844

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE.

[No. 49

prorogation of your Houses in September last, the statistics of arrivals and
departures show a fair excess of the former over the latter. My Ministers are of
opinion that this improved state of affairs is due in part at least to the efforts made
by the Bureau of Industries to accelerate the circulation of labour through the
colony. The change is the more gratifying in view of the fact that the public-works
expenditure of some of the Australian Colonies has for years so enormously exceeded
our own.

The disposal and settlement of the waste lands of the Crown has gone on apace
during the last twelve months. The extraordinary stream of applications which has
been flowing in from special-settlement associations affords, in the opinion of my
Advisers, a further convincing proof of the great and still increasing demand for land
among bona fide intending settlers on the soil. The returns to be laid before you
by the Lands Department will, so my Advisers think, prove that the rate of
settlement in the colony is now chiefly limited by but three conditions: First, the
amount of Crown land still available for occupation; second, the amount of money
in hand for spending on surveys; third, the willingness of Parliament to amend
and improve such parts of the land-laws as form, in the opinion of my Ministers,
a hindrance rather than a help to rapid and genuine settlement.

The purchase of Native lands has been carried on as speedily as financial considerations have permitted, and the demeanour of the Native tribes at various conferences with members of the Government has been marked by a satisfactory inclination for fair discussion. The arrangement entered into with Tawhiao, by which he accepts a Government pension, marks, I trust, a removal of the last barrier to the peaceful development of that portion of the North Island which has for a whole generation been more or less isolated by what has been known as "the King movement."

A departmental rearrangement has broken up the Native Department, distributing its functions through the Departments of Lands and Justice. It has, however, been considered very necessary not to leave the Maori race to imagine that this means any lessened attention by the Government to their wants and interests. For this and other reasons it has been thought well to add to the Executive Council a member of the Native race, in the manner provided for by statute.

On meeting you last year regret was expressed by my predecessor at the continued and discouraging decline in the yield of our goldfields. I have therefore the greater pleasure in being able to congratulate you upon the distinct improvement shown by the mining returns of the financial year just ended.

My Government has recently been invited to send representatives to the proposed Australasian Conference to consider the further introduction of coloured labour into the northern continental colonies; but the invitation has not yet been accepted.

HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,--

I deeply regret that your already diminished numbers have been still further reduced by the deaths of three much-esteemed members, by the resignation of a fourth, and by the temporary departure from the colony of others of your number.

GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,--

The estimates of revenue and expenditure will be laid before you. The estimates of expenditure have been framed with a strict regard to economy.

You will doubtless be gratified to learn that information carefully gathered points to the conclusion that the important reform of the direct taxation made by you last session will be carried into effect without any loss to the revenue whatever.

HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,--

Returns will be laid before you showing the results of traffic in all branches of the railways. You will be asked to give your attention to the question of the future management of this large and valuable part of the national property.