OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7654, 12 June 1896, Page 3

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

MEMBERS AGAIN AT WORK.

[Fkom Our Parliamentary Reporter.] Wellington, last night. There was a larger muster of the public than usual at the opening of Parliament this afternoon, the approaches to Hill street being thronged with a bustling crowd of spectators, mostly of the fair sex. The D Battery fired the customary salute, and the Wellington College Cadets formed the guard of honor. At 2.25 the first party from Government House, consisting of Lady Glasgow, Ladies Augusta, Dorothy, and Helen Boyle, the Hon. Alan Boyle, and Professor George Forbes arrived, and took 'their seats in the Council Chamber. A few minutes after His Excellency, dressed in the full uniform of naval commander, put in an appearance, attended by Major Elliott, his private secretary, Captain Campbell Preston, A.D.C., the captain and several officers of H.M.S., Ringdove, the Mayor and Consul for Italy (Mr G. Fisher), Count Jourffay Dabbans (French Consul), Messrs Castendyke (German Consul) and Duncan (Consul for Sweden and Norway), and Dr Cahill (United States Consul), Fifteen memberß of the Legislative Council were present, and the faithful Commons being summoned attended to the number of fifty, A feature of the Speech from the Throne was its prolixity, and when the list of Bills which it is proposed to Bubmit for consideration was disclosed, members laughed conaumedly, for it was reepgnised that a programme for a whole Parliament and not merely for a closing session had been provided. After the viceregal party, the visitors, and members of the House had retired the Council sat for a few minutes. The Hons. Arkwright, R. H. J. Reeves, and George Jones took the oalh, the Hod. W, Montgomery delivered a panegyric over the two late memberß, the Hon, Sir P. Buckley and Dr Pollen, and an adjournment till Tuesday, when Mr Arkwright moves the Address-in-Reply, wns made. The first business in the House was the swearing in of Mr Lewis, tho successor to the Hon. W. P. Reeves in the representation of Christohurch. Then the Premier moved that the House on its rising do'adjourn till Tuesday. This, it was recognised, was done in order to permit Ministers to meet their party in caucus with a view to considering the Treasurer's position, and the motion evoked no opposition. Resolutions were subsequently passed indicative of the loss the country had sustained by the death during the recess of the Hons. Sir P. Buckley and Dr Pollen, the speakers in each instance being the Premier and Leader of the Opposition.

The remainder of His Excellency's speech which reached us after we went to press yesterday was as follows : — With a view of fostering the in- ■ dustry and meeting a long-felt want a substantial bonus was offered for improved flax-dressing machinery, but so far without satisfactory result, The matter is deserving of, and will receive every attontion, and with proper grading and improved machinery and capital awuilitig invest incut at low rates there is every prospect of the industry becoming once more payable and lasting. The Medical Conference held in Dunedin was thoroughly representative in character, and was attended l>y many professional men from Australia and nil putts of New Zealand, It gave me very great pleasure to attend the opening of the conference. The results of their labors will assuredly prove beneficial to sufferiughumanity. The proceedings of the conference wore fully reported, and the papers and discussions thereon will be read with great interest. The Public Health branch was particularly interesting and instructive, and if the suggestions made are given effcel to great benefits will be derived therefrom The proposal of thb Imperiul uuthorities t< hand over the control of Norfolk island to New fciouth Wales is of moment to this colony, a 8 it is possible that the island in question may be a landing point in connection with the Pacific cable, and on this and other grounds my advisers protested against the proposed change The Imperial authorities have decided to reconsider the

question. The correspondence on the subject will be laid before you in due course. The census recently taken, so far as the results are know, goes to show that the population of the colony has largely increased during the past five years, more particularly in the North Island. This must be attributed principally to the rapid settlement which is proceeding, and to the development of the mining and other industries in the Middle Island. There has been a fair increase on the whole, and in those parts, particularly on the West Coast, where there has been little or no increase, it is satisfactory to note that, with almost certain increased development of coal and timber industries, the population in these parts will surely increase in the near future.

I last Addressed you I mentioned ■PPi&pb** "-the Midland Railway Oorabad; failod'to <,cqmplate its contract, ||||p|reaiirjinjury to the colony would |||||ult Jbwing ■to the consequent locking P^^ofc.S.'OOOiOOO acres of land, and that ||j;B»arbitration demanded by the company |Pmd;jbeen postponed by the arbitrators. pThe'atbit ration on thiai mportant question imiSitaken place. The company claimed rajei.^jil,OOO,OOP, and after an , enquiry blasting over several weeks the umpire |ff;!is?f Bight i Hon. Edward Blake) found frtfiakthe .company had no claim against Sther- Crown, nor any right to recover any r'Burn of moneys from the Grown in respect tof the said claims. The umpire farther lioand that the unreasonable and excusable |.delay by the company in the prosecution ibf: the wbrka connected with the Tailway, sand also the wilful breach of the contract s^«.bet ween the company and the Queen, ;|jj6BJiified;. me • in' taking possession and Jaseuming the management) of the railway, and that the power to do so had been t * rightly exercised. The good faith of the . oolpby having bees impugned by the | coiijpany, and the honor and integrity of ;:ita public men being at stake, the finding ? of the umpire is eminently satisfactory. THE HOUSE OF EePBESEN-§S£-h' " . TATIVE3, ij; - iThe estimates of revenue and expendi&tar6 for thecurrent financial year will be : laidl before you.' The estimates of expenditure have been prepared with a due ■'tejjard to economy. The increased de:Vjiaanas".in 'connection with education, Escnool buildings, teohuicalsohools, the post land itelegraph service, roads to open up -land foi settlement, defence for the year afld defence works, have been considered, rand votes for the^e purposes will be placed you. >Hon, Gentlemen of the Legislative v-.V COTOJCIL AND GenTKSSIEN OF THE s-_ '^>HOtIBB OF REPRESENTATIVES. of undesirable persons (■coming to New Zealand, especially ~ the .'Chinese,is of great importance as affeot- : ing tfie well-being and purity of our race, =<»nd as unduly disturbing bur trade and In consequence of the Auscolonieß having taken steps to vprotecb themselves and from other causes, £ an increasing 'number of Ohinese and race ■fallens have at recent dates arrived in New Zealand, and my advisers therefore deem • it necessary that restrictive measures of a complete and comprehensive nature should at sn early, data be enaoted. A Bill deal■?lng with the subject will be laid before you. As you are' aware, an Act was . passed last session empowering this colony to Renter into, a reciprocal treaty with ': South Australia. The Parliament of that ""Colony,' however, declined to pass a similar measure. My Ministers deem it ; advisable that steps should be taken to facilitate the opening of fresh markets for lionr products, and that further efforts ■should be made in. the direction of reciprocity with the other colonies, the ;Empire, and its dependencies. It is with much pleasure that I am able to announce . that there are evidences which, during the latter portion of tho last financial year, ? afford proof of substantial progress having • been made, and the increased revenue through the Customs on articles not affected by the tariff of last session goes to prove that the earning power of the ~ people has improved, and with the marked growth of our population and the advancement in the prices of our Btaple products outlook is most promising. Returns will belaid before you showing that during the. year there has been, notwithstanding the. granting of large remissions, encourag;,ing, our industries generally, a steady inoreMe in the revenue from nearly all of traffic upon the railways, thus affording evidence of an advance in the productive capabilities of the colony. The stops taken to open up a trade for our timber in the London market have not met'with that success whioh was anticipated, from latest information to hand, however, there is every prospect, with pare being taken* to Bend suitable timber, of a^tiade being established with the Cape of Good Hope and the Johannesburg goldfields,, in the Transvaal. The success which bas attended conferences in respect to fruit growing, dairying, and other industries leads my advisers to hope that' a conference of persons connected, \rlth the eawmilling and timber industries would be conduoive of muoh good, and at an early date such a conference will be convened. My advisers have, deemed it expedient in the public interest to abolish the " delayed " system :for. telegrams whioh has hitherto existed, add iti lieu thereof have reduced the ..charges for the transmission of ordinary telearamfl. It is anticipated that the Increase in the number of telegrams transmitted will more than cover the extra 'cosb entailed, thus conferring a great boon on the public without increasing the burden of the taxpayer. In respect to the banking legislation of last session and the management of the Bank of New Zealand, circumstances have transpired which in the ..opinion of my advisers render it -necessary that steps should be taken to remedy certain defects and to insure the

interests ' of the colony being properly safeguarded. For the fourth time you will be asked to give relief to the ratepayers by passing a Bill authorising local authorities to levy rateß upon unimproved and values. This system, as you are aware, now obtains in respect of direct taxation for Government purposes. Bills have been prepared to prevent usurious rates of interest being charged and to enable local bodies to apply the co-opera-tive system to the construction of works under their charge. A Bill dealing with prospecting for gold, and the ceding of land by the Natives for mining purposes will be placed before you. You will be asked to consider Bills dealing with land for settlement, workmen's villages, State labor farms, wages protection, private benefit societies, limiting the hours of labor, old age pensions, the referendum, local government, fire insurance, special juries, master and apprentices, fair rents, Government valuation of land, advances to settlers, and alcholtc liquors sale control. You will be asked to consider an important change in the electoral law, dispensing with the registration of electors on account of property, also securing the representation of majorities and dealing with tho changes in the boundaries of electorates. I " commend these important matters to your careful consideration, and earnestly beg to assure you that it is my desire and wish to co-operate with you in promoting the best interests of the colony, and I trust that with the blessing of God your deliberations may result in increased happiness and prosperity to the people of New Zealand.