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Colonist, Volume XII, Issue 1247, 7 September 1869, Page 3

Parliament was prorogued at half-past one o'clock) by his Excellency the Governor in person. The day being fine, a large crowd had collected outside the Assembly buildings to witness the Governor's arrival and departure, while the whole of the space inside the Legislative Council Chamber, where the ceremony took place, available for strangers, was occupied. The larlies mustered in strong force on the occasion, amongst those present being —Mrs. Johnston, Mrs. Fox. Mrs. Reader, Mrs. Brandon, Mr 3. Levin, Mrs. Grace, Mrs. Menzies, Mrs. Richards, Mrs. Borlase, Mrs. H. Halse, Mrs. Goring, Mrs. Hart, Mrs. Gisborne, Mrs. Pharazyn, Mrs, Vogel, and Misses Bartley, Bell, Clayton, Hales, Borlase, and Bridges. A guard of honor was provided by the Volunteers, under the command of Colonel Reader, who were posted, with their band, outside tho main entrance to Government buildings. The Artillery, who were posted on the reclaimed land, fired a salute upon his Excellency's arrival, which, took place shortly before half-past one o'clock. At that hour, his Excellency accompanied by his Airles'de-Camp, entered the Council, when the members of the Lower House were sent for, and soon appeared, headed by the Speaker and Sergeant-at-Arras. The Speakek then read the following address from the Lower House :— May it please Your Excellency— During this session of Parliament now about to expire, as during many which have preceded it, a very large share of the time of the Legislature has been devoted to the consideration of native questions. Harrassed hy roving bands of rebels, bent upon pillage and murder, and threatened by the dissaffection of the native inhabitants of various parts of the North Island, it has been necessary for the Colony to consider in what manner the difficulties and danger of its position were to be most effectually surmounted. After a long and anxious debate, it has beeu decided that Commissioners should be sent from this country to communicate personally with the Imperial authorities, to submit to them the claim of New Zealand to the favorable consideration of the Mother country, and to solicit aid and co-oporation in restoring md securing peace and the Bafety of life and, property. For the military assistance to be asked for, the Colony has expressed its willingness to pay such sum as the British Government may deem reasonable. In furtherance of the same all important objects, the Legislature has passed bills to.provide a summary mode of trial of rebel?, to constitute an Armed Constabulary force, and to, place all dealings with arms and ammunition under a careful and vigilant i restraint. On a great variety of other subjects, the wants of , the community and the gradual change of its circum* stances have been met by various useful legislative enactment?. Among those to which youv Excellency's assent on behalf of her Majesty will be requested, will be found bills amending the administration of the waste lands of the Crown, amending the management of its goldfields, and dealing with important interests of a constitutional, financial, and social character. It has been the melancholy duty of the House of Representatives, but one which, at tho same time; it discharged with unanimous promptitude, to make provision for the survivors of those dreadful massacres which within the last year cast such gloom over the country, and curried grief and consternation into so many homes. For the large and important objects to which I have briefly directed your Excellency's attention, it has been necessary, of course, to provide funds to a more than usual amount. In anticipation of future resources, the House of Representatives has passed two Bills of Supply, each of them authorising the raising of the sum of £150,000 by the issue of Treasury bills. To one of these your Excellency has been already pleased to assent. To the second of these bills and to the Annual Appropriation Bill I have now on behalf of the House of Representatives respectfully to request your Excellency's assent on behalf of her Majesty. • Tho Speaker then presented, th* following bills;—

An Act to amend the Oyßter^Fislierieß Act,.1886. An Act to amend the Registration Act, 1858. An.Act. to. enable offiCeralof the. Government of !N'ew-Zealand and others to giW"3*<?JJrikY to the Crown by guarantee policies with or without bonds.. , An Act for the better Prevention of Contagious Diseases. • An Act to amend the Vagrant Act, 1866. An Act to repeal the Otago Groldfields Judicial Officers Act, 1867, and to provide for the payment of various officers employed upon goldfields. An Act to empower the Governor to grant two thousand acres of land for the purpose of enabling the Acclimatisation Society of Southland to introduce salmon and other fish into the Province of Southland. An Act to amend the Canterbury Eiyers Act, 1858. An Act to amend the Building and Land Societies Act, 1866. An Act to facilitate the delivery of goods carried by sea to porfs in the Colony and to give shipowners a lien for freight. An Act to promote the Establishment of Public Libraries. An Act to amend the law relating to Post-office Savings Banks. , An Act to amend the Public Eevenues Act, 1867. An Act to amend the Public Debts Sinking Funds Act, 1868. An Act to amend the Treasury Bills Eegulation Act, 1868. An Act to establish and regulate an Institution called the Botanic Garden of Wellington. An Act to naturalise Hugo Max Bucholz. An Act to amend the Groldfields Act, 1866, and the Groldfields Amendment Act, 1868. An Act to amend the Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works Act, 1867. An Act for trying the legality of Bills passed by Provincial Councils. An Act to enable trustees to execute their Powers by Attorney in certain cases. An Act to grant Pensions to Mary Ann Walsh and others. An Act to grant a pension to the Widow and Daughter of the late Uev. John Whiteley. An Act to amend the Joint Sto.jk Companies Act, 1860. An Act to set aparb a portion of land as an Endowment to provide pensions for Persons on whom the New Zealand Cross is conferred. An Act to remove doubts as to the power of the Council of the Borough of Grey mouth to levy Kates and Charges upon shipping. An Act to regulate the appointment of Commissioners of Crown Lands throughout the Colony. An Acb to repeal the Medical Praotitioners Act, 1867, and to make other provisions in lieu thereof. An Act to amend the Armed Constabulary Act, 1867. An Act to amend the Native Lands Act, 1867, and the Native Lands Act, 1867. An Act to extend the law now in force relating to Ihn leasing of Crown Lands within the Province of Nelson.' An Act to authorise the application of monies raised under the Consolidated Loan Act, 1867, to payment of certain Loans and Liabilities not provided for in the said Act. j An Act to enable the* Superintendent of the Pro- i vinci) of Canterbury temporarily to reserve ivova sale i certain lands for mining purposes. An Act to amend tho County of Westland Act, 1808. , An Act to amend an ordinance of the Superintendent and Provincial Council of the Province ot Can- • terbury intituled the Westland Public House Ordi- '. nance, 1807, and ulso the Public House Ordinance , Amendment Act, 1868. . ! An Act. to auund the Auckland Wasfo Lands Act, j 1867, relative to the sale and disposal of waste lands ( iv the province of Auckland. I An Act to continue the Provincial Acts Validation , Act, 1867, and the Provincial Acts Validation Act ( Continuance Act, 1868, and to validate certain Provincial Acts and Ordinances. An Act to amend the Stamp Duties Act, 1866, and : the Stamp Duties Ao\; Amendment A;;t, 1867. An Act to authorise the appointment of Commissioners to enter into agreement with the Imperial , Government for the employment; of an Imperial Force in New Zealand, and also to enter into arrange- . ments for organising a force for service under the : Co'ouial Government, and to make provision for . payment of the cost for such Imperial and Colonial Forces. An Act to amend the law relating to prisoners in ■ confinement in Public Gaols. ' An Act to amend the Arms Act, 1860. , An Act to amend the Justices of the Peace Act Repeal Act, 1866, and the Justices of the Peace ■ Act, 1866. : An Act to amend an Act of the General Assembly , of New Zealand intituled an Act to Consolidate and . amend the law relating to the sale, letting and , occupation of Waste Lands of the Crown within the ■ Province of Otago. An Act to amend (he law relating to leases and : Bailments of Stock and Chattels. I : An Ait for the amendment of the laws with respect ' • to the carriage and deposit of explosive dangerous . goods. ( An Act to amend the Provincial Audit Act, 1866. , An Act to provide for the Purchase of Government Annuities and payments ou death and other | payments. An Act to transfer and vest in the Corporation of , the Incorporated Town of Oamaru certain Public 3 Reserves in trust for purposes of public utility for the . Town of Oamaru and its inhabitants. < An Act to empower the Governor to carry oub • certain engagements for grants of land situated at ] Poverty Bay. , An Act to incorporate tha Barristers and Solicitors ( of the Supreme Court of New Zealand under the j style of the New Zealand Society. . An Act for raising the sum of one hundred and . fifty thousand pounds (£150,000) by Treasury Bills. , An Act to supply a sum of money out of the ( Consolidated Fund and other moneys to the service ■ of the year ending the Thirteenth day of June one thousand eight; hundred and seventy, and to appro- . priate the supplies granted in this Session of Pariia- , I'AOllt. , Hia Excellency having assented to the various bills read the following ADDRESS. Honorable Legislative Cotjncillobs, and Gentlemen op the House of Representatives, The time for closing the present session of the General Assembly having arrived, I thank you for the earnest consideration which you have given to the many important topics to which your attention has been directed. The safety of the country will, I hope, be effectually provided for by the measures you have taken. You have acted wisely in making Parliamentary provision for the cost of an Imperial regiment, in taking steps to remove the grounds of the misunderstanding which has arisen on this subject, nnd to restore those friendly relations which should ever subsist between the colony and tho Imperial Government. I cannot avoid expressing my satisfaction that General Sir Trevor Chute has been able, in the meantime, to detain the 18th Regiment. The presence of part of that Regiment, aud of part of a squadx-on of her Majesty's navy, at once affords protection and exhibits to the insurgent natives symbols of the Queen's authority and of ihe power of the great British empire of which the colony is an integral part. Your efforts to organise and render more efficient a Constabulary Force for tho permanent protection of the Colony, cannot but contribute greatly to its future trr.nquility, and will, it is hoped, reduce the heavy cost hitherto incurred on account of active military operations. Gentlemen of the HotrgE op Repbesentatives,— I thank you for the supplies you have granted for the public service of the year; they shall bo administered with all due care and circumspection. While you have wisely refrained at present from making any changes of a fundamental character in your financial system, the amendments effected by several measures which you have passed will tend to promote ihe better administration of finance, and to secure) greater economy in. #w public expenditure^

Honorable'■ G-entiemen '£$ d" QtizmlEiifaZTS,,^ .:..' : I heartily congratulate you on the wonderful pro* gress-oftheAuckland Goldfields, and entirely Concur in-tTie'sense whieKybu^ave shown of, their importance. I 'am. confident that national tranquillity and increased population are all that .ire' requisite to secure a great and general extension of the goldfield in that.and other parts of this auriferous' country. Nothing will secure peace and immigration more than the development of goldfields. The yield of the precious metal and the growth and the prosperity of the colony are reciprocal powers which act and re-act on i each other with the most beneficial effect. "While, however, you have shown yourselves sensible of the importance of developing the resources hidden within the earth, I am glad that you have notneglected another obvious source of wealth which is to be found on its surface in the native flax, and that you have directed inquiries to be made during the recess, which may lead to the further advancement of the growing trade in this valuable material. The absence during this session of any considerable number of petitions from inhabitants of outlying districts, suggesting changes in the constitutional machinery of Government, leads me to believe that the excitement on that subject during last year was only of a superficial and ephemeral character, and that the dissatisfaction with existing institutions, which at one time appeared to be widespread, is no longer felt. I have already transmitted to her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies the resolutions of botli Houses and nets affirming the expediency of maintaining an Imperial regiment in the colony, and making provision for its cost; and I will do all that is in my power to assist the Commiseioners whom you have determined to send to England to communicate with the Imperial Government on this subject, by accrediting them to her Mnjestv's Ministers, aud impressing on the attention of the latter the views of the Assembly. I have every hope that, strengthened by the countenance and aid of the Imperial Government, the Colony will, under the blessing of Divine Providence, bo restored to a condition of peace and prosperity ; that the settlers who have been molested by rebels will regnin possession of their homesteads, aad successfully resume their industrial pursuits ; and that insurrection will be finally suppressed. I cannot conclnde without recording my satisfaction at the cordial welcome which was awarded by the whole Colony to his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, whose visit, though occurring at a period of great depression, and when the minds of the Colonists were engrossed with events of most serious impart, evoked all those feelings of loyalty towards the person and family of her Most Gracious Majesty which are everywhere entertained and expressed in the British Dominions. The ceremony concluded by the Speaker of the Legislative Council declaring' that it wa3 his Exnol. lency's will and pleasure that the Parliament bf> prorogued until Wednesday, the Ist December next.