PROROGATION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 607, 1 September 1858, Page 5

PROROGATION.

(From the New Zealander Extraordinary, Auaust 21.)

At twelve o'clock to-day, his Excellency, Colonel Gove Brovme, C. 8., prorogued the Assembly in person. The rain which bad incessan.ly poured down during tbe morning, cleared oil towards the hour appointed, and the usual formalities on such occasions, went off satisfactorily in the presence of a large concourse of spectators.

The Guard of Honour was commanded by Captain Ward, and the band of the regiment was ranged in front of the Assembly buildings to receive his Excellency on his arrival.

There Avas a full attendance of members o both Houses.

His Excellency having arrived and taken his seat in tht chairof tbe hon. speaker of the Legislative Council, the speaker and members of the House were introduced, and tho hon. speaker proceeded to read the following address, accompanying the presentation of the Appropriation Acts for assent: — May it please your Excellency,— We, Her Majesty's dutiful and loyal subjects, the Representatives of New Zealand, acknowledge with gratitude the opportunities Aye have had, throughout a protracted Session, of ma-

turely, considering those measures to Avhich our intention Avas invited in your Excellency's opening speech.

We trust that the result of our deliberations on these subjects, as also on many other questions of domestic policy, Avill tend to promote the Avelfare of the colony, aud the avcll-being of the people of both races in these islands.

For these objects connected Avith the public service of the colony, it has been the duty as well as the especial privilege of her Majesty's faithful subjects, the Representatives of Ncav Zealand, to make just and ample provision; and it is in their name that I invite your Excellency's •assent, in the name and on behalf of Her Majesty, to the bills Avhich I now have the honor to present.—[These bills Avere the Appropriation Acts for 1858 and 1859.]

His Excellency having assented to the two Acts, then read the following Prorogation Speech : —

Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives.

The state of the public business enables me to release you from further attendance on your Legislative duties.

It affords me great pleasure to express my sense of the attention you have given to the numerous measures brought under your consideration during a laborious session of more than four months; —a session wliicb, I feel assured, Avill be regarded as one of unusual importance, and especially remarkable for the exclusive devotion of your time and energies to the practical Avork of legislation.

The enactment of permanent laws to carry into effect the final arrangements of the last Session finally closes various irritating questions; whilst the provisions under Avhich the provinces are henceforth to be charged Avith the local establishments of the General Government, will prevent the recurrence of disagreement on financial grounds betAveen the several divisions of the colony.

The Act "for regulating the management of the Avaste lands of the Crown will, I trust, be found to accomplish the objects sought to be obtained; —an effective administration by the local authorities under the supervision of the Government of the colony, and a stability which provincial legislatures could not give. I have willingly assented to the several Acts for the improvement of the administration of justice, Avhich, I confidently .anticipate, Avill be productive of much public convenience.

The revision of the electoral haws Avill be found to have secured an improved system of registration, together Avith more complete provision for the impartial conduct of elections; thus preventing the occurrence of evils which. Avould seriously interfere with the beneficial Avorking of the representative system. The Act for constituting electoral districts will, to a certain extent, afford to -districts rapidly increasing in Avealth and population an opportunity of taking that part in the legislation of the colony to which they are entitled. The attention of the Government Avill be directed, during the recess, to the consideration of the means requisite to ensure that every growing interest may be fairly represented. The measures Avhich you have passed for extending to the aboriginal population the benefit of free local institutions promise to promote the civilisation of that portion of her Majesty's subjects. Much however depends upon the administration of those laws; and still more upon the capacity,—-as yet unprovred,—of the people fer whom they have been framed. Whatever may be the success of the system of native policy thus initiated, you will have the satisfaction of reflecting that you have not left uncared for the peculiar Avants of a race, Arhose advancement the Government and settlers of these islands are from every consideration bouud to promote. Gentlemen of the House of Representatives— I thank you for the liberality with which you have granted the supplies for the service of the present year. These supplies Avill be administered with economy for the attainment of the objects for which they Avere A-oted. By the Act for altering the Duties of Customs the collection of duties on imports Avill be much simplified, while great advantage Avill I trust be found to result from the admission of many necessary articles of consumption free of duty. At the same time lam confident, from the state of the trade and commerce of the colony, that the revenue of customs will justify the Estimate'which has been submitted to you. Honorable Gentlemen and Gentlemen—

The Act Avhich provides for the establishment of new provinces I regard of great importance. To afford the rising- settlements of the country the same advantages of local Government as are enjoyed by the existing provincial centres, is in harmony Avith the spirit of our Constitution, and cannot fail beneficially to affect both the general and local interests of the colony.

The want of some more definite line of demarcation between the functions of the General and Provincial Legislatures than,is furnished by the ;Constitution Act has long been felt. Ifc has, however, been considered that any attempt to meet the difficulty by a rigid legal definition Avould give rise to doubts, and be attended with other serious inconveniences. Of late, the practice, on the one hand, of the Provincial Legislatures, Avhich have confined themselves to local subjects, has been tending towards a satisfactory solution of this question; and, on the other hand, the exercise of its powers by the General Assembly during the present session, by taking exclusive possession of many important, subjects on which it is essential that legislation should be uniform, Avill. go far to render the division of powers practically complete. I most heartily congratulate you on the progress of active industry throughout the country, and on the generally prosperous condition of ail classes of tho community. It only remains that I should express my humble hope that God's blessing may render effectual your labors for the public good, and may secure the continued advance of the people of this country, in whatever is conducive to their true welfare. I now declare this Assembly to be prorogued.