THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, JULY 12, 1867. NEW'ZEALAND PARLIAMENT

Colonist, Volume X, Issue 743, 12 July 1867, Page 2

THE COLONIST. NELSON, FRIDAY, JULY 12, 1867. NEW'ZEALAND PARLIAMENT

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,

TUESDAY JULY 9th, The Speaker took the chair at 2 p.m. Prayers having been read, His Excellency the Governor entered the Council Chamber, and read the following OPENING SPEECH. Honorable Legislatives Councillors, Gentlemen of the House of Representatives— I am happy to meet you again in Parliament, and to recur to your assistance and advice. • It lias afforded me much satisfaction to have been able to give affect to the wish expressed by me at the close of the last session, to visit the southern portion of the Colony. I have thus had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with most of its leading towns and rising settlements, in all of which I have, us the Queen's representative,-m.et with tho most cordial reception. By the people of Auckland also, on the occasion of my recent visit to that part of the country I have been most warmly and loyally received. It has been a pleasing duty to me to report to the Secretary of State that in no part of the Empire has Her Majesty more loyal subjects than the inhabitants of tho districts through which I have trove!led. I could not but be gratified by the rapid progress ■which it was evident the Colony generally had made, while in the settlements which have sprung into existence | during the last few years in the interior, and on the West Coast of the Middle Island, I was at once Btruck by their extent and importance, and gratified by the presence, notwithstanding the circumstances under which they were formed, of that regard for law and order which is the characieristic of, our race.- I can say with confidence that security for life and property, and respect for the law, exist in as marked a degree in thoso recently populated districts as in any part of Her Majesty's dominions'. I congratulate you on the re-eatablishment of peace generally throughout the North Island, in no part of which do*' I anticipate, in future any systematic or sustained hostility to the Queen's authority.

The attitude of some Hau-hau fanatics who, in October last, threatened the town and settlement of Napier, was such a3 to cause a temporary anxiety, but by the judicious measures adopted by Mr. McLean, and gallantly piven effect to by LieutenantColonel Whitmore and all eksaes of the inhabitants of the districts, the offenders were severely punished, tranquility was speedily restored, and has not since been disturbed in that neighborhood. On the West Coast, also, the Natives who had for years been hostile to the Queen's authority, met with a serious check at Pungar.ehu, from Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell p,nd the Colonial forces under his command, since which time many of them. h'Cwfe^eturncd to their allegiance, and others have expij&Jlld their intention of doing so. The conduct of Brer Majesty's Colonial forces, both European and Native, on these and other occasions, deserves the highest praise. During the recess I have made a journey, partly on foot, thrroiigh the North. Island, and. havo traversed native districts which it had, for some time past, been deemed unsafe to enter. I everywhere found the embers of disaffection dying out, and I was received

by tlie Maori population, even in districts recently in. rebellion, in saiili a manner as to inspire confidence in in the future pen.no of the country. A necessity having nri«en for revising existing arrangements for the tranmNsion of mails between the Australian Colonies'and the United Kingdom by way of Suez, it was deemed expedient fhafc the whole question of ocean postal communication, so faras.it affects these colonies, should bo discussed at a conference of representatives of several Australian Governments. I accordingly accredited representatives on the part of this Colony to the conference. The result of the deliberations of that body will be laid before yon, and will, I trtpt, meet your approval. Tin's result appears sati-f ictory, not only as providing for I he establishment of an efficient and comprehensive system of postal communication with all parts of the world, but aba as demonstrating the great benefits whioli may be derived .from cordial anJ united action on this and other subjects affecting the3e colonies as a whole. ,

The Act for the esfablihement of Post Office Savings Bank 3ha 3 been brought into operation during the past year, and die extent to which ifc has already been made use of warrants' the belief that it will prove an important means of fostering industrious and provident habito among the population at large. The complicated and unsatisfactory state of the accounts between the Imperial and Colonial' Governtnenfcs rendered imperative a careful examination of those accounts, with a view to their early and final settlement. I accordingly commissioned a member of my Government to conduct the inquiry'on behalf of tho Colony, in conjunction with an officer duly appointed by the Imperial Government. The correspondence onthis subject, and a Report from the Colonial Commissioner,' will shorty be submitted to you. • ■ Papers concerning ths administration of the Otago Gold-fielJs will be laid before you. • GEtfTtEMriSN" OF THE HOUSE OF RePRESEOTATIYES, — Accounts of Revenue and Expanditui-e for tho past year and Estimates for the ensuing year will be laid before you; and I trust that you will be -able to recognise in both that careful regard for economy upon which, at this juncture, the future prosperity of the Colony greatly depends. I recommend to your consideration a-measure for the converson of Provincial Loans into Colonial Sfconk, with a view to placing the securities of New Zealand on such footing that they may be more advantageously dealt with than is at present possible,—and to the maintaining and improving our credit in the money market. A very general belief in the necessity for some such measitro has long been entertained, and has recently increased. Such necessity is amply confirmed by the present position of many of the Provincial Loans. A Bill will also be submitted to you for extending tho benefits of the Colonial credit to enterprises calculated to foster and extend the important -industry of the Gold-fields by offering a guarantee of interest on capital invested (under proper restrictions and supervision) in procuring supplies of water for tho operations of gold-mining. The vevj special character of the taxation and laws of th& Ghld-nVlds justifies and requires such provision for their interests. Hokorabee Gentlemen a?td Gentlemen, — This part of Hsr Majesty's dominions will probably shortly be visited by 'His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. I have at the earliest moment apprised you of the probability of this visit, as I am aware that you, and all Her M-ijesty's subjects in Now Zealand, will desire to make the best possible preparations to testify to His Eoyal Highness the pride and pleasure with which they receive a Prince who has made so favorable an impression in other parts of Her Majesty's dominions, and to show, by their reception of one of Her Majesty's sons how sincere and earnest is their attachment to that Sovereign who has established such lasting claims upon their gratitude and love.

In accordance "with the intimation macb to you when I last released you from your duties, my G-ov-crnmenfc hare earnestly applied themselves to the preparation of a measure for the establishment of local self-government; generally throughout the country. This measure will shortly bo submitted to you. The growing demand from all parts of the country for the establishment of institutions so congenial to our race, and which have largely promoted its prosperity and developed its habit of self-reliance, will secure for this Bill your earnest and careful consideration, and you will discharge an important ! service if you meet this de-mind in a just and comprehensive spirit by pioviding the means whereby the public funds shall be equitably expended on works of local improvement, under t-ho management and in accordance vrbh the wishes of those iramsdiatelr intores'.ed in their construction. Measures of this character tend to diminish the expense of governing the country, to increase the efficiency of such government, to p-omote settlement by stimulating local energies to extend and maintain the rights of the subject, arid to train an 1 encourage all cla-'sos of the people in the perform'moo of their National" duties. The large mining population on tin West Oast Gold-fields justifies an increased reprospntf\M:m, in Parliament, of their interests ; a Bill to effect that object will consequently be introdiicodl ■ The establishment of Friendly Societies in New Zealand has been productive of great beneflt to large classes of the community, and their daily increasing number and importance render it; advisable to iron rove the existing law. A bill on this subject will accordingly be submitted to you. Several important Bills will also be brought under your notice, with the object of consolidating and improving the Statute Law, and of otherwbe providing for the growing ..requirements of the country, which looks to Parliament for such salutary measures as changing circumstances demand. The r peated recommendations of the Judges of the Supreme Court, and (he proved necessity of providing more pffectii'ely than nf, present for the custody of persons convicted of serious crimes, and sentenced fn long periods of imprisonment, demand nttenfion. It is, therefore, my intention to appoint at an early date a Eoyal Commission to enquire and report on the best mode of instituting a General Penal Establishment for the Colony, or such other means of meeting the necessity referred to as may suggest itself to them in the course of their inquiries. . I submit to your wisdom the consideration of these various important, subjects, and'T pray that the ble £>s ing of God may attend your deliberations, and may guide them to the promotion of the welfare of this Country.

Captain Clouston has been appointed. Chief Q-aoler in room of Mr. Rogsrson resigned. Proposed Chapel at Upper Takatca.—We are glad to observe that a subscription list has just been opened for the purpose of raising funds for erecting a place of public worship at Upper Takaka, where hitherto the service of the Church of England has been held, in a private dwelling. The building which it is contemplated, to erect is not to be devoted exclusively to any denomination, b'nt it is intended for the use of all or any-Protestant ministers and their followers. The liberal'ty of intention displayed by the projectors will entitle the work to general' support, while the extended means of usefulness which will ihus be afforded will prove a source of considerable satisfaction to a large porfc'on of.the inhabitants of the district. •' The subscription list already shows a sum of more than £70, and the object in view can scarcely fail to spoodily procure large additions in aid of this commendable work when the movement becomes-more generally known. A sitakt shock of earthquake was felt at Wellington, between one and two o'clock on the morning of July sth. and on Tuesdny. morning lash, about halfpast nine o'clock, a severe shock was again felt. As an instance of the bud weather and the state of some of the Wellington roads, we .hear that in the vicinity of the residence of the Premier, a young lady while attempting to cross the street became so embedded in mud that the operation of" digging oui" had to be effected before she was released. Maby Manioc was murdered on June 21st, by her husband, Gfeorgo Manton, atßuninyong, Victoria, with, an axe. The murderer afterwards placed the tody of his victim on the fire.