraordinary measures for the preservation of peace and good order in the' district in question. Papers will be laid b,efore>you containing the minutes of an Intercolonial Conference, held at Sydney in. the month of January last, at which a member of my Government was present. ~You_wlll ' learia from these papers that several subjects of considerable interest to the colonies werp considered by the Conference, and in accordance with one of the conclusions arriyed at, a Bill will be. placed .before you for the regulation and restriction of the .influx of Chinese into the colony. Th» recognition of a community of interests and mutual interdependence arnotag the Australasian Colonies evinced by this Conference may hereafter be attended by results of considerable importance. The railways and other:publio woria authorised" by you have been proceeded with as rapidly as was expedient in the present circumstances of the colony. In view of the necessity for maintaining the progressive work of colonisation, proI posajs will come-under your consideration j for (riving assistance to companies pre- | pared to construct or continue main lines of milway. The termination of existing leasts of lands in the Middle , Island, held for pastoral purposes affords an opportunity which has not been overlooked by my Advisers for rendering those lands more generally useful to the State. Carefully considered plans - for effecting that object will be laid before you. The systematic laying out of roads in anticipation of $ie sale of waste lands has in a very marked manner promoted their occupation during the past year. You will be asked to sanction further expenditure to* enajble the Lands Department to give effect to plans which, if carried out, will practically enlarge the areaavailable for settlement, and invite a more ' extended employment of labor and capital. The revenue received from the sale of waste lasds during the past year has exceeded

• the estimate, and the increasing demand for land' for, actual occupation, together . with statistical information recently obtained, affords convincing proof that a fresh, impulse is being given to the work of : settlement; while the expansion of looaV industries promises .to provide pro- ; fitable employment for a, rapidly increasing population. Gek*lemen. op the House of EepreBENTATIVES,— Large reductions have already been made in . the cost of the public service without impairing its efficiency, and the estimates of receipts and expenditure for the current year, which will shortly be laid before you, have been prepared with Btriot regard to the most rigid economy. The' revenue for the past year must, on the whole, be considered satisfactory. The excess of receipts over expenditure upon the railways amounts to a return of 3} - per. oent; upon, the outlay incurred upon their construction. '•'", '' • -,

Honobable Legislative Councillors and Gentlemen of the House of Repbesentatives, — Bills will be submitted to you for the redistribution of the representation, of the people, and for the regulation of elections, which, in view of the approaching termination of the present Parliament, I recommend to your early and most attentive consideration. The Commissioners appointed last year for the purpose of enquiring into the constitution, practice, and procedure of the Supreme Court and other courts of the colony, and of ascertaining by what means - the administration of justice therein may be rendered more speedy and efficacious, and at the same time, less costly, and have made an ad interim report; a copy of which will be laid before you. I am glad to be able to inform you that the Commissioners have proceeded so for with the work entrusted to them as to enable them to anticipate the close of their labors in the course of the month of July. The measures necessary to give effect to, their recommendations may therefore be submitted to you during the present session. A bill will be laid before you which will have for its object .the abolition of restraints on the alienation of land, while < guarding the interests which may arise out of any trusts to which it has been made subject. Bills will also be laid before you for the regulation of the administration of charitable aid, for the consolidation and amendment of the Licensing laws, for the amendment of the existing law in respect of the administration of Native reserves, for rating Crown lands, and for providing for the grant of assistance to local public works. I have * recently visited many different districts of the colony. During these journeys I have had repeated opportunity of. observing signß of increasing wealth, the spread of settlement, and the energy and activity engaged in industrial pursuits throughout the country. The impressions which I had thus been led to ■ form are strengthened by the results of the recent census, and by a perusal of reports and returns, which will be placed before you, showing the revival of trade, the growth of new and important local industries, and the satisfactory condition of the ordinary and territorial revenue for the past year. In the discharge of the high functions committed to me by the Queen, it will always be my aim to manifest'the same scrupulous and loyal regard to bonJßtftutibnal practice and usage, not only .in the letter but in the spirit, which has 'ever distinguished the Sovereign whom r; l represent among you. You may rely *frith confidence on my hearty copperationin giving effect to the deliberate 'decisions of the Legislature, and it is my , earnest hope and desire that your labors maybe b& directed as by God's blessing, not only to promote, the material welfare "of tte colony, but to secure the stability of its institutions, the development of its resources! and the permanent happiness of' all classes of her Majesty's subjects within, its bounds.