PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 35, 6 September 1851, Page 3

PARLIAMENTARY NEWS.

( Continued from our last.)

On the 11th April it v,ras stated by Sh\George Grey, in the House of Commons, that he had been apprised by the Dean oi' St. Paul's, that it was intended to open the area of the Cathedral free of admission on and after the Ist of May. On the motion for going- into Committee on the Assessed Taxes Act, Mr. Disraeli made his promised Protection'motion, to the effect, that, in any relief to be granted by the remission or adjustment of taxation, due regard should be f>aid to the distressed condition of the owners and occupiers of land." He stated that a reduction of 10 per cent had taken place in the rental of the kingdom, or six millions sterling been lost, and that the result would be that a large amount of land would be thrown out of cultivation ; asserting that Sir Charles Wood had trifled with the agricultural interests. Mr. Labouchere rebutted the charge that the ministers had omitted duly to regard the interests referred to, and denied that the budget gave undue favours to the occupiers of towns, contrasting the straightforward conduct of the Opposition earlier in the session, with the present putting forth of vague) generalities. Mr. Gladstone expressed himself satisfied with neither of the two plans before the House, but supported that of the government as the least of the two evils. A warm debate commenced ; Lord .John Manners produced evidence respecting the increase of crime in consequence of the want of employment for^ agricultural labourers, —the Chancellor of the Exchequer energetically declared that Government would persevere in the course they had marked out, let them lose what support they might,—and Mr. Reynolds called the matter a scramble for booty, not a vote for protection, thanked Mr. Disraeli for giving Ireland a chance in that scramble, and announced that most of the Irish members would side with him. On the house dividing, there appeared a majority of 13 for the-ministers. On the 15th April Mr. Adderly moved an ad- • dress to Her Majesty praying the appointment of commissioners to'proceed to South Africa, to inquire into, and report upon, the best mode of adjusting the relations between the country and the Kaffir tribes. Lord Joins Russell defended the policy hitherto pursued, and moved as an amendment that a select committee should be appointed for the purpose. In the debate that, followed, entered into by several members, Sir Harry Smith's management of affairs was alternately vilified and applauded. The appointment of a select committee was carried hy'a majority of OS, by which, according to Mr. Gladstone's view, the Government becomes pledged to defray the expenses of every t-inniar outbreak in South Africa, and the responsibility of the Executive is virtually abnegated. At the first sitting after the Easter holidays, on the 28th April, the second reading of the Property Tax Bill being moved, Mr.'Syiooner moved as an amendment that it should be read. that day six months. He argued at great length against the tax, describing it as pressing- most unfairly upon the agricultural interest, and declaring that a spirit of opposition to the tax had been excited that might'lead to serious consequences. Some common-place remarks having been made by a few members of the house, the amendment was negatived. On the 29th, Sir George Grey moved for leave to bring- in a Bill fur the better supply of water to the metropolis. The Government plan was to amalgamate the existing nine walercompanies, and place them under the control -*£ a single board, itself subject to the Government. Powers were to be given to the rarish authorities to compel the laying- ou of water to dwellings requiring it, The machinery of the existing companies wove to be purchased" at a valuation. The dividend of the consolidated company was at first to be 5 per cent, and at no time to exceed 6 per cent. A select committee was to examine the bill. Among oihor members who remarked upon tins motion, Sir W. Clay said that the reason why the humbler classes wore so ill-supplied with water wa.s.that the owners of the houses in which those classes resided, refused to pay any price at all for water while they could 'vet tenants without doing so. He staled that the water companies would have offered no opposition UTthe d'nection of the whole matter being taken into the hands of Government, a nd he strenuously defended these bodies against all charges of extortion or malversation,°declari n;

the question one of compromise, and the Government Bill calculated to provide the cheapest possible supply of the best possible water.

Leave was given to bring1 in the Bill

Mr. Ewart moved that the mitigations relating to capital punishment, should be extended to-the colonies, —the house was counted out during his speech.

On the Ist of May, Sir George Grey stated, in answer to a question from a member, that measures were about to be taken to obtain the compulsory possession by purchase of some of the cemeteries in the neighbourhood of the metropolis, and that the Board of Health were in treaty for a piece of land to be used as a new burial ground, in order that they might as soon as possible close the present metropolitan burying grounds.

Lord John Russell moved the second reading of the Bill for admitting Jews to Parliament. Mr. Nmvdegace opposed the motion, commenting with some bitterness on the circumstances attending Baron llothscliild's presenting himself to take the oaths last session, and slating that Ills election was owing to gross bribery, which was only concealed by the agents being sent over to the continent. He read a number of passages from the Talmud, which, and not the Old Testament, he stated, contained the religion of Baron Rothschild, and which had been characterised as sapping the very foundation of morality, declaring that if this measure were passed, the divine blessing would be withdrawn from the country, as a measure clearly contrary to that passage of the New Testament which stated that " every spirit which confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the iiesh is not of God, but is the spirit of antichrist." Mr. Roebuck said, Sir. Newdegate's argument was that nobody should be admitted to the House who did not agree with him. whereas no one agreed with him. He wished he could see the evidence of their being a Christian Legislature in their deeds, not in their professions, in acts of kindness, not in definitions of oaths. li, was admitted on all hands that oaths excluded only conscientious men, while the infidel and the hypocrite might be admitted in scores. Mr. Wigram said that his idea of a seat in the

House- wa.vtbat it was a service, not a privilege, and ail they, had to consider was so to prove the qualifications for members as to secure the confidence of the country at,.large, which, he feared T would be forfeited by the passing of this bill, The Solicitor-General- classed the .Mahoinmedan with the Jew, said the former could be GovernorGeneral of India, and regretted that the latter should be excluded from the privileges of citizenship by the merest fragment of an accident in the fag end of an oath. Sir Jl. H. Tngiis combated the natural right of a Jew, or of any oilier person to seats in the House in their capacity merely of eititizens, and asked whether among the 700.000 Englishmen who that day had been assembled, under such auspicious circumstances, there were 5.000 individuals whose properly qualified then.] for parliamentary privileges. Air. John Abel Smith contended that Jiaron Ilotlisehild, in coming to the table of the House, had strictly followed the precedent formerly set by Mr. Pease, .As chairman of the Baron's Election Committee, lie indignantly denied that bribery had been practised at either of his ejections for the city of London. He vindicated the right of the Jews to seats in the Legislature, from the admirable manner in which they discharged all their civil duties. Mr. Goulburn complained that the measure went too far, there being no reservation against the admission of a Jew to several hi^h offices from which even a Eoinan Catholic was excluded. Mr. Ansley advocated the cause of the Jew because ii; was the cause of every description of religionist. Col. Siblhorpe charged Lord John Kussell with attempting u> steal a march upon the House, by passing this measure under cover of the Crystal Palace', and anticipated that if Jews, Mahoimnedans, and ail sorts of anli-christians were admitted, he should not be surprised if one day the devil should come up as a supporter of the noble lord. Lord John linssell bricily defended ihe Bill, and its second reading was carried by a majority of 25, out- of 379 who voted on either side of the (iuestiun.

On the 2;nl May, Mr. Oiii)tiers made a loiiqstatement regarding the Bishop v!' Exeter, anil the diocesan synod contemplated I>y his liOrdship, and asked wiiat Government, was prepared to do in reicraice to it. Lord .1. Jlussell said it did not appear to the Government, who had taken the opinion i r <f the Ovowa kvwyors, that,

though the Bishop chose to call his proposed assembly a synod, it bore any real resemblance to one, or came under the terms of the 25th Henry VIII. He felt convinced as regarded the future that the Archbishop of Canterbury would not be found wanting in the firm assertion of the doctrines of his church. Mr. Me Callagh called attention to the case of the ship " Washington." This case had excited great interest. Mr. Vere Foster had shipped on board the vessel, as a steerage emigrant to America, in pursuance of apian he had formed for ascertaining the condition and prospects of Irish emigrants. Along letter which he published in the Morning Chronicle on his return, detailed several flagrant and cruel breaches of the Passengers' Act, by the officers of the ship.—Sir George Grey said that the vessel being' American, it was feared that the English courts had no jurisdiction in the matter. In committee on the Property Tax Bill, a warm discussion took place. An amendment by Mr. Hume, that the tax be continued as proposed; for one year only, was carried by a majority of 14. The Morning Chronicle justly characterises this as "a startling occurrence," but appears to anticipate further financial difficulties for the Government, as well as those immediate ones proceeding from the necessary balancing of the Budget. The 6th May witnessed another effort in favour of the agriculturists ; commenced by Mr, Grant ley Berkeley, who moved that the House should resolve itself into committee to consider' a resolution, that to alleviate the burdens suffered by the agricultural interests,. arising from the parochial poors' rates, it was nee6ssa*y to substitute an equalised rate not exceeding Is. Od. in the pound, subject to local "geve'm^ ment, He observed that Bishop Wearmonth paid no less than 19s. 9*/. in the pound, from the vast, amount of properly, iron mines especially, exempted* from the rate. Mr. Baines said by such a measure the gross injustice would be com mi tied of raising rates of2c£. or 3d. in the pound to a. much larger sum, and of confounding ill-regulated with well-administered parishes. Financially also, the scheme' was impracticable. The total value of rateable property in 1847 was upwards of 67 million pounds, the amount exr-eii'lad last year unclv-r the head of parochial poor relief was us much above 7 millions, but a rate of 1 al. 6(7. in the pound, which was to be the maximum, would produce little more than tire millions. Mr. Berkeley withdrew his motion. The House divided on the attempt of Lord Naas to bring abotu the consideration in-Com-mittee of the present mode of levying duty. ou spirits in bond, which he described us unnecessarily vexatious tv the distiller. Lord John Russell said he considered this a motion to reduce the duty, which lie was not at all prepared to auree with,. On an equal number of members appearing on either side, the Speaker uave his casting vote: iv lavour of the motion. "Mr. Roebuck put it to the premier whether, after this fourth defeat, it was wise or politic lo retain the Government. L:.u'd John Bti.v.sell said that resignation of Government, was a serious thanr, and lie trusted those who supported the present ministers would give them credit lor weiyhinothe situation they were in. instead of hastily resigning through, a sense of defeat. The abolition of the muit tax was mooted on the oth of May by Mr. Guy icy, and guvo- rise to much discussion.—the proposer desiyuaiiny this impost as an agricultural bur.Jo:;, —a. view of the matter with which the lioa^e could scarcely coincide : the motion way no-naived by 2">B against 123. In Committee of the Lords on the County Courts Extension Bill, the Lord Chancellor objected that it would make the judue.-? ■.<!' tlie-'e courts Mailers in Chancery, in relation u> which they had m-hher experience nor knowledge. Lord Brougham asserted that the Chai>ceiW bad totally mistaken the effect v!' tuo biii, and quoted the authority of L-.srcl J.-vudhursL in favour of iraiisteiTu><>- certain poviiV.n-s ;>f business in the Ma>tev;s'Ciiiec to local UuUca;uv«. Lords Ciaiiworih and Campbell uuivcd with Lord Brougham. a>sd tho portion v) the measure iiwiucsriou was retained. The Mutiny va<C\ Marine Mi-tuiv Bills were passed on the lOih April. A Maii, will close this day. Saturday, Sept, oth, at two o'clock, for Now Piyrouiuh, CtxlcuUi!, and England, by the v Lubmtu." ■••;■

The cudgels have been seized by an abler hand, by one who has no farther interest in Canterbury than the assistance which he has lent at its foundation ; and who, from his extensive acquaintance with the other settlements of New Zealand, may be supposed in some degree to represent the opinions and feelings of their inhabitants.

Mv.-Wakefield commences his letter by refuting the "one great colony" theory which Sir George Grey h;is put forward as the basis of ■his policy, as opposed to the principle of" class settlements" founded by voluntary Associations. He shews that, as a matter of fact, the various settlements of New Zealand have solittle in com mon, that they have but little communication with each other; —that the districts in which they are situated are naturally divided ; and that the imposition of a central system of government, instead of the enjoyment of free local institutions, operates as an incubus upon the energies and prosperity of each and all. , Mr. Wakefield then proceeds, to a defence of the New Zealand Company and the Otago Association ; giving a brief but interesting narrative of what they have done for the prosperity of New Zealand. But it is not only amateur Associations who have been guilty of founding '"' class settlements." The " one great colony " worshippers have had their crochets. Thus it would be most unfair, in enumerating the different settlements of distinctive character, to omit the Government Pensioner Settlement, at Auckland. Let Mr. Wakefield speak for himself: —

" If I were to instance tlie importation of Parkhurst Boys, and the enormously expensive Pensioner settlements, which have been formed near Auckland, under the auspices of the Colonial Office, as also "class" settlements, it would be only for the purpose of shewing1 that the benefit resulting from such experiments depends entirely on the quality of the class selected for transplantation. A field systematically sown with docks, thistles, couchgrass, and other more or less noxious weeds, would have perhaps as visible an influence for evil on a country newly brought into cultivation, as another field should have for good if sown with a choice kind of useful seed. It is unnecessary to say what kind of seed is represented by the Parkhurst Boys. The opinion which I had already gathered from the reports of many eye-witnesses, that the Pensioner settlements were not by many degrees, more beneficial to New Zealand, than the cargo of young thieves, was recently confirmed in my mind by the observation of a Roman Catholic priest who had sojourned in one of their villages. "Monsieur," said he, "Us ne font que mendier [et boire." And the building of their houses alone.has saddled the colony with a debt of nearly 38,000 Z."

Passing briefly over the fact that spontaneous immigration has done literally nothing towards colonizing these Islands, Mr. Wakefield proceeds to examine the real objections to which all colonizing companies are liable. The conclusions arrived at are the same to which we have ourselves often alluded; which are indeed manifest to all. We have them, however, in this letter, stated with peculiar distinctness and force. They are all reduceable to this; —the fact of the colonizing power being entrusted to one authority, and the governing power to another ; both being situated at a distance from the coljny, and both irresponsible to the colonists. The difficulty is not left unsolved.

" There is one way in which the duties of colonizing and governing bodies might be combined, as much as is necessary, under a single control, I mean that of the colonists themselves, whether actual or intending."

"If the largest possible local powers of government, including of course the administration V>f their waste lands, were granted at once to the inhabitants ot each existing settlement within the natural limits of its own district, and similar powers were granted as an encouragement to fresh bodies of colonists from Great Britain to occupy some of the districts now lying waste, it would not be difficult to define what general laws, whether as to colonization, or as to government, should be adhered to by all for the good of the British empire, or for the undoubted general interests of New Zealand."

Mr. Wukefield then comes to the definite charges brought against the settlement by the Governor-in-Chief. The fivst of these is the attempt to include a part of Nelson in the Canterbury block: Nothing can be more disingenuous than the manner in which this charge has been made. It appears that by a former proclamation, the.Nelson district was settled to include the Middle; Island as far as the parallel ofKaiapoe; that i's, a considerable portion of the plain south of.the Kuikora range of raonu-

tains. My. Wakefield suggests that the government officers, at the time of this-proclamation, did not even know whether Kaiapoe was north or south of the Kaikora range; and that even the name Kaiapoe was not improbably a mistake for Kaikora. The only ground for the Governor's charge consists in a request by the Colonists' Council that the Association would procure the annexation of the remainder of the great plain— a country almost wholly unoccupied—to their block. It is certain that the gentlemen who signed the Report of the Committee making this recommendation, did not even know of the existence of the proclamation referred to, and that nothing could be farther from their intention, than to encroach upon the territory of a neighbouring settlement. But it would, after all, have been wise on the part of the government, now that the geography of this part of New Zealand is better known, to have said nothing about the proclamation ; it has only been called into notice to be stamped as. ridiculous. The country annexed by it to Nelson appears to be absolutely severed from that settlement. Read Mr. Wakefield's eloquent description of the barrier by which it is cut off:—

" The range of mountains, faithfully described by those gentlemen as completely separating the region south of it from the rest of the Province, is indeed one of the most stupendous of those physical barriers, which I have already alluded to as dividing New Zealand into natural districts. The Kaikora is a diverging branch of the Great Southern Alps, which in the latitude of about 42° 20' S. abuts precipitously on the sea, and, at a short distance from the coast, rises into two main masses of peaks, varying from 8,000 to 10,000 feet in height, The rapid and dangerous river called Wai-au-toa, or Clarence, passes in the midst, between cliffs supposed to be at least a thousand feet high. Further to the west, there is indeed on the north bank of this river, before it plunges into those impassable clefts, a lower neck in the mountain range, at the northern base of which the head waters of the "Waihoupai and Awatere Rivers take their rise. But the lowest part of this neck is at least 3,000 or 4,000 feet above the level of the sea, covered with snow and racked by storms in winter, barren and rocky when the snow has melted, hitherto almost unexplored, and at all times difficult and dangerous even to foot passengers. This region of difficulty and danger extends even to the south of the Wai-au-toa, and also for a considerable distance north along the gullies of the Waihoupai and Awatere. It is its breadth, no less than its height and ruggedness, and the inclemency of its climate, which constitutes its efficacy as a neutral ground and natural boundary. It is not known to have ever been passed by more than two Europeans, Captain Mitchell and Mr. Dashwood ; even they succeeded only at the risk of their lives, and rather by sheer determination to complete what they had undertaken than in consequence of any facility in the exploit. Even they, after crossing the neck, lost their way among the lower mountains south of the Wai-au-toa; but were luckily found by a stockowner residing near the noithem boundary of the present Canterbury block, who went out to meet them. It seems even a matter of doubt whether those two travellers could again find the Pass by which they crossed from the tributaries of the Waihoupai to those of the Wai-au-toa. Captain Impey's party failed, at the same period, to discover the pass between the Awatere and the southern plains. Mr. Weld explored, in the middle of summer, from the south to within, as he supposes, a few miles of the Wai-au-toa; and afterwards from the north up the Awatere to Bare fells Pass, which he supposed to overlook the Wai-au toa, and to be the highest necessary ascent. But Mr. Clifford, who attempted to send his sheep fro.n Cape Campbell to the Southern plains by Mr. Weld's unconnected route, lost 800 in the first attempt. Their drovers were obliged to abandon them in a labyrinth of mountains ; and although the same energetic stockowner who found Messrs. Mitchell and Dashwood has ventured his life and incurred a severe illness in hunting for the flock among frost and snow, it has never been heard of since. I need hardly say that Mr. Clifford has given up the attempt to drive his sheep across the Alpine barrier; but he has lately shipped some at. Port Underwood and landed them at Lyttelton, whence they may easily be driven to the run which he had selected not far south of the Kaikora mountains. That range, indeed, forms rather a fortification than a mere boundary; and might well be the frontier of two hostile nations, rather than the limit between two friendly communities. When Your Excellency, and those members of your Council who would have it believed that they represent the feelings of the Nelson colonists, describe a portion of country lying south of the Kaikora mountains as a part of the Nelson settlement, it appears a little parody upon the pompons declaration of Louis le Grand, when he thought he had made Spain a province of France for ever, and said, l'll ny aplus de Pyrenees !"

And the result of this regulation of boundaries is vividly described at p. 13 :

" Conceive the inconveniences to which a Nelson colonist would be exposed who should establish himself south of the Kaikora range, on the faith of his being within the settlement of Nelson on paper ! He would have to refer, on all matters of Government as well as land management, to the heads of those departments at Nelson. Much of his business would have to be done at that, to him, distant transmarine or transalpine settlement. His disputes with his servants would have to be heard by the Resident Magistrate, himself and his debtors would be amenable to the Sheriff, there. He would have to attend there as Juryman or Militia man. If he wished to obtain a lease of a fresh run, or to buy his homestead, he must apply to the Land Commissioner at Nelson. If the homestead were applied for by some one else, he must attend at Nelson to compete at the auction sale with the applicant. And all this he could only do by sea, through the port of Lyttelton. His exports and his imports would both appear among those of that port. All his commercial transactions, his markets, and his banker's account; all his recreations, and the civilized society in which he would most easily spend his leisure time ; his library, his newspaper, his doctor, and probably the only church of any kind within his reach, would be in the Canterburyprovince : in which he would, however, feel himself a kind of alien ; for his drays, and even the messenger who carried his Nelson letters to the post at Christchurch, would probably pay some tax in the course of their journey, in the regulation of which he would have no voice."

After disposing of this objection, Mr.Wakefield. proceeds to the other attacks made by the Govenior-in-Chief upon various parts of the Canterbury scheme. He collects and enumerates those attacks one by one, quoting them from the reports of debates in the Legislative Council of the colony, and then gives, as an unanswerable reply, a simple narrative of facts. He relates what he has seen here at Canterbury, what has been done, and what is doing. Sir George Grey complains of our system being a restrictive one. Facts prove that it does not restrict. We are told that the poor cannot acquire land without subscribing to a Church, which they do not approve of. The fact is that the poor are acquiring land, and that there is no grievance felt or urged to the subscription towards the maintenance of a Church, or of the schools which are.connected with it. Our system must necessarily make the clergy lazy sinecurists! the answer simply is that they are not lazy sinecurists. Fears are expressed that the pastoral country will be shut up from occupation. The fact is that stock of all kinds is being rapidly imported, and that there is a prospect of all the available runs in the district beingoccupied within a very short space of time. But there is one part of Mr. Wakefield's narrative which deserves particular attention. It is that in which he tells how that Sir George Grey has been fully acquainted with all the plans, principles, and proceedings of the Canterbury Association since the year IS4B, when he sanctioned Capt. Thomas's* choice of this district as the site of the settlement.

Sir George Grey by that act made himself personally responsible for our being brought to this country. By not then entering his protest, he is a party to the terms and the system under which we are settled here. Had the Governor then refused to allow of the foundation of a "class settlement" within the limits of his government, our experiment might have been tried elsewiiere, or Sir George Grey might have been recalled But our fortunes, our all, are now staked upon this venture—the prosperity of the settlement. If the operations of the Association are.now hampered or impeded by the Local Government, we shall have been betrayed. If the indecorous attacks of the Governor, and of his Attorney-General have any effect at all, it must be this, —to stop land sales, to impede immigration, to lessen the value of our property, to ruin the settlement. That can be the only result of the memorials which have gone home from the Legislative Council : if indeed they meet with any attention whatsoever. We believe those memorials will be treated as they deserve in England, and that they will injure no one but their composers. But "should it be otherwise, should we find ourselves to have been entrapped into this settlement by a t;>cit acquiescence on the part of the Local "Government in the trial of our experiment, and to have been betrayed by a fatal hostility, when it is too late for us to retrace our steps, let the Local Government look to it,—we shall hold them responsible, and our friends in England will hold them rer sponsible for the consequences.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Fjiiday, July 25. Some desultory conversation took place'as to the expediency of erecting1 a Light-house at the entrance to Port Nicholson. cfauses 1 to 15 of- the Building Societies Bill, after being considerably abbreviated, were agreed to in Committee, and the report brought up and adopted. The Council then went into committee on the Land Claimants' Bill, in which several alterations were proposed, and the report adopted, Saturday, July 20. In Committee on the Appropriation Bill, an increase of 200/. in the allowance for the establishment of the Lieu-tenant-Governov of New Ulster was proposed, but negatived. On the sum of 800 J. being- then proposed, Sir George Grey said one thingalarmed him, those Lieutenant Governors that were not military officers would now probably apply for increase of salaries, representing that they had no military pay, which might lead to unknown demands on the Treasury. The offices of Governor and Commander of the Forces were often held by the same person, who drew both salaries. If the salary was increased, it ought to be understood that the sum voted was considered by the Council the salary due to the oince, without reference to the person who filled it. ' The Lieutenant-Governor wished to state, in consequence of a casual remark that had fallen iroiii his Excellency that other LieutenantGovernors would be in a position to demand higher salaries, that he had already represented that a salary of SOOI. a year was not. adequate to his expenses, and he wished to make that statement that no misapprehension might exist on the subject. Every year he had held the ofnes he had been considerably out of pocket, and lie stated this to the Council as the result of his personal experience. Sir George Grey referred solely to future demands which might spring from the increase of salary under consideration. He would add one further remark, that in establishing new Provinces, the whole future prosperity of the J colony depended on not making for these offices I too large a charge on the revenue. He would j also state that, for several years he had held the office of Governor in.another colony with a much larger population, with other offices attached, holding a nmoh higher rank, and drew less pay than was drawn by the LieutenantGiivernor in this province when In's allowances were taken into consideration ;. and he gave this to tiio Council as his own persona! experience. The amendment was then carried. Mr. Ctulieid proposed a grant of 2501. for roads in the settlement of New Plymouth, repvesomnig that the settlement contained 1400 I -Lurupeans, that a large quantity of flour had be^n exported during the last year, and that the iniisi'ovetiiiint. of the roads would extend'cultivation. r-ir. Cawiley proposed that 300 Z. should be granted, which was carried. Mr. Omiield proposed some alterations in the police establishment at New Plymouth, placing the 'oree under a sub-inspector, reducing lbs ;;umb»r of privates, and increasing the number o:'n;.tii-e assessors. Sir George Grey said that ii this resolution wns adopted, it would be necessary to carry jt out in other settlements where there was a large native population, and he thought it the wisest plan that could be adapted. A a.3cii?sion took place on the grant to tlie Colonial Chaplain for the northern Province, which Mr. Ouut.lf.-y proposed to -rrike out. On •-', division, the numbers boiugecjunl, Sir George Grey said he gave vvii.h areat reluctance bis; casting- voi.'>, but he thought it equally due to the individual not to deprive him of his income, and also dn-j to the inhabitants of New Ulster, thai if it were done ; they should doit themselves. It was due to the- individual who held the office to stale tha.L he had iiiled it for several years, (.hat he was of must exemplary character, had discharged his dinies with exemplary fidelity, aiul had a numerous lan/ily. and was led to believe the situation a permanent one. On the vote Jbr iv:it!c;<uuna! purposes for the Ab<jri<iines being estimated at 15 per cent on Land luml receipts during the year, :Sir G-eorge Grey said he was originally aware that ft guarantee was given that i;> per cent of the money received from..sales of land was to be h-ot apart for the use of tne natives, and this anr.iirKjiit had always been used with then) to iiiitiiee them to dispose of their lands- From

some oversight this condition had been unaccountably overlooked in the Act of Parliament, and the'arrangement with the New Zealand Company would, in point of fact, sweep away all thesc'promises to the natives, so that a breach of faith would be committed with them, but he felt sure such a measure would not be persisted in.

Mr. Cut field's motion that the militia at New Plymouth be called out and trained for a limited period each year, after some discussion was, at the suggestion of his Excellency, withdrawn. Capt. Smith proposed the "following resolution :—

"Thatin the opinion of this Council, the want of a Luhtlionse to render the entrance of Port Nicholson.more easily distinguishable, has been a main cause of the Shipwrecks that have taken place in the neighbourhood of the Port, and that it is of the utmost importance to the security of shipping, the prosperity of commerce, and the preservation of human life, that a Lighthouse be immediately erected in such a situation in the vicinit} r.of the harbour of Port Nicholson as to the Executive Government may seem most appropriate, and that it is most, expedient that the proceeds of the extra duty imposed on spirits, namely Is. per gallon, which may be raised in the Port of "Wellington, be devoted for a period of eighteen months to the attainment of this desirable object,"

He had consulted several persons on the subject, and the general impression appeared to be that the cost "would not exceed 1000/. and that the building could be completed and the light exhibited in five months from the period of its commencement. He had proposed that the expense of its erection should be defrayed out of the increased duty on spirits, as he thought it would be more pleasing to the settlers to know that the additional duty had been devoted to so useful a purpose. The motion was seconded by the Colonial Treasurer and earned unanimously.

The Colonial Secretary N.M. "read to the Council an Address to Her Majesty, praying for the adoption of a uniform system in the administration of the waste lands of the Grown. The address, which was of considerable length, after I adverting to the terms in which the Australian Waste Lands Act of 1842- was characterised by Lord Stanley, as giving a guarantee for stability and consistency of purpose in the administration of the Crown Lands in the Australian colonies, i proceeded to shew that the recurrence of the evils pointed out by Lord Stanley had not been precluded, but that evils even of a graver character bad been produced, by the delegation of such extensive powers to distant and irresponsible Companies and Associations ; and forcibly alluded to the extensive fluctuations in the value of land, to the most lavish expenditure of the land funds which had taken place, and to the imposition of heavy liabilities on the resourccs^of the colony, incurred in many instances without the consent, or even the knowledge, of the Colonial Government or the colonial public. After farther illustrations of the evils arising from the present system, the address proceeded to shew that the Company had received from Government 270,073 acres which had been sold by them, and about 200,000 acres to be given in compensation to its purchasers, that the Company had received a sum 0'"236,000/. as a boon, and a further payment to them was imposed on the colonial land fund of 268,000/. If half the proceeds of the land (calculated at | the upset price of 1/. per acre) and the sums expended on the Company had been applied to the purposes of colonization, 05.241 emigrants (one third adults and two thirds children) would I havo been introduced into the colony : tho cost oi' their passage being estimated at that paid by the Emigration Commissioners, while the number really introduced by the New Zealand Cumpany amounted only to ! 1,680 souls. The ! address, oi which the above is an outline, having been read, 2\J.r. Cautley seconded its adoption by the I Council. I The Attorney-General of New Zealand, in a long and elaborate speech, aru'ued that either no system for disposing of land in New Zealand should be prescribed, or that if prescribed, such system should he faithfully adhered to; expressed as his opinion thai colonization by an irresponsible 'body of private individuals had tended neither to uphold the character of the uati'jji, avid the rights of the aboriginal owners of the soil, nur to promote the interests of the settlers, or the welfare oi' the colony at. large. The learned member then commented at great length on the proceedings of the New Zealand

Company, making the statements, both with reference to the New Zealand Company, and to the Canterbury Association, contained in the following extracts :—" Notwithstanding the ample means at their disposal, they (the N.Z. Company) ended their career without having given a single, legal title to a single individual of a single piece of land, leaving the whole of their contracts and engagements in respect of the sale and disposal of land during a period of twelve years, unfulfilled and uncompleted— leaving not only the province of New Minister, but the whole colony of New Zealand, saddled with a debt of 208,000£., —leaving no representative in the colony to assist in the winding up-*----of their affairs, and leaving the whole province in such a, state of confusion as to claims and titles to land, that it had become essential to the continued progress of the province that measures should be taken by the Colonial Legislature to ascertain what were the contracts and engagements which had been entered into by the New Zealand Company, during the last twelve years, for the. sale and disposal of even their own private estate, and to provide for the fulfilment and completion of those contracts by the colonial Government, at a cost, and in a. manner which, for years to come, cannot fail injuriously to affect the progress and prosperity of the province. It may perhaps be said by .some advocate of the New Zealand Company, pointing to the settlement of Wellington—

"Si monumentum qnoeris, civcumspice." True it is, Sir, that settlement is now in a prosperous condition; but to whom is it indebted for that prosperity? The local Government of New Zealand, from the foundation of the colony, liave incurred no slight measure of abase ; and I do not mean to contend that no portion of that abuse has been deserved, but I do contend, Sir, and I challenge contradiction, that but for the timely assistance of the Government, in-completing the purchase of land from the natives, but for the expenditure-in the settlement of large sums applied by the liberality of the British Parliament, but for the opening out of the distant pastoral and grazing districts by the construction of roads, and, more than all, but for the energy, the enterprise, the capital, and the indomitable perseverance of the settlers themselves, the settlement of Wellington would at this moment have been rapidly sinking- into an insignificant village. With such an example, it might be supposed sufficiently illustrative of irresponsible colonization, another colonizing body was formed in England, who put forward what may be termed a magnificent vision of colonization. I think I need hardly say, Sir, that I allude to the Canterbury Association, As that Association is still in the vigour of its existence—as it is composed of numerous influential parties both in Church and State, ay il is, so to speak, graced by the names of Archbishops, Bishops, and dignitaries of the Church., as it appears to enjoy at home the confidence of the Government and of Parliament, as it is represented in the colony by a gentleman ot distinguished abilities —it would be an affectation of delicacy to refrain from expressing a caudid opinion of the undertaking and of the proceedings of its projectors. But in speaking of the Canterbury scheme, I would draw a marked distinction between its projectors in England and those who have actually embarked themselves and their fortunes in endeavouring to carry it into execution in the colony. The latter, I think, ought to be received with the most kindly and cordial welcome, and ought to have extended to them, with a liberal hand, every assistance and encouragement tlmt can be afforded them ; not so much, because i believe they deserve the character they have acquired oi' being the finest body of colonists who have ever arrived in this country, but because, in common with ourselves, they have become actual colonists of New Zealand. Of the result of the undertaking itself it may perhaps appear premature to hazard an opinion , but, freely admitting that the Association will have been the means of planting in New Zealand what will ultimately prove a valuable and prosperous settlement, 1 must nevertheless declare that I no sooner saw the original prospectus of the_ undertaking than I was'satisfied that it contained the elements of certain self-destruction —-that as a great scheme of colonization in its entirely, it never would be, and never cculd be, carnet. into full effect—that the Association itself, like the New Zealand Company, would cease to exist before their undertaking was half completed, and that, like the New Zealand Com-

pany, they would leave the colony, the province, 'or the settlement saddled with a debt. Such, it is true, is bat an opinion, hut it is an opinion winch has been shared in by all in whose hear-ing-it has been expressed. Seeing- too, that, after all the unprecedented efforts which have been made by the members of the Association, clerical and lay, to dispose of land in the Canterbury settlement, and after all this lapse of time, iiot more than twenty thousand acres hove yet been disposed of—seeing, too, that the Association have already applied to Parliament not only for power to make an alteration in the terms of their scheme, but also to raise money 'iln^ihe issue of debentures, I think I have a right to contend that the opinion I have ventured to express has been so far verified by experience. But apart, Sir, from the probable failure of the undertaking as a complete scheme of colonization, it is impossible to observe the proceedings of its projectors without seeing that they tend uot only to establish in this colony an Imperium in impevio, but to strike at the root of ail locakgoveimnent whatever. On a former occasion I moved for the production of a. correspondence which had takea place between the Canterbury Association and Her Majesty's Government on the appointment of Kesident Magistrates, Justices of the Peace and other officers. And now that the Council have had an opportunity of perusing that correspondence, I will appeal to them to say whether I have either misstated or misapprehended the tendency of their proceedings. One portion of that correspondence is particularly deserving their attention. After referring to the appointment of a Ilesident Magistrate—after requesting that that appointment might be reserved for a gentleman who had not then left England—that pending his arrival in the colony their own agent (Mr. Godley) might he appointed his locum tenons, the Association, addressing the colonial minister, proceed to say '■ that they do not hesitate to add a further wish on their part, as regards all other local appointments, that his (Mr. Godley's) judgment and recommendation" may be accepted by the. local authorities as the " rule of selection,'"' so far as possible,' and to the utmost extent to which such a rule can be properly applied. " I refer particularly:' adds the Secretary of the Associa.Lion, "to the appointment of unpaid Magistrates, and to those other subordinate offices to which 1 have already adverted;..••indeed it would be extremely satisfactory to the Association if the rule could be extended to every part of the establishments in the colony" Hon. members may perhaps think, Sir, and very naturally so, that I have been quoting from the pages of a certain well-known witty and facetious publication ; but I cau assure them that instead of being a piece of imaginary facetiousness, it is a piece of facetious reality. And if the agent of the Association possess, as I doubt not he does, the qualities and character which public fame and private friends alike ascribe to him, I believe! that that gentleman will be the first to regret that the Association .should have adopted a proceeding which not only tends to erect the Canterbury Settlement into an Imperium in hn-perio, but which appears to throw a doubt on the sincerity of the Association in advocating the extension to New Zealand of the principle of local self-government. When a new settlement is to be founded in a country already settled, the best method of providing for its government would seem to be, for the local government, on its own official responsibility, from amongst those already in the colony, and who are acquainted with its institutions, to select such persons as may be best qualifie d to aid in the founding of a new settlement, and in adjninijferiiig its laws. But it would seem that the Canterbury Association are not content with securing a portion of this country on which to try a new and particular scheme of colonisation, but, they must also endeavour to erect that otherwise exceptional settlement into an "Imperium in Imperio," to be governed by a body of private individuals resident in England. For ye iind an irresponsible Association in Eng- | and moving her Majesty's minister to move : ler Majesty's responsible representative in he colony to abdicate his official functions, to et aside his own judgment, and to act at the

nstanco of their own agent in the appointment if the officers necessary for carrying on the slueen's Government. In other words we find . self-elected body of private individuals, having ■•) responsibility—official or pecuniary—in no ogree amenable to public opinion in the colony, eking to induce a minister of the crown to move

the Queen's representative anil responsible Governor of the colony, who had long been resident i n, and who was we'll acquainted with the circumstances and condition of the country, to accept, as the rule for his guidance, the "judgment and recommendation " of a gentleman but recently arrived in the colony, and who, however, high may be his public character and private worth, yet as the agent of a private Association, is an officer unknown to the constitution of the colony, who has no official responsibility, who has no fixed-interest in the colony, and for whose continued residence in it there is not the slightest guarantee. Such are the attempts of the Association to interfere with the Government of the State. Whether they have made the like attempts to interfere with the Church, I am not prepared to state. Whether they have moved, the Archbishop of Canterbury to move the Bishop of New Zealand to abdicate his Episcopal functions, and to put his conscience into commission ; or whether—waiving ceremony— they have taken the readier course, and themselves created their own bishops, priests, deans, chapters, and archdeacons, perhaps some other lion, member may be able to inform the Council ; but if they have taken the former course, I may venture to affirm they have found that they have attempted to move what will prove to be very immovcable materials. Not longer, then, to trespass on the patience of the Council, but entertaining great respect for many of the leading members of the late New Zealand Company, entertaining the like respect for some of the active members of the Canterbury Association, allowing to the New Zealand Company all the credit which may be due to them for having founded three settlements in this country at no inconsiderable cost of energy, enterprise, capital, and suffering, on the part of the colonists ; admitting also that the Canterbury Association will be the means of founding" what will ultimately prove a valuable and important settlement, I would nevertheless contend, Sir, that so far as the experiment has been tried in New Zealand, the work of colonization cannot, consistently with the honour of the Crown, the character of the Nation, the rights of aborigines, the interests of settlers, and the welfare of the colony at large, be safely entrusted to an irresponsible body of private individuals, associated together for the purpose of buying, selling, and making a profit by the sale of the waste lands of the Crown."

The Colonial Secretary of New Minister said he had listened with some surprise to the speech of the hon. member. If the address he had had the honour to propose to Council was to be adopted in the spirit which dictated the hon. member's speech, he would withdraw it, and propose himself that it be rejected at once. From almost every opinion expressed by the hon. member he entirely dissented. It would, he believed, not be difficult to answer the whole statement of the hon. member, by counterstatements which would throw most of the blame of the proceedings he attacked the Company for, upon the Government. But he could see no public benefit to be attained by such' a discussion, and he had no private feeling whatever which could make him desirous of joining' in it. He believed every thing was before the public that was necessary to enable it to form a just judgment of the respective merits and demerits of the.- Company and the Government, and that ample justice would be done, without any further agitation of the question, to al! parties concerned in the transactions the hon. member had detailed.

Mr. Bell observed that, having been referred to by his learned friend in his very able speech to correct any statement he had advanced, if he were to enter into detail he should object to the greater part of what his learned friend had said.

The address was unanimously adopted, and the council adjourned to Monday the 28th.

The following'letter respecting- a specimen of coal from the Molyneux District of Otago, was published by His Excellency the Goveriior-in-Chief, in the Government Gazette, Aug. 4 :— University of Edinburgh, Jan." 21, 1851. My Bear Sir, — I enclose you the analysis of the specimen of New Zen land coal. I consider it to be of a very good quality, the composition being nearly the*, same as the'Midlothiau and Fifeshire Parrot coals; the prop ox-

turn of sulphur is about the average, certainly not greater, than in many of our own coals. I have no doubt, therefore* that it will answer the purpose of smelting copper ores, or those of any other metal. Analysis of specimen of coal from New Zealand :— Carbon .... 65*30 Hydrogen . . . 5- 61 Nitrogen . , - "62 Oxygen .... 2243 Sulphur .... 1.23 Ash , . . .4-81 i OO'OO I am, &c, (Signed) Alexander Kemp, University of Edinburgh. J. M. M'Gxashan, Esq.,