The Sun.
London, England, 1859-12-19 00:00:00

THE lONIAN ISLANDS.

OPENING OF PARLIAMENT.
CORFU, DEC. 11.
The following is the Lord High Commissioner's
speech at the opening of Parliament :
" Mr. President and Gentlemen,—
" Since I assumed the duties of her Majesty's Lord High
Commissioner, it has been my endeavour to become tho-

roughlyacquainted with the internal administration of these
States, with the wants of the country, and with the means

best calculated to improve the moral and social condition o

the people.
" To assist me in this task, I appointed, with tke concur-
rence of the most illustrious the Senate, a Commission,
over whose inquiries I myself presided. The cordial co-
operation of that Commission and the valuable assistance
I received from them demand my warmest acknowledg-

ments. The result of their labours, in the shape of a report,
and the details of their sittings as consigned to the proces
verbaux, will be laid before you.
" I have also visited all the islands composing the Sep-

tinsular State, and have endeavoured, as far as time and cir •
cumstances would permit, to become acquainted with all
classes, and personally to inquire into their wants and wel-
fare. I have been welcomed everywhere with kindness and
attention, and have received marks of sympathy and good-
will for which lam very grateful. The 'local Governments
and municipalities have, with one exception, assisted me to
the utmost of their power, and have shown a laudable soli-

citude for the improvement and well-being of their respec.

[ye islands.

" After a careful consideration of all I have seen, and of
the different circumstances elicited by the inquiries I have
instituted, I have formed an unfavourable opinion of the
existing system of administration, and a painful impres-
sion of the wants and requirements of these States.
With a view of obtaining employes of superior attainments,
and of opening the public service to all who may desire to
enter it, I have established a system of competitive exami-
nation for the departments placed by the Constitution under
my superintendence and control. The most illustrious the
Senate have authorised a similar course for first appoint-

ments in the departments of the general government. I fee]
confident that public competition, if strictly and justly car-
ried out, will provide employes better calculated for the pub.
lie service than those appointed under the old system o:
favouritism and protection.

"But, to obtain good and well-informed servants, it is
necessary for a State to watch, with peculiar attention, the
progress of public education. I regret to say, that no sub.

ject requires the anxious care of Parliament more than the
ono referred to. Parliament has set aside annually
L 12,000 for the purposes of public education ; but in the
apportioning of this sum the schoolinastori of the country
receive a miserable pittance, On which they cannot exist,
and the children are left in a condition of ignorance and
neglect at once discreditable and dangerous to the State.
" The report of the Archon will be presented to the As-
sembly, and I invite your serious attention to this important
question.

" Bills will be submitted to you on subjects of great inte-
rest, and which require immediate legislation. Among the
most important is a bill to regulate the establishment and
administration of joint-stock banks. The charter under
which the lonian Bank has acted for the last 20 years ex-
pires in March next, and the Government, being of opinion
that all exclusive privileges are detrimental to the public
interests, asks your consent to a bill regulating banking
companies, on what I believe to be sound and equitable
principles. I cannot dismiss this question without referring
to the valuable assistance the lonian Bark has at all times
rendered to landed property and commerce in these islands,
and my sincere desire is, that the constitutional authori-
ties of the State may be able to pass such an act as will
enable the country still further to enjoy tho advantages and
assistance of that institution.
" A bill will be presanted for your consideration on the
subject of a further extension of the system of district
jurisdiction. I have received many applications from the
country districts for increased facilities in obtaining an im-
mediate and cheaper settlement of local differences. I have
carefully considered the question, and am satisfied that
a system of local tribunals, which has answered so admir-
ably in other countries, is likely to be attended with the
same beneficial results here.
affo It is a duty which the Legior
s-
lature owes to the country to rd the opportunities
cheap and prompt justice to the poorer classes, and by the
means of local tribunals to put a stop to the delays, ex-
pense, and inconvenience which a reference to the superior
courts in the cityinvariably entails.
"I would also call your attention to the unguarded state
of the coasts and ports of the different islands. It is hope-
less to attempt to imp
reve the revenue unless the facilities
and encouragement offorded to smuggling are removed. A
remedy is absolutely repuired for this state of things, which
is not only detrimental to the public revenue, but demoral-
ising to the people. A proposal will be made to you on this
subject, which I consider one of great importance.
" Bills aro prepared, and will be laid on the table of the

house :
" 1. To amend the law regarding usury.
" 2. To regulate the valuation of the olive crop.
" 3. To limit the power of arrest in civil action.
"4. To permit Coloni to dispose of colonial property.
"5. To put a stop to the delays which take place in ex-
amining witnesses before the magistrates.
" G. To amend the 71st Act of the Bth Parliament, with
reference to tho security required of certain public func-
tionaries.
4, 7. To punish persons who encourage or who are parties
to the desertion of non-commissioned officers and soldiers
of her Majesty's forces.
" 8. To abolish the postal tariff now established, and to
return to the old system.
" 9. To provide substitutes for the judges.
" 10. To establish a system of district jurisdiction.
" 11. To regulate and establish joint7stock banks.
" Five Acts of Government have been passed by the most
illustrious Senate, with my approbation, during the recess,
and will be now submitted for your consideration and sanc •
tion.
" In accordance with the provisions of the constitutional
Charter, the most illustrious the Senate has laid before you
the civil list and the budget for the present biennium. I
trust to ycur liberality to make the necessary provision for
the public service.
" The finances require careful supervision and strict
economy. The number of employes who are berne on the
civil list of these States is remarkable. They are out of all
proportion to the requirements of the service—badly paid,
and as a natural consequence in many instances inefficient.
It will be the duty of the Government, when time and cir-
cumstances permit, carefully to consider this important
question, and, with a due regard to existing interests, to
Propose such changes for the future, by abolishing useless
offices and consolidating others, as will give increased effi-
ciency to the service, and produce a real economy in the
public expenditure.
"The receipts and expen.diture of the Local Governments
should be no less anxiously considered, and prudently ad-
ministered.
" The public charities equally demand the careful super-
vision of the competent authoriiy. Institutions which are
intended for humane and moral purposes become sources of
immorality and vice when not administered with a strict
supervision and wise forethought. It is only necessary to
instance the Foundling Hospital of Zante, which costs a
sum of £2,282 annually, being more than the third of the
whole municipal revenue. It is not to be wondered at that
a municipality complains of poverty, when the third of its

--
moderate revenue is devoted to r— oaring the illegitiniai

children of the population.
" Such are some of the principal questions which will be
offered for your consideration. There are others which
will doubtless be presented by private members and by the
Government during the progress of the session.
" I have now performed my duty as the representative of
the protecting Sovereign in these States. I have proposed
measures which I believe to be conducive to the public wel-
fare. I now devolve upon you the duty, which properly be-
longs to you, of maturely considering and finally deciding
on the adoption or rejection of those measures.
"To secure the public prosperity and welfare, it is in-
dispensable that a cordial and harmonious understanding
should exist among all the constitutional authorities of the
State. Nothing shall be wanting on my part to further
this most desirable object. Your loyal assistance and frank
co-operation are also invited for the welfare and improve-
ment of the people. I%ly confident hope and belief is, that
now, when I devolve the responsibility on you, you will
prove yourselves worthy of your mission, as the represen-
tatives of the lonian people, and, that yon will labour to
improve the condition, and to secure the well-being of those
who have confided their interests to your keeping."
The most illustrious the President of the A
the ss em-
bly, Sir Dionysius Count Flamburiaris, n ad-
dressed his Excellency as follows :
the
" Excelleney,—As the Speaker of the house, and in
name of the Assembly, I cannot reply to the contents of
your Excellency's important address. I shall call the at-
tention of the house to the subject, and shall feel highly
gratified, when authorised to give your Excellency a Pre-
cise answer in detail.
" I must, however, assure your Excellency that the house
is animated by the desire not only of co-operating with
your Excellency and the most illustrious the Senate, but"
also of promoting any measure that may tend to the practi
cal welfare of the people that it represents, and in whom
your Excellency evinces so great and lively an interest."
INDIA AND CHINA MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, MONDAY MORNINO.
The Ceylon steamer, Captain Evans, has arrived.
She left Alexandria, Dec. 6 ; Malta, Dec. 10

raltar, Dec. 14.
She brings 96 passengers, including the EarL%
Portarlington. On freight 1,412 bales of sat
and
boxes of oranges, and 100 bales of almonds
general cargo.
Her Majesty's ships Hibernia, Renown, Ba
at
coon
Argus, Scourge, Osprey, and Intrepid were
Malta.
Her Majesty's ships Marlborough, Brunswick'
Orion, Doris, Neptune, and Mohawk, and
five
French liners were at Gibraltar.
Her Majesty's screw corvette Scylla left Gibraltfaror
on the 12th, with the steam dredger in tow,
Malta, and the Firebrand returns to England.
The Gibraltar Chronicle says the attention of the
Government of Morocco has been officially called to
the 14th article of the treaty existing between th!
United States and Spain which prohibits the
tters
the
60'
zens of one country from accepting foreign
of marque to cruise against the commerce of
le

other.
There is no later news from the seat of war.
5f
Gibraltar exchange on London, 51t ; Pal*
32c. ; Marseilles, sf. 32e. ; Genoa, sf. 37e.
The crew of the ship Lisbon arrived at Gibraltar
or. the 10th from Algesiras, where they had beeU
taken by a French barque. She was- bound fronl
New Brunswick to Hull with timber, and 0611'
doned off Cape Finisterre, water-legged.