The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume III, Issue 152, 3 December 1853, Page 7

The Lyttelton Times.

December 3, 1853.

Owing to an accident, mentioned in our last;-.number; and which we have since been enabled to repair, the reports of proceedings in the Provincial Council on the 17th and 18th ultimo, have not appeared in our columns. The public thus remain only in part informed of the objects of a very important Bill, passed through Committee on the 17th, the " Empowering1" Bill. As the one best exemplifying the principles upon which the legislation of the Session appears to have been based, we purpose making some comments on the arguments adduced in support of it.

The object of the Bill is evidently to obtain the administration on the spot of all matters purely local and demanding immediate settlement, without the delays consequent upon a pro forma reference to distant authority. Such reference has almost invariably resulted in the recommendations of the local subordinate officers guiding the decisions of the distant executive power. Delay was thus not. only useless, but absolutely injurious; because, rather than submit to it, the public would sacrifice all lesser questions of private interest involving loss of time and uncertainty.;: Such questions, then, ought to be settled authoritatively on the spot, for no invasion of the prerogative cf the centi'al authority is involved in such settlement.

The Bill provides for conferring upon the Superintendent, as the chief executive functionary of the Province, the same powers which the late Lieutenant-Governor of New Munster, of which this Province then formed part, possessed by law. The schedule is the same as that in the Empowering Ordinance passed by him, together with |a few additions of Ordinances subsequently passed. The Bill, then, will secure the full and legitimate developement of those powers of selfgovernment which the framers of the Constitution Act intended us to possess, and ourselves, b) r law, to provide the machinery for. They rightly considered that we would best know the nature and form of government most suitable to us when placed in circumstances somewhat novel, but in no way properly understood by them. The great principle which colonial reformers advocate is, that no colony can be well governed at a distance. By parity of reasoning, and und^r the guidance of those instincts which invariably suggest to Englishmen a right view of their own interests, we may confidently assert that no Province can be well governed from so great a distance as this is from the present seat of government. The intentions of Parliament must be pretty cleai-ly understood in regard to the Constitution Act, from the speeches delivered in the House of Commons. The public despatches of Her Majesty's government and of His Excellency, all point to and jushfy the same conclusion. A few extracts from Mr. Gladstone's speech will clearly P"'ove this. That eminent statesman said,

" It is a mistake to say you require a large Population to constitute a self-governing })«HtiCal Society. The recognition of those small

communities which aye to have a substantive political existence of their own, while associated together for other and more general purposes, is, in my view, one of the fundamental merits of the Bill. Indeed, I shall shew that the Bill would be much better if it went much further, and endowed those Settlements with independent legislative power for all purely local purposes." The object of the Empowering Bill is one of a purely local nature. It is to make the Superintendent what it was intended he should be, chief executive officer of the Province ; not a mere dead weight upon our legislation, in the shape of an Upper House consisting- of one person. Mr. Gladstone further explained the view of Her Majesty's Government, when, speaking as a personal and political friend of the then Colonial Governor, he said,

" The distant Legislatures of New Zealand are to be empowered, if Parliament should adopt the ministerial plan, to make laws upon all subjects whatever, with certain specified restrictions."

On the question of restriction, and of the alteration of the Act, Mr. Gladstone refers to " the largeness of the power of alteration as a great merit in the Bill." He asks,

"What reason can there be, if those distant Legislatures sire fit to deal with the subjects which come before them, what reason can there be that their decisions should be subject to revision ? If fit to deal with the subjectsyou entrust to them, why not let them deal with them ? if unfit to deal with them, why put power into their hands to meddle with them ?"

Turning to the published official despatches, we find these opinions re-echoed by Sir John Pakington ; who says, " New Zealand will be better governed under a single head with the assistance of local officers in the several Settlements :"

and (referring to the Superintendents),

"It is my wish that any such executive powers as may be found necessary to carry on the functions of Government, may be entrusted to those officers :"

and he leaves to the Local Legislatures to define those powers.

Thus the Empowering Bill evidently accords with the views of those who framed the Constitution Act, and of those who suggested many of its provisions. It became the duty of the Provincial Legislatures to develope the powers conferred by the Act: not to do so, would be a passive violation of its spirit, and a frustration of its object. His Excellency's own views prove that he does not consider such a measure calculated to confer on subordinate officers powers exclusively belonging to himself. Of Provincial Legislative Councils, suggested by himself, he says, they " would possess most ample, in fact all requisite, powers of legislation for regulation of all questions within a Province : and they secure, in the only manner which I believe to be practicable, real local self-government." Of the Superintendents, he speaks as " Officers administering the executive government of the Provinces;" and suggests that Her Majesty's Government should leave to " them, and to the Provincial Councils, to regulate by law the extent of the executive government to be constituted by each Province." He proposes that they should exercise powei's usually entrusted to Colonial Governors, and even make Crown Grants.

So far then from considering it likely that the Governor will disallow this Bill, we think that His Excellency ought to be desirous that it should be brought forward. We consider that the more proper mode of doing so would have been through the General Assembly; and had His Exceilency convened that body, and laid before it a well-digested plan for securing a uniform system of government throughout the Provinces, he would have proved by practice that he had faith in his written opinions. But without an Ordinance, conferring the fullest administrative power, all others pas-

sed are but waste paper; the machinery of government imperfect; the Superintendent, to all intents and purposes, powerless ; and the Province as far as ever from the object the colonists have so long and steadily had in view—local and responsible government.

By the " Hashemy" and " Water Witch" from Newcastle, arrived dm-ing the week, the flocks of the Province have been increased by 1,700 sheep, 200 head of cattle, and 10 horses. Mr. Sidey may also be hourly expected in the Admiral Grenfell, with sheep, cattle, and horses. We understand that Mr. Sidey has purchased the " Water Witch, and intends running her as a constant trader between this Port and Australia.

Captain Sir Everard Home, of H. M. S. " Calliope," senior naval officer on the -Australasian Station, died at Sydney on the Ist Nov. His remains were committed to the grave on the 4th, with all the ceremony befitting an officer of his high rank. The citizens of Sydney assembled to view the ceremony in far greater numbers, according to the Herald, than was ever witnessed on any other occasion, and the general demeanour of the city is bescribed as being most appropriate and becoming, and worthy of itself.

By the arrival of the " Great Britain's" mail, we have received English news to the 11th August, inclusive. The "English and Foreign intelligence extends over a month, from the date of the news by the " John Taylor."

The Russo-Turkish difficulty was generally regarded as satisfactorily adjusted l>y the pacific intervention of the other great European powers; but the final ratification of conditions had not taken place, nor were those conditions known to the public. The balance of public feeling seemed to tend to the restoration of confidence, but serious misgivings were still entertained in well-informed quarters. In the House of Commons, August 5, Mr. Adderley asked whether her Majesty had delegated to the Governor of New Zealand such, power respecting the sale of land as authorized his proclamation of 9th March, 1853, whereby the scale of land-prices guaranteed by the 14th and loth Victoria, chap. 86, was set aside, and the powers given by the 15th and 16th Victoria, chap. 72, to the new Legislature, were anticipated by the Governor alone, and an unlimited extent of territory was set up to public auction at ss. per acre ? ' Mr. Peel stated that no information had reached the Colonial Office of any proclamation having been issued by Sir George Grey as to the price of land. The Act of last year conferred on the General Assembly of ]S Tew Zealand the power of regulating the sale of lands, and till the General Assembly made other provisions, the Governor was to regulate the sale of land. Soon after that Act was passed, instructions were sent to Sir Geotge Grey to issue such regulations as he might think requisite with reference to the sale of land. That, it might be presumed, was the authority for any proclamation issued by Sir Geo. Grey. Wool. —English wools have since May fallen IW. per lb., and very considerable stocks of combing sorts of colonial, existing in Leeds and Bradford, have no doubt contributed to produce the small demand for this market. Foreign purchasers have sriven litile or no support to prices at these sales. The large and satisfactory trade which has for some time prevailed in the clothing districts of the north and west, and the exported, small supply of German wool, available lor England, have, however, had the effect of preventing any serious general retrogression in prices, and the sales proceeded with remarkable 'uniformity at fully May rates for the finer Australian clothing flocks and scoured wools ; whilst on the combing flocks of Victoria ai:d Tasmania, and all clothing wools of middling1 and ordinary quality, as well as on skin wools, locks, and pieces, we quote a decline of full Id, per lb., and Burry flocks are difficult to move, at 3d. per lb. reduction. Wool in the grease baa been in supply rather too heavy for the wants of the trade, and has decliufd in value about lid. per lb , as compared with May. — Jacomb 6 Co,'s, Circular y Aug. 10,