Saturday, July 31st.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 123, 4 August 1847, Page 3

Saturday, July 31st.

Prese,nfc-*His Excellency the Governor and alll the Membets, except Mr. Domett. After the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed, the Governor, laid ,on the ta|)le . a memorial from certain butchers in Auckland, on the subject of the Slaughter Houte Bill, the reading of which was deferred till that bill should come under discussion.

Native Force Bill, The Attorney-General moved the order of the day, for the (urrleh consideration of the 4 ' Native Force Bill." Mr. Brown proposed an additional clause, "which piovided, that abstracts of Acts of Parliat ment, and Articles ;of Wdr, in *& far as they applied to the Force referred to in the bill, should be published in the Government Gazette, and copies furnished to each native before his enlistment. The clause was agreed to* and added to the bill. The bill was then postponed for further consideration on Tuesday.

Spirits Bill. . On the motion of ths Attorney General, the Council returned in Committee on the Spirits Bill, which was further discussed, amended, and postponed to Tuesday. His Excellency laid on the table the following reports, viz: — 1. Report on the progress of, the* line of. road, from Wellington to the Wairarapa-* district, by Mr. FitzGerald, surveyor, dated Wellingf ton, Ist July. 2nd. Report from Captain Russell, 58th Regt., Superintendent of Military Roads, dated Wellington,-34ih June, on the progress of line of road; from .Wellington through the Porirua district.

On (lie motionof Mr. Brown, the repojtt were ordered to be printed, and an abstract of the expences attending the above works.

Gunpowder Bill. On the motion of the Colonial Secretary, the further consideration of the Gunpowder Bill was resumed in Committee, and after being amended, was postponed to Tuesday. On the motion of Mr. Donnelly, the Slaughter House Bill was read a first time, and notice given of its second reading on Tuesday. The Governor gave notice of a clause which he intended to propose upon the second reading ol the bill. Mr. Brown said that before giving notice of the tii si reading of the Savings' Bank Bill, he would wish to know whether the Government had made, their minds up not to pay interest to depositors, for if so, then he could not understand for what good purpose the bill was intended. The Governor said that the bill was intended to relieve (he Trustees from personal risk and responsibility. j Mr. Brown said that Trustees had that in their- own power, without having recourse to any enactment oL the Legislature, and the Trustees of the Hank already established, had dove co ; the fact was, that the payment of interest to depositois must be at the foundation of government interference, and if they had made their minds up to pay no interest, then the bill was useless. The Governor said that for his own part, he had not made up his mind to anything definitively, as regarded the measure; he was prepared to listen to all that Mr. Brown, or any other hon. member had to suggest by way of amendment to the bill, but he had as jet deter* mined upon nothing on the subject; he did not know whether other members of the government had entered into any compact— if so, he was quite ignorant of it. But, he would beg to ask the hon. member, would he advise the government to pay interest on the money deposited ? Mr. Brown said that in England dig Government paid | interest, lo, a certain amount, upon all deposits, and which no doubt amounted to a considerable sum ; but the benefit arising to the community, in various forms, was deemed sufficient to justify the Government in the outlay. And as the system had proved to be beneficial at home, he thought the Government here should guarantee interest to depositors. The Governor said that he would turn his attention to the subject, and when the bill came before the council for its second reading, be would be prepared to express his views to the council. Mr. Brown then gave notice of the first reading of the •* Savings' Bank Bill," for Tuesday. Notice was given of the third reading of the " Native Force Bill," and of the " Gunpowder Bill," for Tuesday. The council adjourned to Tuesday, 3rd August