June 22.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 987

procedure at the local-option polls. My Advisers desire to make it plain that they
have no wish that this important matter should be approached by members in any
other spirit than that of adherence to public pledges and individual convictions.

During the recess the term of office of the late Railway Commissioners expired.
In accordance with what was believed to be the intention of the Legislature which
passed “ The Government Railways Act, 1887,” and with the wish of the country as
expressed at the late elections, a change was made in the personnel of the Com-
mission. At the same time care was taken to leave you entire power to arrange for
the future management of the national railways in such a way as you may deem
proper.

GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,---

I think it fitting to take notice of a feature of peculiar interest belonging to
this Parliament. You are the first body of New Zealand legislators elected under
the law granting the suffrage to women. I have to congratulate the colony upon
the quiet and peaceful course of the elections held under these novel conditions.

I trust that by your aptitude for business and zeal for the country’s welfare
you will show yourselves in no way inferior to the members of former Parliaments,
and thus justify the hopes of the framers and passers of the Electoral Act.

In order to aid you in the conduct of your House’s business, new Standing
Orders, containing highly important changes, will be submitted to you. You will be
asked to give them precedence over all other matters. While loth to seem to
interfere in any way with old-established customs and privileges, my Advisers have
been driven to think that the time has arrived for a bold reform of procedure.
Experience has forced them to conclude that under the honoured name of
“ parliamentary privilege ” has been masked in practice the discomfort, if not
slavery, of a majority of your members. It is notorious that the license of prolix
speech indulged in by a few has continually led to the enforced silence of debaters
capable of stating relevant facts and contributing valuable suggestions within a
reasonable compass of words. My Advisers think that the truest method of safe-
guarding your House’s freedom will be found in forms under which members will be
free to despatch business with speed and comfort.

Estimates of the revenue and the expenditure of the year will be laid before
you. The estimates of expenditure have been framed with due regard to economy.

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

Measures will be submitted to you designed to further simplify the
administration of justice, and to consolidate the law on various subjects. The
moment appears fitting for reprinting the statutes at present in force, and my
Advisers recommend that a Commission for the purpose should be set up.

The important principle of levying rates upon land-values only will again be
urged upon your acceptance; and a Bill intended to prevent loans at usurious rates
of interest will be presented for your consideration.

During last Parliament a number of measures designed especially to improve
the condition under which the manual labourers of the country work were read in the
House of Representatives, but only one finally became law. This is exactly what
happened in the last session before the dissolution of 1890. Then, as now, there
followed a very plain expression of public opinion in favour of passing not only the
rejected Bills, but other measures of the same kind. My Advisers therefore propose
to press forward both the labour Bills of last year, and certain new measures relating
to factories, apprentices, and indiscriminate immigration. The measure last referred
to, involving as it does an important question of policy, will be introduced at an
early period of the session.

I desire you to give these matters your attention. I earnestly assure you of my
wish to aid your exertions for the good of the colony. I pray that your efforts may,
with God’s blessing, promote the happiness and wellbeing of the people of New
Zealand.

By Authority: SAMUEL COSTALL, Government Printer, Wellington.