OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12317, 8 July 1903, Page 2 (Supplement)

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.

THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.. TriK first session of the new Parliament was, opened on Juno 29. Mr. A. R. Guinness was elected Speaker. Parliament met on the next day, when His Excellency delivered the Speech/ of which the following were the principal nor-; .lions' ; — On the. lOih. day ;of August next niy original term of office expires. My advisers?, however, expressed the desire that I should remain for a longer period, and, believing it to be consonant with the general wish, I consented, and His Gracious Majesty prolonged my term of office.■ " ' The Judicial Committee of the English Privy Council, in . delivering judgment in the PoriruiV Trust case, Wallis and other's versus the Solicitor-General, cast aspersions on the New Zealand Courts, to which a formal protest and complete refutation was made by the Chief Justice and other judges. . It, is sincerely hoped, in the interest's of justice and the highest Courts of the Empire, that the unmerited and un-called-for 'departure of the Judicial Committee may never occur again. My Ministers are of the opinion that amendment in the constitution of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is imperative, and that unless a. satisfactory change is made confidence in that great central tribunal of the Empire will within the colonies be shaken. The excess of arrivals over departures gave the colony a large increase in population ' last year. ' The low birth-rate in some urban parts of the colony is, however, a matter for grave concern. A. largely? increased population is needed, and my Ministers are of opinion that if immigrants, of the farming class of the United King* dom were to come here instead of swelling the population of alien countries it would be to their advantage and to the benefit of the colony. Amongst the measures foreshadowed in the Speech were those providing for 8 preferential tariff with Great Britain, an increase of the absentee' tax, a new agreement under which ■.'the. New Zealand and Australian Squadron is to be strengthened, proposals in reference to State fire insurance, the suppression of trusts and combines, the passing of legislation regarding the Bank of New Zealand and the issue of State bank notes, a direct reference to the peoples of issues on large questions, for deal with shops and' offices, compensation for accidents, arbitration and conciliation, and for improving the present system of land valuation, for the extension of the rating on unimproved value of land, for improving the position of Civil servants and schoolteachers, and for amending the law and system of weights and measures,