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depend upon the state of the labour market. With respect to the Makara, Oharu, Ngaburanga, and other roads in the vicinity of the town, I do not apprehend that there will be any difficulty in inducing the settlers within their respective districts to take contracts; but for the execution of the most distant lines, we are almost wholly dependent upon the Natives, and upon immigration.

In order, therefore, to prove that no exertions have been wanting on the part of the Government to remedy this dearth of labour, and to introduce a steady stream of immigration, I may mention, that in addition to the contracts explained in a former address, and under which above five hundred persons have been introduced during the present year, we have made arrangements within the last few months with several mercantile firms and ship owners, which, if carried out, will I trust effectually supply the labour at present so urgently required both for public and private works. One firm at Melbourne has agreed to introduce within the next few weeks from 400 to 500 immigrants, and to take payment in Provincial Debentures at the rate of £8 for every adult. As the Immigrants are to give Promissory Notes for the amount of their passage, payable on demand, but of which payment will not be required, if they remain in the Province, except by two equal instalments at six and nine months respectively, you will perceive that not only will such an Immigration be conducted without any expense to the Province, but also that by their repayment of the cost of their passage in cash, funds will be supplied for their employment on the public works. For example—if the firm in question fulfil their agreement, the Province will pay £4000 in Debentures for the introduction of 500 labourers, and will in the course of nine months be entitled to receive £4000 in cash. Precisely similar arrangements have been entered into with six or seven vessels trading between the ports of this Province and the neighbouring Colonies. But further, understanding that in consequence of the completion of certain railroads in New South Wales, a large number of the class of persons required for the roads have been thrown out of employment, I have contracted with two different parties for the immediate introduction of one hundred navvies (exclusive of their wives and families) guaranteeing them employment for twelve months at a specified rate of wages. This Immigration is to be paid for in cash; but the parties are required to give Promissory Notes on the same conditions as in the other case, being at liberty to quit the employment of the Government at any time upon refunding the amount of their passage money.

With respect to Immigration from England, which has been conducted with eminent success, and, I have reason to believe, to the entire satisfaction of those who have sent for their friends and relatives, I would recommend that it be continued on the same conditions, with the single exception that one half of the passage money should be paid on arrival, and the remainder twelve months after. This alteration would enable the Government to extend its operations, and would scarcely I conceive inconvenience the parties who may desire to avail themselves of its aid. As promissory notes to the amount of about £900 will become due within the next six months, and an equal amount twelve months afterwards, a considerable stream of Immigration may be kept up without any further grants; but still, if you desire to satisfy the applications already registered, it would be necessary to authorize a further expenditure of £2000, especially as the present system effectually secures to the Province the repayment of every shilling advanced.

In consequence of several accidents having occurred to vessels in passing the bar of the Wanganui river, a signal station has already been erected, and a code of signals will be immediately established, and a pilot appointed, so that vessels may be informed of the practicability or otherwise of entering the river, and of the channel they must keep; but to afford still further protection it will be necessary to provide a whale boat, and either to engage a permanent crew, or to make provision for the payment of occasional hands. The first outfit will not exceed £150, and the annual expense will be under £200. His Excellency the Governor having consented to impose a pilotage, or due of 6d. a ton upon all vessels (except coasters) on entering and leaving the river, there is every reason to believe from the number of vessels already frequenting the port, and from its rapidly increasing commerce with Australia, that the cost of the establishment will in a great measure be met by the dues.

It has not been in the power of the Provincial Government, owing to the delay of the General Government in paying its debt, to take any steps for building Police Stations and Court Houses at Wanganui and Napier, and the magistrates of those districts having recently made urgent representations on the subject, I trust you will not object to the sums voted last session being replaced on the Estimates for the ensuing year.

The Superintendents of Nelson and Canterbury having repeatedly urged upon me the desirableness and expediency of having one Lunatic Asylum for the whole of the Southern Provinces, and having expressed their readiness to pay for the maintenance of any patients they may send, I would ask you for a vote of £500 to enlarge the building so as to meet their views and wishes. And I do so the more readily, because I believe that by adopting their suggestions you will not only be enabled to provide its unfortunate inmates with all the means calculated to promote their recovery, but that the Institution would in no long time become self-supporting, and a credit to the Province.

There is one other measure which I would press urgently on your attention. Although I myself have long since come to the conclusion that no human means can possibly prevent the extinction at no distant date of the Native Race (an extinction attributable to causes which had their origin in their own savage customs and habits), still humanity and sound policy equally plead in favour of our doing our utmost to retard that event, and especially to prevent them falling victims to those epidemic diseases which colonization appears to have introduced, and which are now of annual recurrence. I recommend therefore an appropriation of £500 towards securing medical attendance for the Natives in different parts of the Province; this amount only to be expended in the event of the General Assembly failing to provide for this service out of the £7000 set apart by the Constitution Act for Native purposes.

The General Government having declined to give effect to the Resolutions of the House of Representatives that the surveys should be placed under the control of the Provincial Government, I regret that I shall be unable to recommend you to appropriate any part of the Revenues towards the cost of the Survey Department in this Province. The present state of the Surveys is no doubt a great bar to its progress and prosperity, but until the department shall have been absolutely handed over to the Province, so as to give to the Provincial Government full control over it, no sufficient guarantee exists for its greater efficiency. His Excellency the Governor has indeed taken steps to place the department under the control of Mr. Park as Chief Surveyor within the Province, yet as that officer will be responsible to the Surveyor General of the Colony, and will report to him through the Land Commissioner, and will not be an officer, or under the authority of the Provincial Government, I cannot regard the arrangement as satisfactory. As however, it is probable that before the year elapses the Survey Department may be transferred by the General Assembly to the Provincial Government, it may appear to you desirable to place upon the Estimates a sum of money to provide for such contingency.

Without touching upon other topics, or specifying other public undertakings, which will be fully explained when the Estimates are brought forward, you will readily perceive that the great question before you is that of Internal Improvement.

I will only add, that though the present session may not be marked by the enunciation of any great principles, or by the passing of any important measures, (such as have characterized your previous meetings), yet if the public works, which I have thus briefly brought under your notice, be carried out during the next twelve months, if the arrangements already made for the promotion of Immigration be only attended with a moderate degree of success, I feel assured that no session will ever have been productive of more beneficial results, or will have tended more to promote and secure the future progress and prosperity of the Province—that there will never be one to which we shall refer with feelings of greater pride and satisfaction.

PRINTED AT THE SPECTATOR OFFICE.