June 20.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 971

labour. Further, an experienced officer has been despatched to Australia to
make a more elaborate survey of the village settlements there. On his return
his report will be laid before you.

The settlement of the waste lands of the Crown under the general land-
laws of the colony has continued to go on satisfactorily during the past year.

The extension of dairy-farming in so many parts of the colony makes it a
source of satisfaction that the systematic grading and cool-storage of dairy pro-
duce are now being carried on by the Department of Agriculture with the best
results.

Fully alive to the paramount necessity for stimulating trade both in timber
and frozen meat, my Ministers have endeavoured to aid the export of the
former by guaranteeing half the freight of cargoes, and propose to call together
a Conference in Wellington to discuss steps for improving the distribution of our
meat in Great Britain.

The measures recommended in the report on the colony’s defences are being
steadily carried on. The advice of last year’s Military Conference is being acted
on, and before next year the whole of our forces will be armed with the Martini-
Henry rifle. The requisite ammunition will henceforth be manufactured within
New Zealand.

The time has, in my opinion, arrived for increasing the number of my
Ministers. The growth of population, the advance of settlement, and the exten-
sion of the functions of the State have so added to the duties of my Advisers as
to make this change needful in the best interests of the colony.

GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,—

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

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

For the third year in succession you will be asked to pass a Bill extending to
local bodies the right of levying rates upon land-values. By it such bodies will
be allowed to apply the principle upon which direct taxation has for years been
assessed by the Government.

A Fair Rent Bill will be introduced, and also a measure to effect needful
amendments in the Land for Settlements Act. You will be asked to deal with
the electoral law, and to assent to a change designed to prevent too frequent
and inconvenient changes of the boundaries of electorates.

Public opinion demands that the difficult problems of local-government and
charitable-aid reform should be faced, and, if possible, solved without further
delay. A measure, which it is hoped will reduce the number of our too numerous
Local Councils, while at the same time concentrating their functions and
strengthening their financial position, will shortly be laid before you.

I trust that you will this session see your way to readjust the Customs
tariff. For the purpose of collecting information of service to Parliament
and the Government in dealing with this complicated matter, I appointed
a Royal Commission consisting of well-known gentlemen of public experience.
An exhaustive report prepared by the Commissioners will be submitted to you.

Full and fair opportunity will be afforded you for discussing the vexed and
interesting question of licensing reform.

Bills have been prepared designed to check excessive rates of usury, and to
protect and preserve for the families of working settlers the homes which they
have made their own.

Measures are ready for your consideration dealing with the relations of
masters and apprentices, with public tenders and contracts, and with the restric-
tion of the influx of race-aliens and certain persons. You will be invited to
pass Bills dealing with State-school teachers and matters connected with
secondary education, and also to amend the law concerning juries.

These proposals I commend to your attention. I earnestly assure you of my
wish to aid your exertions for the good of the colony. I pray that your labours
may, with God’s blessing, tend to promote the welfare and prosperity of the
people of New Zealand.

By Authority: SAMUEL COSTALL, Government Printer, Wellington.