NEW ZEALAND BILL. (From the Daily News, Dec. 21st, 1847.)

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 205, 17 May 1848, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND BILL. (From the Daily News, Dec. 21st, 1847.)

Deliberate and minute examination of the Nr i v Zealand Uill, which was read a second Lime last night in (lie Hou c c of Commons, only nerves to establish its repiehcnsiblc and dangerous charactci. It has been intioduced under false pictcnccs ; it is intended to effect clandestinely a puiposc which has been caiefully concealed; and even though its provisions wcie unex ceptionablc, it comes too Lite. It is intioduced under false pietenccs. Governor Grey's objections to ptemulgate the New Zealand chatter immediately, relates exclusively to the piovince of New Ulster— to that part of the northern island in which New Plymouth, Auckland, and the Bay of Islands are situated. Aftci stating that he deems it his duty to refrain from giving effect " in the northern portion of New Zealand" to " that portion of the instructions which relates to representative institutions," he adds, "all the other portions of my instiuctions shall bo carried out as rapidly as possible." In a second despatch, indeed, Governor Grey hints that " for the present the legislative body of each colony should consist of one chamber, composed of the goveinor and official and non-official members ;" but he exptessly adds, " the latter of whom might, in Ike southern colony, he at once elected hi/ the people." In. asserting, that m the measure to withhold all share in the election of members of the legislature fiom the New Zealand colonists for five yf-ats, the wishes cf Govenioi Gicy had been complied with, the authois of the bill have misrepresented that pentlisman. The bill is intruded to effect clandestinely a pin pose which Ins been cniefullj concealed. Jt was described by Mr. Labouehcrc as meant to suspend for five years the introduction of elective assemblies, with full powers of general local legislation. Not a wo> d toas said of its being intended to alter the franchise. Yet, in tlio fifth clause, we find the governor empowered, " by and with advice of the said legislative council [a nominee council!] to depait fiom the said fust-mentioned instructions in so far as the same relate to the nature and extent of the said qualification, and to make and oidain such other or fuither rules and regulations, with respect to the nature and extent of the qualification for burgesses in the said municipal districts" as he may think proper. Tins is much the same as if the Gicy ministry, after carrying the Hefonn Uill, had, undcf pretext of postponing *he peiiod at which it was to come into opeiation, cndeavouied to smuggle a. clause empowering the cabinet for the time being to alter the ten pound franchise. Lastly, even though the provisions of the bill were unexceptionable, it comes too late. The colonists are Jilready awaie of the native and extent of the constitutional piivilegcs confeued upon them by the act for the better government of New Zealand, and the letteis patent issued under it. The newspapers reporting the debates relating to that measure while it was under the consideration of parliament, have informed them of this. Even though they should not be awaie of the natuie ond extent of the modifications in their constitution which Governor Gray thinks desirable, they will learn by the next mail that goes out, that he recommended for both provinces a legislative body consisting of "one chamber composed of the governor and official and unofficial members, the latter of whom might, m the southern colony, he at once elected by the people.'* It cannot but create univetsal and dangeious discontent among the white population, when the cup which they already feel touching their lips is dashed fiom them — when, in momentary expeciation of entering upon the exercise of their new franchises, they shall be told that a law is being passed to withhold their exercise for several years, and, at the same time, to empower the gocrnor and a nominee council to alter, at iheir. pleasure, the electoral qualification. Is it safe thus to play with the expectations of Englishmen? Or, ad« mitting its safety, is it just or honourable? The settlcis will be indignant at having the power to elect members of the local legislature withheld fiom them after the governor has admitted that it miy safely be conferred upon them; and to have the constituency narrowed when no complaint has been made that it is too extensive. And they are sharp sighted enough to detect this discrepancy between the piovhions of the hill and the pretexts for its introduction :— The natives of New Zealand, it is said, will be initated by seeing the power to tax them conferred on the whites ; and therefore the power to impose indireGt taxes by a provincial legislature is withheld from the whiles, while the power is left them by municipal councils to impose dhect rates for local purposes. To crown the impolicy of these proceedings, the bill is to be sent out to New Zealand, not as a Uw finally passed by the legislature, aud sanctioned by the ciowu, in which, as in something inevitable, the colonists might have leluctanlly acquiesced ; but as a bimplc jtrojet de lot lespcctmg which they may and will indulge the hope that, m ils piogiess bejond the second reading in the lowci house, something may occur to picvent Us evei becoming a law. Had mtmstcis sought to devise acouise of policy by which they might unsettle the minds of the colonists, and excite discontent amongst them, they could not have hit upon a coaise more sine to Je id to the attainment of their object than that which llieyate now pui suing. The most extiaordinary pait of this business is the

eniiie silence ol those gentlemen v In. in ioimcr sessions, piofossod to advocate with so mud) 7cal the cause of the Kng-lish sottliMs on Cook's Stiait. Who can have foi gotten the eloquence with which they enforced the incuts and the wioi><> . ol those enteipusing colo msts — Jiow often, and with what stiength ot alignment, tliey tiacod gieal pail o( these wiongs to the wauvaid despotism o( a governor, imciiccked b> a constitutional iepi escnlaliou of the colonists?" And now, when a me ism c postponing the enfuuithiscmenf ol -ill the seltleis, and cmpoweiing tin* govcrnoi to cvelude fioin the elective fianrhise patties to whom it was pioniised by an act of the Biitish leg-islatmc, has been bi ought forward, of all these impassioned oratois Mi. A^lionby alone spoke to {not ayawsl) the fpst and second readings of the disfranchising bill. How is this change to be accounted for ? Have the interests of the piomotcis of New Zealand colonisation in this countiy, and of New Zealand colonists at the antipodes, becotre distinct and incompatible since the New Zealand Company have had their lands and a loan confntned to them by act of pailiamcnl ? Sonic explanation on this head is assuredly due to the public by Loid Ingcstie, Sii "William Moleswoith, Mr. Oluiles Bullci, Mr. Ag-. lionby, Mr. Mangles, and otlici ci-devant pat ions of the settlers in New Zealand, (or tneir conduct upon this occasion. And if th.it exp'anation be not very satisfactoiy indeed, it is odds bat the huspicions now abroad become stion^er — that patties deeply implicated in persuading English families to leraove their firesides to these ivmate islands, bavin? grown tired of their hobby, are callously abnndoning the emigrants to their fate ; and that the membcis of the New Z aland Company, who were ntmatcd by liberul ami statesmanlike views of natinal a'ivani'igp, 1 aving one by one seceded irom it, a mere caput tnorluum of &pecul lating" shareholders icmains