OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 3155, 23 June 1892, Page 2

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH,

(BY TELEGBAPH.)

• WELLINGTON, Jane 23. The third session of the eleventh Par* liament of New Zealand was opened this afternoon by the Governor, when His Excellency was pleased to make the following speech : HONORABLE GENTLEMEN OP THE LeGISLAhve Council and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, — It gives me much pleasure to meet yon in Parliament assembled bo soon after my arrival in New Zealand. I have ajatf' to express my pleasure at the warmH&ik loyal welcome given me, as Her MjßejlK| x V representative, by the inhabitanSsA^j^ city and district. I feel con#«Ks? this is but an earnest of the cordi%sl^liagc of loyalty to our Sovereign entertained by the whole people of the colony, a feeling which found expression in the widespread grief and sympathy manifested some months since on th« ocoasaion of the aad and lamented death of Her Majesty* grandson— the Duke of Clarence. It is my pleasant lot at this the commencement of my term of office to be able to congratulate you upon the continued and sustained improvement in the public finances and private indastrieg of the colony. New Zealand is now in a sounder and more prosperous state than at any time during the last thirteen years." He then went on to Bay that provision made during last session for the pub. Ho service had proved more than sufficient, that the remarkable volume of exports were still greatly in excess of import*. Twmthus proving the sound financial condition of the oolony. The ex ports of New Zealand prqdacd for the financial year show an aotaal in! crease despite the partial failure of ,the wheat harvest of 1891, and. the comoara tovely low prtfe of our staple export, +*$ The exodus of population, after continS for some yean, has since the prorogation m September last, shown a reversal, anS arrivals outnumber departures, t£s

improved atate'of 'affairs is due, in, pait, at least, to the efforts made by the Bureau of Industries to acclerate the circulation of labour through the col(tty, and , the change is the more gratifying ,in view of the faot that the public works expenditure of some of the 'Australian colonies has for years so enormously exceeded that of New Zealand. The disposal for, settlement of the waste lancfs of,'sbe Crown- bad gone on apace, and^arV extraordinary Btream of applications had bee* flooding in from Bpecjal settlement associations, thus furnishing.convinoing proof of the great, and still rinoreasingi demand for land among bona.i-.fide intending ' settlers, retarns of which would be laid before Parliament. TJre^difficulties in *lie way of rapid settlement were enumerated, and. the direction' of modifications in land administration indicated. 1 Settlement had been carried orHe fast as finances allowed. The natives w§r.e n6w showing a satisfactory inclination for' now dealing with their Iand8; (! aifd an T ".agreement had been entered '::;into' w,ilh . King Tawhiao by Wh'io'h he accepts a Government pension', marks a renewal of the last barrier to the peaoefnl development of that portion of the North Island. A departmental re-arrangement has broken up the Marine Department, distributing its functions through the departments of lands and justice. It had, however, been considered necessary not to leave the Maori Eace to imagine that tbia meant any lessened attention by the Government to their wants and interests, and.for this reason a member of the native race had been appointed. Last year regret was expressed at the continued and discouraging declined in the yield of the gold fields, but there was now a distinct improvement shown by ihe mining; returns. The Government had reoeiyed, but had not yet acoepted, an invitation to be represented at the Conference in Australia on colored Jabor. Regret was expressed at the denrnished numbers of members by deaths, < and resignation as well as by the temporary departure from the colony ol others. . Gentlemen of the House of Repbesentatlves,— The Estimates of revenue and expenditure will sb,ow that expenditure has been framed with a' strict regard to economy. Information gathered points to'theeonoluBion that the important reform of direct taxation made laßt session will be carried into effect without any loss to the revenue whatever. Hon. Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Gentlemen of the House oe Representatives. With returns showing the results of traffio on railways, attention will be drawn to the future management. The prosecution of public works during last year has been marked by one or two features calling' for picial notice. The encouragement of associations of workmen on a co-operative system has led to reßnltß equally satisfactory to the State and to the workmen concerned. The same may be said of the abolition of the system of sub-oontraoting. You will be aßked again to consider bills dealing with land laws, the acquisition of private lands for settlement in Bmall blooks, and for the relief of certain hardpressed tenants of the Crown. The Electoral Bill, as introduced last year, will be again laid before yon, with one very noticeable addition. The Jurieß Bill will this year contain further reforms, and you will be asked to pass a Bill amending the law of bankruptcy, and another providing for payment of members. There are ready for your consideration Bills dealing with civil servants and mother employees of the Stataj "several* measures ' relating to agriculture, a bill for amending the laws relating to insurance companies and policies, Bill for dealing with unclaimed lands and moneys, for aiding the acquisition of native lands, for dealing with native land court, with the West Cpast reserves, with teohnioal eduoation, with the transfer of lands, with testamentary restriction on property, as well bb other billß relatto matters of public interest. In the of my advisers, the time has! arrived for placing on the statute book a measure providing for establishment of Boards of Conciliation and Courts of Arbitration ' to cope with industrial die* putes. Other measures, designed to improve the condition of the wage-earners and workmen of the colony, will be laid before you.