JUNE 29.] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE. 1767

and New Zealand. These efforts are still being maintained, and my Advisers are hopeful of their ultimate success.

This year a great work culminates in the completion of the labours of the Reprint of Statutes Commission, and during this session of Parliament a consolidation in five volumes of the general public statutes, now contained in some fifty-five volumes, will be introduced for the purpose of being passed into law.

This country has exceedingly rich national endowments of water-power, and the expediency has been impressed on my Advisers of permitting portions of this water-power to be employed for private enterprise under strict and proper safeguards in the public interest. Proposals to this end will be shortly laid before you in the form of enabling legislation.

My Advisers feel that the time has arrived to bring this country abreast of those which now secure a more perfect majority representation by the system of a second election, and a Bill will be introduced providing for such a system.

Since I last met you difficulties have been experienced in the industrial world, and to meet them my Advisers will submit legislation which it is hoped will improve the industrial condition of our people and promote friendlier relations between employer and employed.

You will be pleased to know that the land legislation of last session promises success. Several large estates have been acquired, and in disposing of them for settlement the popularity of the renewable-lease system has been shown by the fact that the demand for sections has largely exceeded the supply.

It is gratifying to find that the mining industry, which is second in importance only to our farming and pastoral industries, is thriving and progressing with steady strides. Legislation facilitating the operation of some minor provisions of the Mining Acts will be introduced, and clearer expression will be given to the intention of Parliament with regard to what is known as the “bank-to-bank” clause of the Coal-mines Act.

The Native Land Commissioners, His Honour the Chief Justice and Mr. A. T. Ngata, M.P., have been carrying on the work of their Commission with unfailing diligence. They have held sittings in all the different localities in which areas of land calling for their investigation are situated, and have with great patience given the Native owners the fullest opportunity of being heard and of expressing their objections or consent to those methods of dealing with their lands which have been discussed or suggested by the Commission. The happy result has been secured that a very large area of land has been recommended by the Commission for European settlement, while retaining for the Native owners such areas as are desirable for their use and occupation. All this work has been done with the harmonious co-operation of the Native owners themselves. The necessary work of surveys and other preliminaries in the opening of such land for settlement is being pushed on vigorously. It is hoped that the Commission will be able to complete its labours very early next year. The present law with respect to Native townships such as Taumarunui, Te Kuiti, and other centres has been found to be unsatisfactory to Europeans, and the disabilities arising from this law will be removed.

The departure of the steamship “Nimrod” for the purpose of the scientific exploration of the Antarctic regions has created much interest throughout New Zealand, and the result of these explorations is awaited with hopefulness and interest.

It is gratifying to have the assurance of my Advisers that the great work of the construction of the North Island Main Trunk Railway will be completed within a few months, and that thereby the two principal cities of Wellington and Auckland will be directly connected by rail.

MR. SPEAKER AND GENTLEMEN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,—

My Advisers feel that this country has now reached a stage at which it should institute a scheme of national annuities available for all classes of the community. The complexity of this question has caused my Advisers much earnest consideration, and a scheme has been devised which it is hoped will secure general approval, and which will be laid before you in the form of an