PARLIAMENT OPENED.

West Coast Times, Issue 2908, 27 July 1878, Page 2

PARLIAMENT OPENED.

vicE-REGAL SPEECH.

Wellington, July 26.

Parliament was opened by the Governor at 2.30 to-day. 1 The place was crowded, about 220 ladies were preseut, and about 17 members of the Legislative Council took their seats, including the newly created Lords, Messrs Martin and Buckley. Some 50 members of the House of Representatives attended. AVI the members of the Ministry were present except the Premier, who was reported ill. The Governor's Speech was as follows : — tToNOfcAfeLE LEGIsi-A'TIVE COUNCILLORS, and gentlemen op the house of Repbesentatives :

it affords me much pleasure again to have recourse to your 'aclvice and assistance, and I confidently anticipate that your deliberations will tend to promote the prosperity and good government of the Colony. Since the last session, I li'ave been uni'foVmly received by the colonists with the utmost loyalty find cordiality, as the Queen's representative, whiereever I have been able to visit ; and it has been with the greatest gratification that I have observed the marked progress in the material prosperity, which is everywhere takiug place, and which testifies so manifestly to the industry of the people of this Coloiiy. I congratulate you on the fa!cfc that peaceful relatious ( .hu,ve at last been established with the Waikato and Ngatimaniopoto tribes. Complying with the pressiug and frequently received invitations of the leading chiefs of those tribes the Premier and Native Minister visited them on several occasions, in their own districts, and met them also at Waitara. Papers on this subject will be laid before you. They will show that fc.be long period of serioua difficulties with the native race 'l'u'ay reasonably be considered to be approaching a termination. There is now a fair prospect that before long European enterprise and settlement will be welcomed by those great tribes, and that they will giadly avail themselves of the advantages which roads, railways, and telegraphs will bring to their magnificent territory, by which ita value, and consequently the wealth and happiness of that portion of the native race so long estranged from us, must be largely increased, in consequence of the disposition thus recently manifested on the part of these natives. You will be asked to consider the question of extend-

ing the North Island trunk railway from Auckland to Taranaki. It is probable that there will be submitted to you the principle's ot those measures iyhich ( have tjeijn cus'cussed 1 with many sec'Hßhs or" the iiativij joeopie; and it is believfetl thai; tne effedt of ijiitn will be to plab'e upon an equal footing all the Queen's s'libjecfcs who may desire td purchase native land 3. Tile 1 threatening aspect of European affairs has caused the Imperial Government to assemble iii London a committee of scientific officers to consider the question of colonial harbor defence. Those officers made recommendations for the defence of the chief harbors of New Zealand, atid the substance of those recommendations was telegraphed tome by the Secretary of State, for the purpose of ascertaining wliether tlie colony would Barry them du't. On the advice of my Ministers, I have replied that New Zealand accepted tlie duty, and tiie necessary armament will shortly arrive iv. the colony. Papers on tbia subject will be submitted to you. Measures have been prepared and will be brought belb're you dealing with electoral reform, . which it is hoped will tend to place the franchise on the method of electing members of the House of Representatives upon a satisfactory basin. Gentlemen op the House of Repeesen-

tatives : The estimates which will be laid before you, have been prepared, so as to. promote economy and effective administration in the several departmeLte. You will fiiid that there is a large increase of revenue, which iriaicates tne prosperity oFthe Colony, and its progress is rendered more certain by a marked extension of tlie export trade. The successful issue of the loan authorised Usf session, is a further proof of the opinion entertained in other countriesj of the stability (if our financial posjtion, aiiii of the general prosperity and peace which prevails iv New Zealand. Minority nas been &iven to the 4 agents, under the. Consolidated Stock Act, to convert New Zealand securi- ! ties of a miscellaneous character into long dated-debentures, bearing a unifbriu r'atfe of interest. Measures will be introduced to place the taxation of the Coloiiy oii a more equitable basis, apportioning tne public burdens; according to the capacity to bear them, and the tariff will be submitted to revision, tendiiig to relieve commerce of some restrictions, which regards its growth. Honorable Councillors, And GrlciTi/EMEN OF THR HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES : The Government have found th'aifc in order to carry out any rtial administrative reform there must be an amalgamation of 6 'frees as well as simplification in their administration. This has been specially left in the Department of Justice, to effect a saving of departmental expenditure, and, at the sai»e time, to increase the efficiency of the administration of justice. A bill, extending the jurisdiction of the inferior Courts has been prepared, arid will soon be laid before you. My Ministers have endeavored by this bill to simplify the proceedings in the local Courts. Steps have also been taken to obtain "a simplification of the Supreme Court procedures, and the Government no'jie that tne benefits, ob'tain'e'd in btjier countries from amending the i rocedtire of the higher Courts of Judicature will be secured for this Colony. A report will be laid before showing the effect so far of tjhe Education Act, passed last session. The time that has elapsed since its passing has been too short to allow a fair estimate of its Working to be arrived at, but the Government do not believe that any material amendments are at present expedient. The question ot higher education deserves most careful consideration, but as a pre litninary thereto, it is necessary that the mode of working and the effects of existing institutions should be ascertained. It is intended, therefore, to appoint a "Royal Commission,to inquire into and report upon, the operations of toe New Zealand University and its. relations to the secondary schools of the Colony. The report of this commission will, it legislation be necessary, enable Parliament to deal effectively with the subject next session. Arrangements have to be entered into with the "Government of New South Wales for 'modifications in the San Francisco mail service contract, and as to its coming witliVn '&c terms of the postal union in conjunction With New South Wales. The Government have also negotiated with 'Colonel Glover, the representative of the Eastern Extension Australian and China Telegraph Company, for a duplltiatioti ( of the cable from Pork Darwin to London, and for a reduction of the tariff on the New Zealand cable. The present state of these negot'fa'tio'ns will be shown by papers 'that will be laid before you. The goldfields of the Colony are still prosperous, and there can be no doubt thai there are yet numerous and extensive aurifer6us deposits, that only require population and enterprise for their development. You will, I have no doubt, join with me iv the hope that the proposal to establish direct steam communication between New Zealand aud the United Kingdom, may prove successful. The results of the gradual extension of the railway scheme have been such as to justify the Colony in undertaking its large indebtedness for, the prosecution of Vliese p'ublia works. It is gratifying to find that the District Railways Act, of last session, i 3 being taken advantage of, and tbe fai'fch of the people of New Zealand in railway extension, is being shown by many important lines in different parta of the Colony being undertaken by private and local enterprise. This spirit of self reliance, my Ministers think, should be fostered, and you will be asked to make some slight amendment, with the view of offering facilities, which

experience has shown to be desirable. During th? recess, various ohaßges have been introduced ill to tile\ management of public wßr.ks a"lid railways department, Changes which 1 Venture to ii(ipe may prove o'eHeificial tii tlie public I commend to your sevisU i cd9siid|ra"tion the various itieasures alill subject^ tiiat may be brought before you for your advice and action, and I pray that the spirit of Divine wisdom may so order your deliberations, that peace and happiness may be promoted throughout the length an I breadth of the Colony.

PUBLIC .BUSINESS.

the following nibmWs took tile batti and their seats :— Seymour T'Hbrnfe (3-eorge, F. J. Moss, It; Turnb'ull; R. F: hobbs, a. E. Barton, and W: H: Ciitteh:

Notice of the usual sessional committees was given, and a number of papers, were laid on the table. A couple of petitions were presented;

The Hon. Mr Sheehari obtaitiell leave, after some discussion, to pat through all its stagea the Native Lin Is Act for amending the Native Linds Act, 1873. The object of the bill, he explained, is to compel an unwilling witness to give his evidence regarding certain land pur* chases, in which the Government are largely interested. After a few slight alterations tlie bill passed through 06m•uittee, same bill having been similarly dealt with in the Council, and brought down.

In course of the proceedings Mr Seymour George gave notice that he would move tlie Address in reply. It is understood Mr Hobbs Will 6e'cbnd it.

The House adjourned till 7.30 p.m. on Tuesday next.