OTAGO
PROVINCIAL
GOVERNMENT
GAZETTE.

PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY.

All Public Notifications which appear in this Gazette, with any Official Signature thereunto annexed, are to be considered as Official Communications made to those Persons to whom they may relate, and are to be obeyed accordingly.

JOHN L. C. RICHARDSON, Superintendent.

Vol. IV.] TUESDAY, APRIL 29, 1862, [No 181.

ADDRESS OF HIS HONOR THE SUPERINTENDENT ON OPENING THE FIFTEENTH SESSION OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL OF OTAGO, 16TH APRIL, 1862.

MR. SPEAKER AND GENTLEMEN,

THE circumstances under which we meet on the present occasion are such as justify the hopes we entertained at the commencement of the last Session, and afford us the best encouragement in our expectations for the future.

Within the short period of twelve months the population of the Province has been doubled, the imports and custom dues have increased threefold, the exports tenfold, and the territorial revenue has been augmented by one-half. These are facts which speak for themselves, and tell of a prosperity which even the most sanguine never conjectured could have dawned upon the Province within so short a time.

Bright and encouraging as these prospects are, yet, when we remember the source whence this sudden prosperity has sprung, and the roaming habits of those who have flocked in thousands to our shores, it becomes us still to advance with caution, employing the revenue on works of a reproductive character, and such as, should any check arise, will be suitable to our requirements. To private enterprise, fostered by the judicious support of Government, may be safely left those more extensive works which characterize such periods of transition and development.

You will perceive from the Estimates, which will shortly be laid on your table, that the finances of the Province are in a sound condition,—and, that, notwithstanding the very heavy expenditure, the revenue has exhibited a buoyancy which not only enabled me to meet the liabilities previously incurred, but also to obtain a balance to ensure the payment of existing contracts. It is well that it is so, for the necessities of our position will cause a very considerable outlay in the construction of an Hospital, Gaol, Lunatic Asylum, and of Provincial Buildings. These buildings would have been undertaken at an earlier period had I not been desirous of ascertaining your sentiments regarding the best sites for works involving so great an expenditure of public money.

Though there is a decrease in the amount of gold brought in by the Escort, owing chiefly to temporary causes, I have no doubt whatever of the character of our Gold Fields. Many of the miners have returned to Australia for the winter, having been deluded, by interested persons, into the belief that the coming months are times of peculiar trial, whereas it is often the ease that our winter is the best season in the year. Many of these miners, however, design returning in the spring, and, together with the Immigrants from the home country, shortly expected, will more than fill up the partial void in the Mining District, and supply, in a small degree, the increasing demand for farm servants and shepherds.

You are already in possession of the Bills which will be submitted for your consideration. You are aware that objection was taken by the General Government to some of the provisions of certain Ordinances, which were passed at a former Session, and, though the force of such objections in some cases is not fully admitted, still it is deemed desirable not to embarrass our action by conflicts respecting jurisdiction, or the expediency of some of the provisions of the enactments, and, therefore, where principles of importance were not involved, the suggestions of His Excellency’s advisers have been adopted. In one or two cases the urgent necessity for imposing an immediate check to the irruption of criminals from abroad had led to the introduction of measures which more properly rested with the remote authorities, but which might have been too tardily enacted.

The most important alteration which has been introduced into the amended Education Bill is that which provides for the representation of those owners