GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6399, 22 May 1882, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION. J Wellington, May IS. Parliament was opened at 2 o'clock by the Commissioners —the Hen. Sir W. Fitzherbert, the Hon. Major Richmond, and Hon. Frederick Whitaker. The commission having been read. Sir. W. Fitzherbert stated that at 2 p.m. to-morrow His Excellency would attend in person to declare his reasons for calling the present session together. In the meantime, it was necessary that the House of Representatives should elect the Speaker, and present him to the Governor at noon to-morrow. Major Atkinson then proposed Sir G. M. G'Rorke as Speaker. Mr. Macandrew seconded, speaking in eulogistic terms of his past conduct. Mr. Levestam is now speaking in condemnation of Sir G. M. O'Rorke's action on the Representation Bill, as trampling law uuderfoot. Sir G. M. O'Rorke was unanimously elected Speaker. Tho House adjourned immediately after Sir G. M. O'Rorke took the chair.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Feidat, May 19. The Council met at 1.50 p.m. THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH. At 2 p.m. Hi 3 Excellency entered, and th members of the House of Representative having been requested to attend. His Excel leney read his opening speech as follows :- Honourable Legislative Council, Lords AND GevTLF.MKS OF THE HOUSE OP Rl PRESENTATIVKS, — It isi with much pleasure that I have re course to your advice and assistance on th occasion of the opening of the eighth Parlia ment of New Zealand. I forwarded to the Queen au expressio: which I feel sure will have your hearty con currence, of the deep-felt thankfulness witl which all classed of Her Majesty's subjects ii New Zealand hoard of her recent preserve tion from danger, and of the earnest praye that she may be long spared to reign over i loyal and united Empire. •'-• The measures adopted by the last Parlia tnent to extend the franchise, to increase tin cejpresentation of the people, and afford mon Jpportunities of ascertaining opinions of con rtitiiencies, may, I trust, cause r.ll classes o: the community to watch your Jeliberationi with keener earnestness, and te found con lucive to the permanent welfare and happiness of thn colonies. , lainfilad.to be able to congratulate you ipon the renewed and well-founded confidence rhich exists as to the commercial prospects if the colony, upon the disappearance oi listress among the working classes, and upon he general increase of revenue. The proposals submitted to Parliament ist session for the systematic laying out of oads to promote colonisation of waste landa iave had careful attention during the recess, nd in all parts of the colony the work of ettlement is progressing favourably. New penings are in course of development for fie employment of • labour and capital, railfays have become ' more productive, and resh groups of population are settling in istnets. which only require , means of conenient access to make them prosperous. A esire for permanent settlement on goldfields ad for profitable union of mining and agrilltural pursuits in the samo localities is scorning more manifest. The present time , in the opinion of my advisers, a -very .vourable one at which to press forward the instruction of roacU, and to facilitate inax of population. The success of the scheme which has been lopted' at Rotorua on a limited scale, for lininistering lands on behalf of native vners, leads me to hope that it may have mefjcial and more extended operation in [tare. My advisers are of opinion that a plan for asing agricultural lands, with a fixity of mure, npon reasonable terms, may with Ivantage be incorporated into the general 'stem of administering the Crown lands of >e colony, and a measure will be submitted i you with this object. Towards the close of the last session of arliament the aspect of affairs on the fest Coast of the North Island appeared > my Government to have become more ireatening than had previously been the ise, and my advisers felt themselves compiled to consider whether more active steps tan had been taken might, not bo required r the repression of lawlessness, the proction of Her Majesty's peaceable subjects, id the termination of the increasing exciteent in that district. At their request the ouse of Representatives voted a sum of 100,000 to meet such a contingency. In | ie month of October the time had arrived hen conciliation having, in the opinion of y Ministers, failed to effect its object, iey considered the adoption of more vigorous easures to have become necessary. A proimation was accordingly issued during my isence from the colony by the administrator the Government calling on Te "Whiti and s adherents to accept within a specified me the lands offered to them, a requisition ith which Te Whiti failed to show any jn of compliance. The dangers and diffiilties of the position were judged by my overnment only to increase with the conmed exercise of forbearance, and it was solved that the periodical meetings of the itives from tae other localities congregated ere, should be compelled to return to their ?n districts, and that Te Whiti and Tohu ould be removed from a position which was :emed by my advisers to constitute a staudg menace to the peace of the colony. Te r hiti and Tohu were therefore arrested, and ere committed for trial on a charge of dition. In order to setrare the success of e operations necessary for these objects, the olunteers were invited to leave their disicts to render assistance, and a large adtion was made to the Anned Constabulary rce. The thanks of the colony are due to ie Volunteers for the readiness with which iey answered the call made upon them, and r their soldierlike conduct while on active rvice. The discipline and good conduct the Armed , Constabulary entitle them to ie highest praise. My Government desire to be recojnised that, in the course irsued.they have been, and are actuated by ie anxiety to avert consequences disastrous i all classes of Her Majesty's subjects, ther than by any desire to inflict punishent. A bill will be laid before you having r its object to render the trial of Te Whiti id Tohu unnecessary, and at the same time ■event them from returning for the present ' Parihaka, or reconmencing an agitation hich has long eaujed alarm and apprehenon of danger among the settlers on tho r est Coast. I am assured that the eonlence and tranquility of the district are tablished, and a feeling of security exists nong its inhabitants which have long been :fore unknown to them. ESTLEMEX OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, — The estimates of revenues and expenditure r the current financial year will shortly be aced before you. on. Legislative Couxcilloes and Gentlkme* op the House of Representatives, — Returns will be laid before you which show that the revenue has considerably exceeded the amount estimated. The railway returns especially show a gratifying increase. The surplus of receipts over expenditure during the past year amounts approximately to 4 per cent, upon the cost of construction. A nuw impetus appears to have been given to every branch of industry. The yield of gold for the year which has just closed, as compared with that of several previous years, shows a marked development of this important industry, and encourages the belief that further expenditure in opening up the goldfields will be productive of the best results to ths colony at large. The facts appear amply to justify your making provision for the extension and the ultimate completion of the main trunk lines of railway, as well as for other important works in connection with them, to which Parliament has already given its sanction. Proposals with these objects will be made to you, which the increase of revenno and the value of property appear fully to justify. TiieConunissionergappointecUoinquireinto the constitution, practice, and procedure of the Courts of Judicature within tho colony, with the view pf preparing such measures of reform as wouffi render the administration of justice more speedy and efficacious, and at the same time, loss costly than at prescint have completed their labours, and Bills will be presented to you for giving effect to the recommendations of the Commissioners. Bills -n ill also be introduced to amend the Counties and Road Boards Acts, and to regulate the making and levying of rates; to effect important changes iu the working of the Government Life Insurance Department, to improve the law affecting lunatics, to enable affirmations and declarations to be taken in lieu of oaths, to abolish the restraints on the alienation of- land, to amend tie law

I elating to the property of niarried women, to consolidate and amend the law relating to lcftal practitioners, and for the better management :,of native reserves. These subjects will require your very careful consideration, ami, under the guidance of Providence, I trust that your deliberations will result in just conclusions, beneficial to all classes of Her Majesty's subjects in this colony. His Excellency aud members of the Houso of Representatives then retired, and tho Council adjourned till 2.35 p.m.