THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 295, 17 August 1860, Page 2

THE GOVERNOR'S ADDRESS.

Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, Gentlemen of the House of Representatives— In the present circumstances of the colony, I have recourse, with great satisfaction, to your advice and assistance. . ~■,.' ; ■■. The Province of Tayanaki, the state of which has long been a source of anxiety, has recently become the scene of an insurrection, involving portions of several tribes of aboriginal natives. The immediate occasion of this disturbance of the public peace has been an attempt, on the part of. a native chief of the Ngatiawa tribe, to forbid the sale to the Crown, and forcibly to present the survey, of a piece of land to which he neither asserted nor possessed any title. I felt it to be my duty to repel this assumption of an authority inconsistent alike with the maintenance of the Queen's sovereignty and the rights of the proprietors of the land in question. In this course I have received from all parts of the colony assurances of sympathy and support, affording gratifying evidence of the loyalty of all classes of her Majesty's subjects. / - I am deeply sensible of the sacrifices made by those who have been called upon to aid in the assertion of her Majesty's authority, and in providing for the safety of the colony. Her, Majesty's land and sea forces have displayed their accustomed gallantry ; and I desire especially to express my admiration of the courage which the settlers of Taranaki have shown in the field, and in the endurance of the privations and losses to which they have been subjected. . / My thanks are due to the Governments of the neighboring colonies, for the efficient aid which they have rendered on this occasion, and, particularly to the Government of Victoria, which;, promptly despatched to my assistance its fine armed steamer. Having been compelled reluctantly, and with much regret, to uphold her Majesty's supremacy by force of arms, and believing that the future welfare of the native race, not less than that of her Majesty's other subjects in New Zealand, depends on the resolute maintenance ,of hey authority, I confidently rely on your loyal and cordial support to aid me in carrying into effect such measures as circumstances may require. It is satisfactory to know that only a small portion of the native population has taken any part in the insurrection. A dangerous sympathy with the insurgents has, however been displayed by the Waikato tribes. These tribes have for some years past been the centre of the agitation for the establishment of an independent Maori state, under a native ! sovereign, and it is in furtherance of this project that aid from Waikato has been afforded to the insurgents. To check the plans fraught with so much peril to both races, and to remove doubts which extensively prevail amongst the natives as to the ultimate objects of the British Government, I have invited a considerable number of the influential chiefs from all parts of the colony to meet and confer with me in Auckland. My invitation has been responded to by a large number of leading chiefs, comprising members of almost every tribe in New Zealand. They are now assembled in the , neighborhood of Auckland, and from the results which have already attended the meeting, I feel justified in expecting that it will remove much misconception,—will confirm the loyal and reassure the doubting,—and will prepare the way for measures to establish the relations of the Government with the aborigines on a solid and satisfactory basis. I have directed that papers relating to all*matters to which I have alluded shall be laid before you. Gentlemen of the House of Representatives,—The estimates for the ensuing year will be submitted to you On an early day. They will bo framed with a due attention to economy, and a careful regard to the exigencies of the public service. Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, — I have to congratulate you on the continued increase of the population, exports, and revenue of the colony—an increase which during thfr past year has been unusually rapid. In anticipation of the approaching expiry of the term of duration of the present Houseof Representatives, you will be invited to consider a measure for increasing the number of the members of the House, and for redistributing the Representation so as to fairly adjust it., to the altered state of the colony. ; Under existing circumstances your attention will doubtless be principally directed to subjects connected with the native insurrection. Measures on various matters of importance have, however, been prepared, and will be submitted for your consideration; comprising a Bill to facilitate the transfer of Real Property by the establishment of a Land Registry, a Bill to regulate Joint Stock Companies, with other measures for the amendment of various branches of the law. ■

It only remains that I should express my earnest hope that, in the circumstances under -which you are assembled, your deliberations may be guided by the spirit of wisdom, and may contribute to the enduring welfare of the people of this colony.

REPLY TO THE GOVERNOR'S. SPEECH. We, her Majesty's dutiiul and loyal subjects, the Commons of New Zealand, in Parliament assembled, humbly desire to thankyour Excellency for your Excellency's Speech in opening this Session. '«.'•.' We receive, with a cordial desire to afford to your Excellency our hearty co-operation, your Excellency's assurance tliat^ in the present circumstances of the colony, your Excellency has recourse, with great satisfaction, to our advice and assistance, ■

We have learned with concern that the Province of Tawnaki, the state of^ which, haa long been X

fc>. source of anxiety, has recently become the scene of an insurrection involving portions of several tribes of aboriginal natives. , ■■~.- Your Excellency has informed us that the immediate occasion of this disturbance of the public peace has been an*attempt, on the part ot a native chief of the Ngatiawa tribe, to forbid the sale to the Crown, and forcibly to prevent the survey, of a piece of land,: to which he neither asserted nor - possessed any title. > --n We concur in the opinion that it was your Excellency's duty to repel such an assumption of authority, as being inconsistent alike with the maintenance of the Queen's sovereignty, and the rights of the proprietors of the land in question; and express our satisfaction that in this course your Excellency has received from all parts of the colony assurances of sympathy and support, affording gratifying evidence of the loyalty of all classes of her Majesty's subjects: assurances which we desire emphatically to affirm. We recognise with your Excellency the sacrifices made by those who have been called upon to aid in the assertion of her Majesty's authority, and in providing for the safety of the colony, and that her Majesty's land and sea forces have displayed their accustomed gallantry ; and cordially unite with your Excellency in a warm expression of admiration of the courage which the settlers of Taranaki have shewn in the field, and in the endurance of the privations and losses to which they have been subjected, and which we trust may not ■ pass unrecognised. We desire to add to-those of your Excellency, our sincere thanks to the Governments of the neighboring colonies, for the efficient aid which they have rendered on this occasion, and particularly to the Government of Victoria, which promptly despatched to your assistance its fine armed, steamer. Believing that your Excellency has been com-, polled reluctanly, and with much regret, to uphold her Majesty's, s^reujacy by fprce.pf arms, and agreeing with your Excellency that the future welfare of the native race, not less than that of her Majesty's other subjects in New Zealand, depends on the resolute maintenance of her authority, your Excellency may confidently rely on our loyal and cordial support to aid your Excellency in carrying -. into effect such measures as circumstances may require. . . We thank your Excellency for acquainting us that only a small portion of the native population has taken any part in the insurrection, and that a dangerous sympathy with the insurgents has, however, been displayed by the Waikato tribes. We believe that these tribes have been, for some years past, the centre of the agitation for the "establishment of an independent Maori State, under a Native Sovereign, and that it is in furtherance of this project that aid from, Waikato has been afforded to the insurgents. We thank your Excellency for the information, that to check the growth of plans fraught with so much peril to both races, and to remove doubts which extensively prevail amongst^the natives as to the ultimate objects of the British. Government, your Excellency has invited a considerable number of the influential chiefs from all parts of the colony to meet and confer with you in Auckland ; that your invitation has been responded to by a large number of leading chiefs, comprising members of almost every tribe in New Zealand, and that they are now assembled in the neighborhood of Auckland. We sincerely trust that, from the results which have already attended the meeting, your Excellency is justified in expecting that it will remove muck misconception, will confirm the loyal and>reassure the doubting, and will prepare the way for measures to establish the relations of the Government with the aborigines on a solid and satisfactory basis. We thank your Excellency for having directed that papers relating to all the matters to which your Excellency has alluded shall be laid before us. We thank your Excellency for informing us that the Estimates for the ensuing year will be submitted to us on an early day, and that they •will be framed with a due attention to economy, and a careful regard to the exigencies of the public service. We cordially reciprocate your Excellency's congratulations on the continued increase in the population, exports, and revenue of the colony ; an increase which during the past year has been unusually rapid. s We willgive our best attention to the measure which, in anticipation of the approaching expiry of the term of duration of the present House of Representatives, we shall be invited to consider for increasing the number of the Members of the House, and for re-distributing the representation so as fairly to adjust it to the altered state of the colony. We desire to assure your Excellency that although under existing circumstances our attention will doubtless be principally directed to subjects connected with the native insurrection, the measures on various matters of importance which have been prepared, comprising a Bill to facilitate the Transfer of Real Property, by the establishment of a Land Registry, a Bill to regulate Joint Stock Companies, with other measures for the amendment of various branches of Law, will receive our careful consideration. * We gratefully acknowledge the expression of your Excellency's earnest hope, that, in the ciicumstances under which we are assembled, our deliberations may be guided by the spirit of wisdom, and may contribute to the enduring welfare of the people of this colony.