✨ Governor's Speech Opening Parliament
May 10.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 551
The rabbit pest, which has long been a matter of the gravest importance to this
colony, has received careful attention. Although the means which have been in
use have, I am happy to state, proved sufficient to keep it in check, they are not
calculated to completely remove this pest. My Advisers have therefore taken steps
to have the question of a thorough remedy considered by competent gentlemen
in the colony, and they have joined with the other colonies in causing the subject
to be investigated in Australia. In furtherance of this object they deputed a New
Zealand settler of experience and high scientific attainments to attend the experi-
ments which were arranged to be made by the representatives of M. Pasteur and
others. The results of these experiments and the report of the New Zealand
representative will be placed before you as soon as possible.
Time has not permitted the carrying-out of the reforms contemplated by “ The
Government Railways Act, 1887.” Applications have been invited from those
desirous of filling the office of Chief Commissioner, but a selection has not yet been
made. Until this has been done it is impossible to have the Act put in force.
In accordance with the undertaking given by my Ministers during the last
session of Parliament, alterations in the tariff will be submitted for your con-
sideration. By a readjustment of duties it is hoped to remove certain anomalies
which periodically appear in the tariff. One of the objects of this readjustment will
be to afford further financial aid in carrying on the departments of Government,
while due regard will also be paid to the effect which the alterations will have upon
the trade and manufactures of the colony.
The question of creating a means of adjusting from time to time the rents pay-
able by deferred-payment settlers, and by tenants of the Crown, and of municipal
and other public bodies has received careful attention. A Bill dealing with this
subject will be laid before you.
The Midland Railway contract, after much deliberation, has been prepared
upon the lines decided by Parliament, and now awaits confirmation by the company
in England.
The attention of my Government has been directed to questions relating to
the establishment and preservation of Fisheries, upon which subject a consolidating
and amending Bill, dealing with many important points, has been prepared.
Bills for the amendment and consolidation of the Electoral Laws, for the main-
tenance of discipline in the Naval and Military Forces, for remedying defects in
the Municipal, Rating, and Land Transfer Acts, and for the repeal of the Crown
and Native Lands Rating Act, will be submitted to you. These and the other
important measures to be laid before Parliament I commend to your careful considera-
tion.
I earnestly hope that, with the blessing of God, you may be enabled to dis-
charge your arduous duties with advantage to the interests of the colony.
By Authority: George Didsbury, Government Printer, Wellington.
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NZ Gazette 1888, No 28
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
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Governor's Speech Opening Parliament
(continued from previous page)
🏛️ Governance & Central Administration10 May 1888
Parliament, Governor, Speech, Civil Service, Economy, Defence, Education, Maori, Chinese, Immigration, Rabbit Pest, Tariff, Fisheries, Electoral Laws, Military Discipline, Land Transfer
- George Didsbury, Government Printer