[NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE]

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calculated to meet the emergency. These circumstances will, I trust, afford a sufficient justification for the Proclamation of 20th December, 1864, in which the Provincial Government undertook to repay the tax of 2s. per acre, imposed by the Waste Lands Act, 1863, in respect of all lands sold between the 4th of January and 5th of April, 1865. The immediate effect of this Proclamation was to bring a sum of money into the Treasury which gave timely relief to the pressure, and, in fact, turned the corner of the difficulty.

Having thus laid before you a statement of the causes which led to the issue of the Proclamation, I have only to express a belief that you will enable the Government to fulfil obligations contracted by them in time of great emergency, with the view of saving the credit of the Province, which they deemed themselves bound to protect.

Several measures of practical utility will be introduced for your consideration. Amongst the most important is a new Land Bill, which it is proposed to submit to the General Assembly at its next Session.

Many reasons unite to render necessary the amendment and consolidation of our Land Laws.

The measure which has been prepared will, it is hoped, be the means of disposing of the Land Question, as a subject for legislation, for many years to come.

The tendency of the measure now sought to be introduced will be to simplify the system of Land Sales generally; to unlock the lands, so as to admit of freer selection over the whole Province, and to obtain a revenue from the Pastoral Lands commensurate with their value, giving in return a more satisfactory tenure to the licensees.

The subject of Emigration from Great Britain will be brought before your notice. A sum will be placed upon the Estimates to continue that stream of labor that has hitherto flowed towards our shores, and which forms so reliable and permanent an addition to the population of the Province.

The Gold Fields of the Province still maintain their established character for extent, productiveness, and undoubted permanence; and it is a noticeable fact that notwithstanding the departure of several thousands of miners and others to the newly-discovered Gold Fields in the Province of Canterbury, the amount of gold produced in this Province has suffered no diminution. The recent migration of so many of our miners, instead of affording grounds to fear that our own Gold Fields are either likely to be abandoned or held in less estimation than formerly, is calculated to produce a re-action in their favor, by comparison with other fields.

Reports and Returns of the various Departments of the Provincial Government will be laid before you; also Special Reports on various subjects from Commissioners appointed by me, in compliance with resolutions of your House.

The subject of railways will be brought to your notice, in connection with the survey, prepared by the Chief Railway Engineer, Mr. Paterson, of that portion of the proposed line through the Province, commencing at Dunedin, and extending to the Taieri River. The immense advantages which the Province would derive from the construction of railways through its principal agricultural districts, are, I believe, not undervalued by you; and I shall cordially co-operate with you in carrying out any well-organized scheme for their construction.

Correspondence on the subject of a railway from Dunedin to Port Chalmers will be laid before you, from which you will be informed that a reasonable prospect exists for the formation of a company in England for the construction of that line.

Since your last Session, the New Zealand Industrial Exhibition has been opened, and has proved itself worthy of an older and more wealthy colony.

Notwithstanding the disappointment caused by the absence of His Excellency the Governor, and the comparatively small countenance given by the other Provinces, it has been attended with a degree of success which has more than met the expectations of the original promoters of the undertaking.

The knowledge which has been acquired of the quantity and quality of the various productions, especially mineral, in which this Island abounds, is of a most satisfactory nature. The spirit of research may now be assisted and directed by information contributed from all parts of the colony, and there is thus every reason to anticipate that one of the principal objects of the Exhibition—the development of our native productions—will receive an impulse which could not have been attained either so speedily or so completely by any other means.

Estimates of the probable Revenue for the present year, and for a corresponding expenditure, will be presented to you, and I feel assured that the evidences they afford of a desire to administer the Revenue with the utmost economy, consistent with efficient Government, will receive your approval.

It now remains for me to entrust the business of the Session to your hands, being assured that you will bring to bear upon it an honest determination to adopt such measures as are best calculated to promote the progress and solid prosperity of the Province.

JOHN HYDE HARRIS,
Superintendent.

REPLY TO THE ADDRESS.

We regret with your Honor the severe monetary pressure which has marked the period since last Session, and we coincide in the opinion that the diminution of public expenditure was a necessity, the disregard of which might have resulted in disastrous consequences.

We regret the embarrassing position of the Government, as stated by the Treasurer in his Memorandum of 20th December 1864.

Without pronouncing any opinion at present upon the policy or impolicy of remitting the Land Tax, we regret exceedingly that any action should have been taken in this matter without the previous sanction of this House. The course which has been adopted by the Executive involves a principle subversive of the functions of this House, at variance with constitutional usage, and is deserving of our gravest censure.

Our earnest attention shall be devoted to the New Land Bill, and to the measures to which you allude relating to the Pastoral Lands of the Province.

We agree with your Honor in the desirability of making every effort to attract the stream of emigration to our shores.

We fully appreciate the remarks made by your Honor upon our Gold Fields, and upon the favorable comparison which they may be considered to bear with other fields.

The advantages to be derived from the construction of Railways can scarcely be over-estimated, and the subject of devising some well-organised scheme for carrying out the same shall receive our mature deliberation.

We trust that the benefits sought to be conferred upon the country by the promoters of the Exhibition may be fully realised, and that the development of our native productions will receive the desired impulse.

We assure your Honor that we approve of your desire to administer the revenue with the utmost economy consistent with efficient government.

Passed the Provincial Council, April 21, 1865.

J. RICHARDSON,
Speaker.

CHAS. SMITH,
Clerk of Council.