✨ Opening of Parliament, Governor's Speech
Numb. 82.
1671
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
EXTRAORDINARY.
Published by Authority.
WELLINGTON, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1897.
THE Second Session of the Thirteenth Parliament of New Zealand was this
day opened by the Governor, when His Excellency was pleased to make
the following
SPEECH.
HONOURABLE GENTLEMEN OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,—
As the representative of Her Most Gracious Majesty it is pleasing to me
to meet you in Parliament assembled so soon after my arrival in New Zealand.
The cordial welcome tendered to me on my landing will ever be gratefully
remembered. From what I have already seen, I am favourably impressed with
your safe and beautiful harbours and splendid lands, and with the manifest
evidences of industrial progress, and I feel assured that, with careful adminis-
tration and reasonable opportunities, this colony has a great future before it.
The enthusiastic expressions of loyalty and devotion to Her Majesty on the
part of the people in all the places so far visited by me have been most
gratifying.
I shall, as time and opportunity permit, visit different parts of the colony to
make the acquaintance of the people, to see and admire the scenery for which
New Zealand is famed, and to endeavour to obtain a personal knowledge of the
productiveness of the soil, the progress that has been made in the establishment
of industries, and the richness and extent of the mineral deposits.
Since you were last called together the brightest event in the history of
the British nation has occurred. Representatives from nearly all parts of the
world took part in the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Her Most Gracious
Majesty received from her subjects in all parts of the Empire congratulations
on the completion of the sixtieth year of her glorious reign. The enthusiasm
everywhere shown on the part of her subjects gave proof of their loyalty to the
Throne, their reverence and personal attachment to the Sovereign, and their
appreciation of the benefits—political, social, and moral—that have accrued since
Her Majesty's accession.
In fitting recognition of the hospitality of the British nation, and as an
evidence of our attachment to the Throne and the Royal Family, my Ministers are
of the opinion that the invitation to their Royal Highnesses the Duke and
Duchess of York to visit Australia and New Zealand should be renewed.
During the recess the Prime Minister, having with your concurrence
accepted the invitation of the Secretary of State for the Colonies, visited
Next Page →
NZ Gazette 1897, No 82
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
🏛️ Opening of the Second Session of the Thirteenth Parliament of New Zealand
🏛️ Governance & Central Administration23 September 1897
Parliament, Opening, Governor, Speech, Diamond Jubilee, Royal Visit
- Victoria (Her Most Gracious Majesty), Queen of the British Empire
- Duke of York (His Royal Highness), Invited to visit New Zealand
- Duchess of York (Her Royal Highness), Invited to visit New Zealand
- The Governor
- Prime Minister