THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

North Otago Times, Volume IV, Issue 77, 10 August 1865, Page 3

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

The Now Zealand Parliament was opened in ■Wellington, on 26th July, by his Excellency Sir George Grey. The following are the opening addresses : — Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, — In opening this fifth session of the Parliament of New Zealand. I am able to congi atulate you upon the partial establishment of peace, and the suppression of insurrection in several of the disturbed districts in this island. I tiust that, whilst devising means for the suppression of outrages which still occur, you will at the same time consider how to ensure the future peace of the country, and promote the union of the two races by facilitating the admission of her Majesty's subjects of the native race to a full and equal participation in the piivileges of self-government. It is my intention to invite certain native chiefs to meet at Wellington, and a Bill will be kid before you, enabling me to appoint from among them a commission, to report and advise upon the best means of obtaining a parliamentary^ representation of the native race. The resolutions passed by your respective Chambers in the last session of the Geneial Assembly, relative to the withdrawal from the Colony of Her Majesty's land forces, were duly transmitted by me to her Majesty's Secretary of State. From the tenor of my most recent despatches, I am led to infer that the policy agreed to by you has been approved of, and will be fully adopted by the Home Government. The Taranaki and Wanganui country haa long been a focus of disaffection and fanaticism. Peace cannot be real or lasting which is not preceded by the establishment of her Majesty's authoiity in these districts, to be permanently secuted by the opening of roads, and the formation of self-defending settlements. Pending the decision of the Home Government, I determined therefore to avail myself of the services of a pon.ion of the Imperial troops, so long as they remained in the Colony, for the establishment of order in the district between Taranaki and Wanganui, and 1 issued instructions accordingly to LieutenantGeneral Cameron, which will be laid before you. Contrary to my anticipations, however, considerable dolay took' place, which involved consequences fraught with disaster, and which led to fiesh outbreaks in other parts of the Colony. I therefore ordered the Colonial Forces to advance against the Wereroa pa, —a movement which has resulted in its capture The thanks of the Colony are clue to Major Eooke3 commanding, and to the officers and men of Her Majesty's Euiopean mid native Colonial Forces engaged in this important operation I also recognise the leadiness with which BrigadierGeneral Waddy, C.B., Colonel Trevor, and the officers and men under their command, afforded me all the assistance that was in their power, though precluded by their orders from taking any active part in the operations against the enemy's stronghold. I am able in the meantime to congratulate you on the improved state of the settlement of Taianaki, and on the immediate prospect of its ceasing to be a source of weakness to New Zealand For this result, the Colony is mainly indebted to the zeal, energy, and ability of Colonel Warre, C.B., commanding that district, and to the conduct of Her Majesty's Forces, Impel ial and Colonial of both races, under his command. Additional proof has been afforded throughout the operations at Tnranaki and Wanganui. that the Colony may rely with confidence on the skill and gallantry of its own officeis and men, whilst the devoted courage evinced by the loyal natives, has placed beyond doubt the attachment of a large portion of the native 1 ace to the Ciown, to their European fellow subjects, and to the cause of order against turbulence and fanaticism. I shall now at once issue orders for the return to England of five regiments, which 1 trust and believe may be quickly followed by the remainder of the Tmperidl troops. The conditions imposed on the Colony for the full attainment of constitutional Government in native as well as in ordinary affairs will thus be fulfilled.

Gentlemen or the House ov Representatives,— The measures adopted by you in your last session havo enabled me, by the disposal of Colonial Securities, in a great measure to relieve the financial embarrassment in which the Colony was then placed. The credit of the Colony, however, in England, has been, and continues to be, injuriously affected by the extent nnd nianuer in which Piovincial loans have been contracted and placed for negociation on the English money market. You will, I tiust, take into consideration the means by which these evils may > be remedied, and the conditions under which Provincial loans may in future be regulated, and their payment guaranteed out of the General Revenue with sa'ety to the Colouy and inct eased security to the public ci editor. In order topi ovide for the burthens pressing on the Colony, it is my intention to submit to you proposals for raising additional revenue by Stamp duties. I trust that by reducing to the utmost limit all extraordinary expenditure connected with the suppression of the present native insurrection, or incidental thereto, and by careful economy in the ordinary services of Government, you will be able to sustain the credit of the Colony, and provide for its financial exigencies without enroaching materially on the provisions heretofore made out of the General Oidinary Revenue for the services of the Provinces. It will, however, be necessary for you to consider the expediency^ of modifying to some extent the present distribution of the Ordinary Revenue between tho General Government and the Provinces. It has been a source of great gratification to me that my Government has been enabled, by an improved system of Treasury accounts, to lay before the public full information as to the state of the Revenue and Expenditure of the Colony to tho latest possible period. I trust you will take measures for securing the permanence of this system, and that you will further provide effectual checks against the expenditure of public money without authority of law.

Honorable Gentlemen op the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen op the House op Representatives,— The changes which have taken place in the relative distribution of population and wealth in diffeient Districts will render it necessary for you to re-adjust the Representation of the Colony. In pursuance of the power vested in me by an Act of last Session, I have agreed with the Panama, New Zealand, and Australian Royal Mail Steam Company, to confirm, subject to certain modifications, the Contract entered into with that body, for the establishment of a Postal Service by way of Panama. I h.ive also entered into an agreement with the Government of New South Wales for admitting that Colony to an equal participation in the benefits of tho Contract upon terms equitable in themselves, and which will, I doubt not, piove equally advantageous to both Colonies. The completion of these arrangements, with the liberty of extending them to other Australasian Colonies, will require your sanction. The recent discoveries of gold on the West Coast of the Middle Island have opened up new fields of colonization, and given a fresh impetus to the developmeut of the mateiial resources of the Colony. Amongst many causes of anxiety which have clouded our prospects, it has been to me a great source of satisfaction to observe the steady advance of the Colony in population and wealth : I see no cause for anticipating any check on this onward process, which, with God's blessing, cannot fail to cany it through difficulties--tem-porary in themselves, and already beginning to disappear.