OPENING OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

Westport Times, Volume II, Issue 297, 14 July 1868, Page 2

OPENING OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

The Assembly met last "Wednesday, and his Excellency delivered the following address which, if possible, is more than usually vague and unmeaning, we extract from the Nelson Examiner : "Wellington, July 9. The Session of the Assembly was opened this afternoon at two o'clock by his Excellency Sir George Bowen, with the usual customary formalities. The 18th Regiment and Volunteers formed his Excellency's guard of honor, and the Artillery fired a salute of 17 guns. After announcing his assumption of office and expressing, on behalf of the Duke of Edinburgh, regret at not visiting New Zealand, his Excellency stated that he had visited the Northern portions of the Colony, and proposed, at the close of the Assembly, to visit the various settled districts of the South.

Papers relative to the Colonial Treasurer's proceedings in England will be laid on the table of the Houses. The prolonged controversy and constant irritation caused by the non-settlement of accounts between the Imperial and Colonial Governments had happily been removed by their settlement. "The Act passed dureing your last session, erecting the District of Westland into a country, and making temporary provision for its government, was brought into operation on the Ist January last. While the working of this measure, since that date, has shewn the necessity from considerable amendments, which for its provisional character, might have been reasonable anticipated, the result of this important experiment may. on the whole, be considered satisfactory. A bill will be submitted to you for effecting the various amendments which experience has shown to be necessary. "The Estimates have been resolutely reduced to the lowest amount required to maintain the public service.

"I am happy to be able to inform you, notwithstanding the commercial depression which the country, in common with other portions of the empire, has labored under, that if the resources of the country are not further anticipated by loans, there will be no need to impose additional burdens on the people in order to mantain the popular credit aud an efficient G-overnment. "A bill will be submited to you for securing to rural districts powers for effecting public works necessary for progress, and for allotting to them a fair share of the Land Fund. "Several very important bills will also be submitted to you for declaring, amending, and consolidating the law relating the real property, the regis-, tration of deeds, police offices, frauds in trade, and other subjects ; and for assimilating the law of treason to that of Great Britain. '•Though laboring under many diffi -

*culties, and charged with the solution <of intricate political problems' which cannot bo delt with summarily, I have every confidence that the good sense, patience and mutual forbearance of the people of these Islands will secure tqe happiest results, and will gradually adjust the finances and the political constitution of the Colony: to the progressive requirements of the people." 'The concluding portion of the speech states, that the government have not exercised the distillation powers. The report of the Prison commission will be laid on the table of both Houses. The final paragraph of the speech prays for direction in the labors of the Sessions.