OPENING OF THE CANTERBURY COUNCIL.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXV, Issue 134, 30 October 1866, Page 4

OPENING OF THE CANTERBURY COUNCIL.

The Canterbury Council was opened on tho 19th instant, when his Honour the Superintendent delivered the following speech : — Mb. Speakec axo Gentlemen op the Pitovix- j CIAL Cot'XCIL— I regret that uiuvvoi liable circumstances havo postponed your meeting to an inconvenient season of the year. Tho General Assembly vraa in session before tho provincial elections woro completed, and it appeared to me adrisublo to delay culling you together until after tho rising of tho Ootoniul Parliament. Tho Council bus derived from the late proceedings of the Asiembly an initruetivo experience preliminary to its own labours, and it is now ablo to measure with eomo accuracy its financial 'resources for the year ending Juno, 1807. Tho matters I havo to lay boforo you this session, so far as I am at present advised, will embrace no novel proposition!. I shall only request your attention to yery fo>r legislative measures beyond tho granting of ordinary supplies, intending shortly to summon you to n moro protracted sossion, prompt administrative action being at this season very much called for in various outlying portions of tho province, particularly on tho gold-fields. On this, among other grounds, I nm very desirous that the present thould be as brief a session as is consistent with a deliberate consideration of emergent business. It will be necessary to agree upon resolutions suggesting amendments by tho General Assembly of tho Waste Lands Regulations in tho matter of proemptivo rights, and in some other less important particulars. You will bo requested to pass an Ordinance enabling tho Provincial Government to roliovo tho Road Boards of the management of main trunk roads. The fencing Ordiuanco lias becti found to work imperfectly and requires rcmodoling. And I shall request your junction to a few other measures of general interest although of comparatively minor importance. During tho session I trust to rccotve your sanction for tho erection of bridges over the Hurunui and "Wtutangtj one-half tho cost in each caso being offered by the adjoining provinces. Government is nlso contemplating tho erection of bridges over somo other of the larger and moro daugorous rivers interlocking the southern plains, and probably you will bo asked, on an early day, to authorizo their construction. With considorablo reason tho settlors of tho south havo complained, during somo years past, of inattention to their demands for public works. I 'believe you will concur in the propriety of at once, and in futuro, awarding to tho Timaru district a full proportion of tho publto revenues. With your assent it is purposed to hand over to tho Municipal Council ' of Timaru the steam landing-service, and warehouses, with all tho boats, gear, and appliances. Tho presonco in the Council of an increased number of representatives from tho gold-fields is justly a subject for gonoral congratulation, as being evidenco of tho lerious dosire of our fellow-subjects on the West Coast to contribute their valuable assistance towards, the government of this province, and to bocome permanently identified with all its fortunes. There will bo laid before you a plan for enabling the settlors in Westland to becomo purchasers of rural lands, and also regulations for tho sale of land within tho limits of tho towns in that district. I shall request you to confer on me powers to expend considerable sums of money in opening up tho amazing resources of Westland, by means of various publio works throughout its districts. Among other measures, I shall invite your concurrence in a bill for leasing tho coal-fields at tho Grey to a publio company, under conditions calculated to ensure largo commercial benefits to the proyinre. During tho recess, an extension of tho Western telegraph from Hokitika to Greymouth has been completed at a moderate cost, and* I proposo taking authority for some very desirable extensions in a southerly direction. With regard to tho condition of tho province genorally, I am hopeful that, with your assistance, Government will succeed in meeting nil its present engagements, and completing nil thoso works which havo been commenced, But ut tho dime time it cannot bo concealed that tho extraordinary drain upon our resources in favour of tho Northern Island has, during the last few yeara. very mntorially ufiected our powers of sustaining largo publio expenditure in reproductive works. Under theso circumstances, it will be imperatively necessary to exercise the most watchful precaution against incurring financial embarrassments, and ut tho samo timo employ ourselves in preparing plans for a moro rapid progress, when the southorn provinces have recovered from tho comparative prostration into which they have been thrown by their misalliance with the Northern Island. I may bo permitted to oxprcss a confident hope, that by somo fitting measure of tho General Legislaturo, the Middle Island will speedily bo relieved from a pressure, which is not only unnecessary but unendurable. Recont events in Ilawke's Bay, added to a dozen parallel fuels, prove very conclusively that the Provincial Governments of tho Northern Island, if let alone, and relieved from tho pressure of Southern interference in native affairs, urc, with their own resources, capable of reducing tho native population to a condition of usefulness and contented subjection to law and order. And, although somewhat lato in tho day, tho leading men in tho colony are beginning to confess that the interference of Southern statesmen in nativo matters is, and has been, a most fruitful causo of embarrassment and cxpouso to tho North Island, while it has resulted in an enormous injury to tho Southern Island. In tho certainty that henceforth tho pcoplo of tho Middle Island will not make any further sacrifices of their means to sustain tho expenses of meddling in matters naturally tho business of tho Northern Island ; and further, taking into consideration the rapid itiercaso of our population and commerce, wo aro quito warrantod m looking for a speedy restoration to that healthful financial condition formerly enjoyed by the province It is tho intention of Government to ask you to sanction tho continued immigration of single women only. Tho anticipation of engineers who have, at various times, reported upon the River Wnimakuriri, huro been verified during the recent freshets. I shall cawo a report of tho state of tho river, und nn cstimnto of tho expenses of protective works, to be laid before you shortly. I ahull have the gratification of forwarding for your information, copious reports of tho scientific labours of tho Proviuciul Geologist (Dr. Haast), which reports are to bo accompanied by elaborato maps and illustrations. Tho tunnel of tho Lyttelton and Christchurch Bail way is progressing favourably, only about 215 yards of tho centre remaining to bo oxecuted. I am advised that the line from Lyttelton to the Selwyn will bo ready for traffic within nine months from this date. As you aro awnre^tho r.iilway is now working regularly between Fcrrymcad und * Rolleston, a distance of about nineteen miles, it will bo necessary to take itep* for providing wharfage to serve shipping in connection with the ruilvrny immediately. You will be glad to learn that my Government is in tho enjoyment of a most rordiul understanding with tho Governments of tho adjoining provinces of Nelson and Otago, a condition of things highly conducive to tho advancement of tho colony, nud which I shall take every euro to preserve ; henceforth, li t us hopo that unprofitable jealousies will bo displaced by a mutual dcuro to co-operuto in tho real work of colonisation. Tho public will join me in deeply regretting that our old and faithful friend, Mr. Sclfe, alter a long coune of grutuitoiii services to the proviucv, as its agent in London, hm found it nct-csary tv forward his resignation. Tho province, I trust, notwithstanding that Mr. Selfo has to v great citont discontinued his official relations with us, will, at tho same time, retain a most grateful recollection of Mr. Selfo's labours, and enjoy tho udvantago of hia continued friendship.

Gentlemen, I am conGdent that tho very pleasant relations that hare always subsisted between the Superintendent and Provincial Council of Canterbury will be continued in these times. I tru6t that it may bo my privilege to see our united labours attended by profitable results. I now doclaro this Council open for the transaction of business.