THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

Colonist, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4170, 20 June 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH.

(From l The Colonist,' June 15.) The ordinary reproach against the Ministerial addresses read by the Governor for, the time being, at the opening of Parliament, is that they are vague and as colorless as their framers can make. them. Such is certainly not, the direction the, fault finding can take on the present occasion, Opponents already affect a sneer of would be superior'"' wisdom, and declare that the programme is .too extensive to be realised in a single session. Probably they may do * their utmost to ensure the1 fulfilment of their prophecy by wasting time in protracted discussion of insignificant details, in the hope that when the next prorogation arrives they may be able to point their attack by comparing the proposals now made with what has been actually accomplished. The trick is stale, though not on that account less likely to be tried, but however much they may lessen actual performance, the country will be in! full possession of the policy of Minis- ' ters, and will be able to estimate the motives of any,,movement to cause .their downfall, and will, in case they are driven into appealing to the people,, know for whom the general welfare requires that every candidate must pledge himself to vote. The prevailing tone throughout the speech is—work. No time is to be frittered away over speculative schemes where discussion may without harm to anyone be prolonged from age to age. The careful personal investigations of Ministers into the needs and aspirations of. the several, parts of the Colony, and also into its vast mass .of natural wealth waiting" for development by combined; intelligence and energy, are reflected in every paragraph. Consequent on peace and concord with the Maoris',' there ; has now forthwith followed the j inauguration .of! a- reign of justice, "a1: reign long:! promised them, though now for the first time completely realised. "The cheering anticipations of prosperity in the North Island, can no longer be dismissed as no more than a delightful dream. Many years.'since Sir Julius Vogel confidently foretold the great future of that part of New' Zealand, and it must be accepted as a happy coincidence that he is here to help his colleagues in removing the last remaining obstructions. The reference made to our own railway prospects is so emphatic in its declaration of the importance, of ihe undertaking to the Colony at large, that it cannot be held to amount to less than an assurance that neither theoretical nor technical objections will be suffered to prevent its execution, and further, that if there still remain any difficulties, the whole power of the Government will be directed to removing them. Money for promising undertakings in this country can be rapidly obtained on easy terms to practically any amount, as is made indisputably certain by the prodigious success of our last loan, which, by the way, the most pretentious journalistic adversary of Ministers solemnly declared would be a failure. That the Government do not place their ideal of success in obtaining for themselves the largest possible number of pay days, is abundantly clear from the catalogue of troublesome,1 vexatious, and debatable questions the Speech binds them to deal with. The re-adjustment of taxation is a taking platform. topic, but exceedingly periluus to bring before a House where every interest has its representative who "will be heard, and whose continued allegiance in many instances is contingent on the settling being his own way. Local Government has divided parties from the first. bringing into operation of the Constitution Act, and recently public feeling on the subject has become as keen as it was in years since, when Provincial institutions fell through. The Land Laws—it would be hard to find any more feriile subject of dissension, though it maybe admitted the crowning, trouble is reached when lands, the property of the natives, are to be dealt with. The&e are only a few samples of the works proposed to be gone into by Ministers this session, yet, few as they are, their magnitude and importance is such that, if thoroughly disposed of, none would have a right to cry out against those who attempted no more. Possibly the long list may not be even nearly exhausted. The remaining sessions of this Parliament may perhaps pass before that is done; but whatever additions may be made to the Statute book, whatever may still be .'wanting, it will no longer be open to any.,- futurd candidate for a seat.i in the House to pretend that he does not know what he is called upon to pledge himself to do. I)uring the next few weeks, the speech indicates that the whole policy of the Liberal party will be before the country in the form of Bills, not of mere general professions. After this, parties will be tolerably well defined. A side will have to be taken. That noxious element in political life—the independent member — will vanish. The present speech gives satisfactory assurance that the men now in charge of our affairs have minds of their own, and that they have nobler aims than a long retention of place and power and self.