The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published very Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning. Saturday, June 13, 1891. THE GOVERNOR’S SPEECH.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume V, Issue 620, 13 June 1891, Page 2

The Gisborne Standard AND COOK COUNTY GAZETTE Published very Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Morning.

Saturday, June 13, 1891. THE GOVERNOR’S SPEECH.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim’st at bo thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth’s.;

We have received a full report of the Speech from the Crown, delivered on the opening of the New Zealand Parliament on Thursday afternoon. The Speech was anticipated with much interest, but when it is shorn of the verbiage with which it is customary to wrap up the facts there is nothing left that the people have not already been made acquainted with, and the Speech takes its place with other formalities that have to be gone through before the real work of the session has begun. The people are not pining to hear more flowery effusions about Lord Onslow’s pleasure trip to the Urewera country. The straightforward policy and firm attitude adopted by the Native Minister, when he told the natives that they could not be allowed to prevent the Queen’s writ being served, will do more to command their respect, than any number of ViceRegal picnics arranged on the outskirts of the Urewera wilds.

The Speech is very hopeful of the future of the country, and indicates that there will be needed reforms in the land laws to prevent the impudent dummyism that has been carried on. We are also told that the acquirement of native lands, and possibly the acquiring of other waste lands, will be a feature in the Government's policy; that measures dealing with native land titles will be introduced; that Bills will shortly be placed before the House consolidating and amending the law relating to electors and elections and for completing the abolition of plural voting, for classifying and improving the civil service, amending the laws affecting gold mining and the working of our coalfields, altering and consolidating the law of bankruptcy, defining the law of libel, amending the laws relating to companies and to juries, fixing the liability of promoters and directors of companies; and consolidating and modifying the criminal law, as well as other Bills dealing with matters of public interest. Of the reduction in the postal charges, hope is expressed that it will be acceptable to all classes of the community. Some opposition has already been shown to that measure, but it is impossible to judge fairly on it without having the data at hand to go upon. The taxation proposals, however, wiil form the main plank in the Ministerial policy. The worst of it is that the scheme has not yet been unfolded in anything but a meagre way, and that is mainly from the forecastes of Parliamentary correspondents whose statements cannot always be accepted as founded upon official authority. But Ministers seem to recognise that any changes must be made with great care. “ My advisers,” it is remarked, “ have studiously borne in mind that financial changes should as a matter of expediency be made gradually, so as neither to shake the public sense of security, nor to run the risk of any inconvenient loss of revenue.” That declaration ought to be sufficient to reconcile those who, while they approve of a land and income tax in theory, yet hesitate to advocate its adoption, because they know that any fiscal changes are dangerous unless carried out with a carefulness that is not always shown by governing bodies. The Government have certainly so far by their actions disproved all the reports by which it was sought to discredit them when they took office. They have shown a proper recognition of the responsibilities of their position, and if they keep on the steady, but progressive path they have so far adopted, they will be entitled to and will receive the confidence of the country. The work indicated in the Governor’s Speech is almost appalling in its magnitude as a single session’s programme, but the people may feel safe that the stern critics on the Conservative side will not let any weak spot pass without being tested. When they can be so terribly in earnest as to try and raise a great outcry against faults that would be insignificant if proved—in which there is usually a failure —they are not likely to be unheedful of anything in the shape of hasty legislation. If there is any such danger, judging by the past, a big newspaper storm will surely break over the heads of Ministers.