Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-11-06 00:00:00

NEW SOUTH WALES.

We hare received advices from Sydney, New
Sou h Wees, to Aug. 12, being four days later than
the date of previous advices. This intelligence
reaches us by way Callao.

On the 11th of August the second session of the
first parliament of New South Wales was opened
by his Excellency the Governor-General. We
gather from the report of the Sybiey Empire that
the opening was conductei with much ceremony,
and that the traditions of Westminster are con-
scientiously observed in the capital of the -Aus-
tralian colony. The occasion was honoured, we are
told, by the presence of a brilliant assemblage o!
ladies, distinguished visitors, the foreign consuls,
dignitaries of the church, and elliers of the
army and navy. The Lower House was summoned
by Black Rod, and the Speaker was greatly admired
iu his " splendid new state robes." His Excellency,
who was attended by an aide-de-camp, and received
with a military salute, took his place on the
vice-regal throne, and
,delivered the following
speech

HONOURABLE GI.N,LEMEV OF THE LEGIsLATiVE COUNCIL,
AND GENTLEMEN OF TII3 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY,
I should have called you together at an earlier period,
but had I done F o (owing to the unusual length of the
last session, which was prolonged until the 17th March of
the present year), a sufficient interval would not have
been afforded to the government for the preparation of the
business about to be brought before you, nether would a
sufficient recess have been granted to those members who
were withdrawn for so long a time from attending to their
private affairs. The delay which has taken place will, I
feel assured, be conducive to the ultimate despatch of
public business, as it has enabled the government to
mature many measures of great importance to the welfare
of the country, which, together with the estimates for the
year 1658, will be immediately brought un ler your con.
sideration. To the following measures of reform and
social progress I would more particularly invite your
attention.

Experience has already shown that the change in the
system of government requires a corresponding change
in the system of representation. A. bill will therefore' be
immediately laid before you to increase the number of
members of the Assembly, to remove the disabilities to
vote arising from change of residence or qualification,
to introduce the ballot, and to bring the electoral distribu-
tion in harmony with the changes among the population
indicated by the late census. This bill will be accom-
panied by another for the purpose of regulating the pro.
ccedings at elections, diminishing the expenses of candi.
dates, and providing more effectually against the evils of
bribery and corruption.
A bill will be laid before you on an early day, to pro_
vide for the future management and disposal of the
public lands, which, while preserving; the good faith of
the crown, will render the acquisition of land in fee
simple more easy to all who are likely. to bring it into
profitable use, and thus facilitate the permanent
settlement, and, at the same time, increase the pro-
ductiveness of the country. One of the most important
objects of the measure will be to augment the means
agailable tor pum.: iwproveßwut, auu mutt, cbpuuldtly ltn*
those great works of internal communication which are
now so much desired, without unduly pressing upon any
class of the community.

The Municipalities Bill of last session, modified and
improved in some important particulars, will be
immediately submitted for your consideration.

A bill for the establishment of district courts will be
again brought forward in an amended form. The object
of this bill is to facilitate and expedite the adminlstra_
tion of justice Li the interior, and to relieve the Supreme
Court fro:n the present excessive presure of business.
The criminal law requires simplification and amendment,
in order to make the punishment of crime more certain ;
and, in connection with this subject, I propose to bring
under your special notice, the important question of
secondary punishment.

The subject of education has received the most anxious
consideration from the govornment ; and it is nay inten-
tion to lay before you a measure which, while it will not
in any way interfere with the religious convictions of a
single individual, will supply adequate means 4 instruction
for the whole community.

Regulations have been established to faciWate the
Introduction from the United Kingdom of useful im-
migrant; under private engagennent. The opportunity
thus afforded for the selection of immigrants by weans of
private agency, and of pro% iding thcrn wilt passage in
private ships, will, I trust, be productive of great public
advantage. It is proposed also to grant remission
certificwes in the purchase of land, to persons irrroclucing
immigrants of the labouring classes, under such regulations
as may be found desirable. The latter object can only be
effected by legislative enactment, and the necessary
measure for the purpose will, accordingly, be brought
forward at an early day.
Arrangements have been made by which it is believed
the efficiency of the railway department will be materially

increased. The officer for whom, at the request of the
legislature, I applied in 1855, has lately arrived in the
colony; and I trust to be at'lo to lay before you, shortly,
sach a report :from him upon the general question of
railway construction and management as will greatly
tacititate the determination of the measures necessary :or
tl:e extension of railways into tl:e interior.
Tne unprecedented c.mtinuance of heavy rains has
made commuication by the ordinary roads of the colony
almost imoracticabe, and has hitherto unfortunately
impeded the beneficial expendi ore of the sums voted for
their repair. It is intended to apply to the liberality of
Parliament for a much larger amount than usual for the
mai.tenance and repair of the leading thoroughfares of
the colony, and to place them under a more satisfactory
system of management.
Contracts have been entered into for the construction
of a line of electric telegraph from Sydney to Albu,y.
The progress of this work, and of those und.r-aken for a
similar purpose by the sister colonies, justifies the
expectation that the galvanic circuit between all the
chief cities of Australia will soon be completed.
I have to congratulate you upon the successful opera•
tion of the act of last session for the amendment of the
laws relating to the management of the gold fields, and
upon the orderly condcct and gradually increasing pros-
perity of the population at the mines.
The important questions of an inter-colonial character

which are constantly arising suggests the establishment

of a federal legislature, possessing power and authority
for their discussion and determination in the interests of
the, Australian colonies generally. I recommend this
important subject to your early consideration.
The Legislative Assembly having asserted the principle
that; all legislative bodies should be elective, it will be
necessary_at the earliest period consistent with its delibe-
rate determination that the subject of the constitution of
the Legisla'ive Council should be taken into considera-
tion of the Legislature, and it appears to me that a fittin4
opportunity for this purpose will be afforded, when, by
the intended revision of the electoral systrm, the opinion
of the country upon this fundamental question can be
clearly ascertained.
It is desirable to separate the political duties of the
Attorney General from his office of Grand Jury, and in
order to carry out this reform, a bill will be introduced
to authorise the appointment of a public prosecutor.
Tee recent proclamation of the coinage of the Sydney
Mint in Victoria will, I believe, be of great advantage to
the colony and to New South Wales. And I venture to
hope that her Majesty's Government may be induced to
make current the colonial coin iu all parts of the British
Empire.
, tit
GENTLEMEN OF THE LIGTSLATIVE ASSEMBLY,

The financial condition of the country has. during the

recess, received my most anxious attention. It is a
subject of congratuiatio:i, th it tha deficit in the revenue
existing at the commencement of 1856, has been
dimin'shed by economy and the improved state of the
public income, and that, up to the present time, I have
not been compelle4 to avail myself of the authority to