GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

North Otago Times, Volume II, Issue 43, 15 December 1864, Page 3

GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

The Session of tlio Gonoral Assembly was opened on Thursday the 24th November by Governor in person. A number of peisons were present in the Chamber, the greater portion of them being ladies. Mr Wold handed to his Excellency a copy of tho speech, which ho read as follows :— Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Goun-

OIL, Gentlemen of the Hoube of Repbesentat ives, The state of the colony and the resignation of my late Responsible Advisers, have rendered it imperative upon mo to call you together at an unusual season, and 1 have to thank you for tho readiuess with which you have answered that summons, With the least possible delay I have appointed gontlemen of both Houses of tho Legislatiuo as my Constitutional Advisers, The thanks of tho colony aro due to Lieutenant General Sir Duncan Cameron, and Commodore Sir William Wiseman, and to the Ofllceis and Men of Her Majesty's Array and Navy, and of the Colonial Foicos, who by a series of gallant and successful operations have driven the insurgent natives from districts hitherto the head quarters of disaffection, I very deeply regiet that the accomplishment of this object has involved the loss of so many lives, valuablo alike to this colony and their country. Steps will be taken with tho least possible delay to secure tho future peace of the country by setting apart denned portions of the land of tho iebol natives for the puipose of bati&fymg the engagements with military and other setUois, and indemnifying the colony to a reasonablo oxtont by tho sale of portions theieof, for expenditure incuned in tho suppression of tho present rebellion, Acting on my individual responsibihty ? I have offered certain terms of pardon to natives now in arms against Pier Majesty's authority. They will be laid boforo you. I regret that tho Province of Tanuuki and the Ngatiruanui country still remain in a a stato of disturbance, and it is my intention piomptly and energetically to take such steps as may appeal best calculated to 10----storo order in those districts, and to placotho sottloinent of Taianaki on a Him and secure footing. To forward this end a bill will be laid boforo you to enable the Government to acquiro land for the construction of main lines of road thiough these districts and otheis in tho Northern I&land. Hei Majesty having seen lit to ontrust to mc large and discretionary power so long as the colony accepts the aid of British troops for tho suppression of internal disturbances, it will be your duty to consider whether the time has arrived when the colony may depend upon its own lesources for its internal defence, and the Governor be thereby onabled to bo guided entirely by tho recommendations of his Constitutional Adviseis in nativo .w well as ordinary raattois, excepting only in such as may directly concern Imperial interests and the prerogative of the Crown.

In accordance with the decision of the Commissioners acting under resolutions of both Houses of Legislature, I propose immediately to remove the seat of Government to Wellington. Gentlemen of the House of Repuesentatives,

The financial condition of the colony will require your most beiious consideiation. Her Majesty's Homo Government has offered to guarantee one million of the loan authorised by your Act of last session, but a due regard to the just rights of former creditors and to engagements entered mto with the provinces, may without detriment to any just chums preferred by Home Government, probably prevent your acceptance of the offer. Nevertheless, I entertain a confident belief that the steadily increasing wealth and revenue of this colony will enable it to piovide the means required for restoring and maintaining its prosperity.

Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen op the House of Representatives.

A contract having been entered into by an accredited agent of the colony with an English company for the establishment of a postal service by way of Panama, it will appear to you that the credit of the colony requires that such contract should be confirmed, subject to leasonablo modifications on points of detail. The contract will be laid before you. It will be my duty, during the next recess, to collect such information as may afford materials for a re-ad-justment of the representation of the colony. The discovery of new gold-fields in the Southern Island, the satisfactory prospects of the oldor ones ; tho progress of commercial, agricultuial, and pastoral onterprise in those portions of tho colony which have not been subject to native disturbances, are evidences of its substantial progress. Beaiing in mind the especial circumstances of this session, and the condition of the colony at tho present moment, it is piobable that the consideration of many important subjects must bo deferred xintil another not distant meeting of the Assembly. I doubt not, however, that with the blessing of Divine Providence, your deliberations may tend to rescue the colony from its difficulties, and to conduce to the ultimate prosf>erity of both races of its inhabitants. Thursday, Nov. 24. In the Legislative Council, after the usual ceremony of opening, and tho Governor had read his speech, Mr Whittakor announced his resignation as ono of tho Government, and stated that his place had been taken by Mr Sβ well. Mr Sewoll explained the steps which had boen talcon to form a new Ministry, and proposed that the Council should adjourn until Saturday, when ho would bo prepared to lay before them a statement of tho policy proposed to be canied out by the Government. After a few lemaiks from Mr Hall, it was agreed that the Council should meet noxt day (Friday), In the Hov.se of Representatives thoro was a full attendance of members. Mr Mantell presented a petition from members of the Colonial Defence Force, who had been recently dismissed from the service. Mr Jloynolds presented a petition from the scholars of the High School, Dunedin, wishing to be omolled as a cadet volunteer corps. lieceived and laid on the table. Mr "Weld explained the circumstances which had enabled him to form a Ministry, and moved the adjournment of the House until Saturday, at 12 o'clock. The motion was seconded by Mr Fitzherbort, and carried, and the House adjourned. Friday, Nov. 25. The appointment of various committees was agreed to. The sitting only lasted 15 niiuutes; tho Council adjourned until Monday, 28th. Saturday, Nov. 2G. In tho House of Representatives, ftl r Weld stated that lie was unprepai ed that day to make the Ministerial statemotit as to the lino of policy tobopursxicd by tho Ministry, but would bo piepaied to do so on Monday. The Hou.se lose at nbotit 2 o clock, and was adjourned until Monday afternoon at 5 o'clock. The Hero, which an ived on Saturday, bi ings on the news received from tho North, which is down to tho 3rd instant. Jn tho course of the debate on tho aildi ess, Mr Weld made a statement, not essentially difFeiing fiom tho memorandum, which was laid on tho table of the House, the substance of which is given in our leading columns. The addiess was agreed to, to which the following is the answer :— " Mr Speaker, " Gbntlebibn of the House of Representatives, " I receive witb satisfaction your_ loyal addi ess. I have every hope that your deliberations will piomoto the welfare of New Zealand; and it will always be my earnest desiie to co-operate coidially with you. (Signed) " G. Gbbt. " Government House, " Auckland, 20th Nov., 18G4." FINANCIAL CONDITION OF THE COLONY. Mr FitzGerald moved—" That a Select Committee be appointed to inquire irto and report to tho House, on the present financial condition ; and that such committee consist of Mr Carlston, Dr Foatherstone, Mr J. 0. Richmond, Mr Cro&bie Ward, and Mr .Dillon Bell; tho committee to have tho power to examine on oath, and to call for persons and papers." A long debate ensued, and ultimately the motion was withdrawn.

GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS FOR WELLINGTON. Major Richardson's motion—"For a bill to authorize tho acriuiaition of land in Wellington, for Governmonthouse, &c." was read tho first time, oidorcd to be piinted, and read a second time on Friday next.

SUSPENSION OF THE NEW PROVINCES ACT. Mr Reynolds moved - "For leave to introduce a bill to Mispetid the operations of the New Provinces Act until the end of tho next te&sion of the Assembly." Tho motion was put and cnrriod. The bill was road, ordered to be printed, iand the second reading made an order of tho day on Monday next.

RESPONSIBILITY IN NATIVE AFFAIHS. Mr "Wold said—l rine, in accordance with previous notice of motion, to move the following resolutions :-- "That the joint responsibility of Governor and Ministers in the management of native affairs has resulted in divided counsels, and in a vacillating policy, which has beon productive of great evil to both races of her Majesty's subjects in thisj colony, while it hns ontailed heavy and unnecessary expenditure both upon Great Britain and Now Zealand. " That this House, recognising the right of tho Home

Government to insist upon the maintenance of this systom of double Government so long as the colony is rocoiving tho aid of British troops for the suppression of internal distiubances, accepts alternative, and requests the Home Government to withdraw tho whole of its land force from tho colony, and to issue such instructions to his Excellency tho Governor as may enable him to bo guided entirely by tho recommendations of his constitutional advisers in nativo as well as in ordinary affairs, excepting iv such matters as may directly concern Imporial interests and the prerogatives of tho Crown. '• That tho Houso takes this occasion of expressing its loyalty and dovotion totho Crown, its deep gratitude for the generous assistance rendered by the mother country to this colony, and its cordial appreciation of tho gallant services performed by her Majesty's land and naval forces in Now Zealand " That these resolutions be embodied in an humble addioss to his Excelloncy tho Governor, lcquosting him to transmit thorn to her Majesty's Pnncipal Secretary of State for the Colonies." A long debate onsued, which was ultimately adjourned to Friday, the 2nd instant. Similar resolutions were proposod by Mr Sewell in tho Upper House, but were for the timo withdrawn. in the House of Representatives, Mr John Williamson moved an amendment in reply to the Governor's Speech, relatiug to tho removal of the Seat of Government to Wellington, that no action bo taken in the matter "until provision has first boon made for constituting tho Piovinee of Auckland into a separate Colony, to be luled by a Governor to be appointed by hei Majesty, and .a Legislature to be chosen by tho inhabitants." Tho amendment was lost, but it was stated that ih© Governor intended appointing a LieutenantGovernor for the Province of Auckland.