1674 THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. [No. 82

stantial reductions have been made; but my Ministers are of the opinion that, in some respects, the freights on dairy and other produce are still too high. Papers relating to this matter will be laid before you.

My Advisers consider the question of distribution and storage of the products of our colony in the Mother-country very important. A wider and increased market in Great Britain, the colonies, and other parts of the Empire is wanted, and the introduction of some of our staple products to foreign countries is possible. The greatest care and supervision should be exercised in shipping our produce, and also during transit. Concentration of the cargoes, and combination so as to insure regularity in feeding the Home market, are very necessary. The Government has every reason to believe that the Thames Dock Company are willing, on fair and reasonable terms, to expend a large sum in erecting and equipping well-placed sorting-sheds for frozen produce. Information regarding these important questions will also be placed before you.

It is well known that at the present time the products of New Zealand suffer at the hands of unscrupulous vendors of the products of other countries. This matter has received the anxious attention of Ministers, and, while in no way wishing to interfere unduly with private enterprise, they are of opinion that the supply of superior products should be insured to buyers, and that the honest producer should be rewarded for supplying a first-class article. Legislation on this subject will, I hope, receive your best attention.

The dearth of information supplied to the British public, especially in the provincial districts, and to foreign nations, with respect to the colony and its products and resources calls for attention, and remedial measures will be submitted for your consideration.

Seeing the abundance of fish there is in New Zealand waters, and bearing in mind the great national advantages to be derived from deep-sea fishing, and the little that has been done in this direction up to the present, my Advisers desire to draw your attention to this question. They will also invite you to consider the expediency of further assistance to acclimatisation.

The intentions of Parliament as to the preservation and protection of fur-seals have been frustrated. The great value of the skins, the scarcity of seals in other parts of the world, and the possibility of establishing seal-fishing on our shores and the islands adjacent thereto, render it necessary that the present unsatisfactory condition of affairs should be remedied. When in Hobart the Prime Minister offered, subject to ratification by Parliament, to lease at a nominal rental from the Tasmanian Government the Macquarie Islands. This offer has been favourably received, and papers relating thereto will be laid before you.

During the recess a Royal Commission has inquired into the working of private benefit societies, and it is pleasing to find from the evidence adduced that in a great majority of cases the societies are doing good work. A legal status should, however, be given to them, but on such conditions as will in no way hamper their operations.

My Government has had to consider the propriety of introducing further banking legislation; and, having regard to the generally-expressed opinion that, in order to strengthen the business of the Bank of New Zealand, a change in the constitution of its board of directors is desirable, it has been decided to submit for your consideration proposals which they hope may be final and satisfactory.

As you are no doubt aware, the San Francisco mail contract shortly expires. To give Parliament an opportunity of fairly considering the question of the carriage of mails between the United States or Canada, the Mother-country, and New Zealand, it is proposed to make temporary arrangements until the 31st day of March next. The Vancouver mail-boats are now calling at Wellington, without, however, any arrangement with or obligation on the part of the Government. The time taken for the carriage of our mails by sea under present services is capable of improvement, and developments that are taking place render it advisable for you to give this important question your earnest attention.

One of the first measures you will be asked to pass is a Bill to provide for the protection of young girls, and for the prevention of an evil which it is painful to admit exists in the larger cities of the colony. You will also be asked to repeal an undesirable Act now on our statute-book relating to a subject which for some time past has caused considerable controversy.