LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 386, 16 July 1856, Page 5

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Jnne'3. Present:—The Speaker, Messrs. 'W hi taker, Tancred, Seymour, Richmond, and Richardson. The Speaker took the chair at 20 minutes past 2 o'clock, and read prayers. MINISTERIAL SI'ATEMENT. Mr. Whixakbr was desirous, before entering on the business of the day, to make some observations with respect to the arrangements proposed to be carried into operation by the Ministry of which he had the honour to be a member, in his former capacity of Attorney General. It would be the object of the present Ministry to expedite the- most urgent business of the session to the utmost of their power. And to show in what manner they contemplated proceeding, the hon. member went into considerable detail in explaining the business intended to be done. The first and most important subject was that of finance ; and Mr. Sewell, as the most thoroughly conversant with financial details had, at the request of all his colleagues, j consented to take office as Colonial Treasurer. Mr. Richmond, of Taranaki, occupying the post of Colonial Secretary. Mr. Whitaker proceeded to show that it was the intention of the Ministry to disentangle the complicated web of financial difficulty to the best of their ability; and to provide for the burthens of the colony, not merely for the present but for future yeais. They would 1 endeavour to place the largest possible amount of funds at the disposal of the Proviuces,retaininf the smallest possible means compatible with the requirements of the General Government. After defraying the necessary official charges, the surplus of all Provincial revenues went to the construction of public works and improve- , ments, and these in themselves were of material j assistance in furthering the operations of the General Government. Every matter connected with the finances of the colony would be laid fully before the Council and the House of Representatives. With respect to the Waste Lauds, they would be dealt within precisely the same way as that which had been proposed by the first Ministry. The funds and the manage"mentof those lands would be transferred to the Provinces. It was not contemplated to make any fundamental change in the Constitution Act. The present Ministry wotdd accept the resolutions as they had been passed. They would Vfork the Constitution Act as it now stood. If fundamental alterations should afterwards be found necessary, they would deal^with them at a subsequent period; at present their attention would be directed only to technical alterations only. The question of Land Scrip would require immediate and urgent consideration, in order that it might be disposed of in a fair and equitable spirit. It was a difficult subject, and deranged the whole financial operations of the country. It would be their endeavour to set this question at rest, and in such away that no breach of faith would be committed. The debt of the New Zealand Company was another difficulty, which must be got rid of and extinguished ; and it was proposed to raise a loan at a moderate rate of interest, and with the assistance of the Imperial Parliament, to effect that purpose. A further loan would also require to be raised for the purpose of extinguishing the native title to lands. It was a source of no inconsiderable grievance to the Provinces of the South to be called upon to contribute funds for the purchase of lands to the Provinces of the North. To obviate this, the Government would endeavour to raise sufficient funds in England, at an interest of four per cent. : and by this meansgthey would be euabled to consolidate all the debts of the colony. For that purpose, a loan of from £450,000 "to £500,000" would be necessary, to be proportionately divided among the Provinces. In the interim, however, an

additional sum would be required to be borrowed for the immediate purchase of land in the North. And, to accomplish that, it was proposed to raise a temporary loan, which would be converted as speedily as possible by means of the loan to be raised under guarantee of the Imperial Government. There were a number of Hills before both houses which were not Government measures— some of these were good—some might he modified and carried through, buthe hoped that hon. members would exercise forbearance in bringing forward any new measures at this advanced period of the session. With respect to Postal communication,—the direction of the business between the Provinces must remain in the hands of the General Government. Local postal affairs, on the other hand, would be best managed by the Provinces. With the co-operation of the members of the respective chambers, Government would endeavour to push every matter forward, so that on the next arrival of the ' Zingari'the Southern members might be enabled to return to their homes. Mr. Richardson said that the hon. gentleman had not specified the resolutions that had been passed. He sho dd be glad if he would do so. And if he woul I state whether the fractional parts of the Cu&ioins revenue,— Mr. Whixakbr said, it wouid be more regular if the hon. member were to give notice of his intention to ask any questions. However, he had no difficulty in stating that the resolutions to which he (Mr. W.) alluded were those which had been read and so ably commented ou to this Council by the hon. gentleman about a week ago. He (Mr. W.) thought that the Ministry would he able to frame Estimates granting two-thirds of the Customs revenues to the Provinces.