The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1868.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume III, Issue 161, 10 July 1868, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, JULY 10, 1868.

OPENING OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. We condense the principal points of interest in the G-overnor's Speech from an Extra published by the Examiuer this morning : — The Session of the General Assembly was opened yesterday at 2 o'clock by Governor Sir George Bowen, with the usual formalities. H.M. 18th Regimeut and the Volunteers formed his Excellency's guard of honor, and the Artillery fired a salute of 17 guns. After announcing his assumption of office, and expressing on behalf of the Duke of Edinburgh regret at not visiting New Zealand, his Excellency stated that he had visited the Northern portions of the Colony, and proposed, at the close of the Assembly, to visit the various settled districts of the South. He then stated that papers relative to the Colonial Treasurer's proceedings in England would be laid on the table of the Houses. The prolonged controversy and constant irritation caused by the non-settlement of accounts between the Imperial and Colonial Governments had happily been removed by their settlement. Reference was then made to the working of the Act, passed last Session, constituting Westland a county, and making temporary provision for its government, and the result of the experiment is pronounced to be satisfactory. The Estimates have been resolutely reduced to the lowest amount required to maintain the public service. His Excellency informed the Assembly that, notwithstanding the commercial depression which this country, in common with other portions of the empire, has labored under, and if the financial resources of country were not further anticipated by loans, there would be no need to impose additional burdens on the people in order to maintain the public credit and an efficient Government. Bills would be submitted for securing to rural districts powers for effecting public works necessary for their progress, and for allotting to them a fair share of the Land Fund ; for declaring, amending, and' consolidating the law relating to real property, the registration of deeds, police offices, frauds in trade, and other subjects; and for assimilating the law of treason to that of Great Britain. His Excellency expresses his confidence that, although the colony is laboring under many difficulties, and charged with the solution of intricate political problems, which cannot be dealt with summarily, the good sense, patience, and mutual forbearance of the Colonists will secure the happiest results, and will gradually adj list the finances and the political Constitution of the Colony to the progressive requirements of the people. After stating that the Government have not exercised the powers vested in them under the Distillation Act, and tjiat the Report of the Penal Commission would be laid on the table of both Houses, the Speech concludes with the usual prayer for the Divine direction.