THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 548, 16 July 1851, Page 2

THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Extracts given in our last number fiom the Proceedings of the Legislative Council, embraced so large a proportion of what was worthy of notice in the discussions, as to lea\e comparatively little to be added,— and of that little we have alieady gi\en a summaiy. We shall, however, as befoie, place on rocoid, so far as we have them, the ipslssima verha of our Legislator, with occasional explanatoiy remaiks.

Land Fund Appropriation Bill. This measure seems to contemplate the formation of Corporations as a step certainly about to betaken. We apprehend that an Oidinance will not be necessary to authorise such formation, the Governor-in-Ciiief having it in his power to establish them ;— and, indeed, in his Excelli<.ncy's interview with the Committee of the Proposed Lunatic Asylum dining his recent visit to Auckland he distinctly stated that the people here might then have a Corpoiation instantly if they wished for it. Moreover, it is believed that a plan for the formation of a Corpoiation including not only the town but the countiy for some miles round, actually exists in diaft. The object of the Eill before the Council then is to enable the Governor to place at the disposal of such Corporations a portion of the proceeds of the Land Sales. The following was the discussion in com • mittee on the measure, on Friday, the 6th of June : — Colonel jU'Cleveiuy moved that this Bill be considered in Committee. The Title and Preamble having been agreed to, it was moted that ibe following addition should be made to the Ist Clause :— "Providing alwnys that not less than one-tlmd of the fund shall be applied by the Corporation within such IJundied fiom which the fund has been denved." Mr. J3lll had given his best consideration to (his Bill, and he would piopose that n^tead of one-thud, not les3 than one half should be expended within the Ilundied. It would be always a gieat temptation for the members of any Corpoi.ition to spend mote ihan a due share of the fund within the limits of the town in which they sat, particularly as there would always be a majoiity against the fund being expended in any particular Hundred. Would it not be wise to com« to a specific undei standing with respect to the fixing of the amount that should b." expended by any Hundred? to establish a right that a certain amount of tbr> funds received from the sale of Crown Lands shall he expended in the llundie Is fiom which these hinds are received 1 ]Ie thought it incumbent on the part of the Local Government] to piomote the fonualion of Municipal Coiporatioii 1 -, for the people in local matlcis to taLe the management of then- own aftans. It was de&nable to encomage the people to unite themselves together for Municipal purposes. He thought the introduction of this Oidinance would help to do tins; but at the Fame time he thought it would be better that a certain known piopeity m the proceeds of the land fund should be determined. He would not however press this subjectnow, though he was disposed to press his amendment -that at least one-halt' should be substituted for at least one thud. Sir G. Grey fancied the question raised was one of a l(!<;ol nature. He could however state tbo facts of the case. All public lands were vested absolutely in the cionn, and are beyond the jurisdiction of this Council. Hut seeing that individuals genoially seemed to suppose that the fuiida aiibing from their sale was amitterm which the public had no inteiest whatevui he m.ule the lvcoininenda'ions to the home government, which was now he'oie tin m in the shape of the pioposed oidinance. Thinking it v.ould be the best way to make the people inteiested in the public laudo to give them -i sliue in the pioceeda aiibing f;oin then sale, lie had no objection to the wardens having the disposal of one halt of tlit> funds to be appiopnated, aiid the Council might addie-s the Crown to niako it a j-cinianent privilege, but let the wanljns enjoj' tins pnvilege for any length j of time, and they would never allow am Governor to j dopihv them of it; or if utUmpted, would never be approved of. ThoAironNEv GiNm\j, seconded the amendment. Mr. Bin, would not discuss the question ftnther at this time, but he thought it would be much better for the public to know positively what they might expect, and what they had a right to, than leaving the privilege doubtful. Mi. Cawuxy, agreed with Mr. "Bell that it would be bettor to regulate thepnvilege by legal enactment than to leave it a matter of chance. Sir G. Gurv, at present the whole of the rents of the Crown lands go to the wardens and it is proposed that the half of one thud of the- gtobs proceeds of land sales shall beat then disposal. The amendment of Mr. Dili, having been carried the other clause was agreed to. Sir G. GutY said ho adopted the amendment, and the law is now consequently in force.

Census Bill. The project of the Home Government that a Census of the whole British Empire should be taken in 1851 — so that, as nearly as possible at the same time, it should be ascettained what ! was the number of human beings placed under Queen Victoria's sway throughout her \ast dominions —was a comprehensive and striking idea. The Bill before the Council is designed to make the necessary provisions for its being carried out in the New Zealand Islands. The following conversation took place on the 3rd of June on the motion for the second reading, to which we go back to make the Repoit complete :—: — The Colonial Secretary then moved the second reading 1 of the Census Bill, which he said was similar to the one bi ought forward in 1»49, but the .Schedule would ho requuod to be considerably altered to ipeet the recommendations of the Home Government. He thought thtf new joim should be adopted in older to secure uniformity in the leturns from the diileient dependencies of the British I'Jmpnc. in the new forms, in addition to the Name, Age, &.c, the Rank, Occupation, &c, were required. And as thoie was, ho believed, some objection to the taking of the Census so often, he would propose that instead ot annual, it should be taken b'cmiuil 01 triennial. J\Ji. Hickson believing that it was highly desirahlo the leg illations should be punted, made a motion to that c fleet, which was seconded by Captain Smith. Sir G. GitLY said that in his opinion they should piovido for uniformity in the returns according 1 to the j recommendations of tho Home Government, but that } certain additions might bo made to meet the encumstancus of the colony. The Colonial Sichetauy then pjave notice that he should move that the Bill he consulted in Committee to-moriow. Air. Hickson — I really think the Council should have an oppoituinty of seeing the i emulations alluded to before going; into Committee. Sir I 1I 1 Gu*y — I don't think this will be nece«sniy. Mr. ]iici<so>J — I think it is veiy nece«saiy. And The AuoiiNLV GtNLiiAr — 1 consider tho lion, gentleman is out of* Older, as only * no'ioe of motion liaj beeii givni,

Mr. Jlioksov —Surely I am at liberty to make tins objection now. Sir Glohcl Grfy — IMr- Iliekson may state bis objection to the committal of the Hill. The Coiomal Slchliaky would let las motion stand over. ! The Bill went into Committee on the 10th of June :—: — On the motion of the CoroMiL Stciutary for Ni vv IMunsilii the Council went into committee on Census Bill. A discus«ion aiosp as to tlio best time for taking the census; the Slat of iMaich was proposed by the two Colomil Seci Claris. Captain Smith thought December would be tlio best time as far as sbeep i\eie concerned, as after shearing an .iccount of the stock was accurately taKen. Mi. Bell was o( opinion the gieat object to be attuned would bo to hx some month when the roads weie open and the means of communicating eltsy, and that the end of the year mi»ht piove most conven'ent. Sn Giorgc Gia\ thought the Council weic losing sisrlit of the original nitonuon of the bill. It was piopo*i>d that a census should take placo in 18.51 throusrhout thp Biitish empire. The time for taking it was original^ fixed foi October, but Parliament had altered it to March. It was lnipiacticable to take the census at the tune of year proposed in this colony, and tins might also occur m other colonies, but it nould he necessary to take it in some paitof the present jvur. Having fm>d tins point the Council might afterw aids deleimine whether the cen«us should be taken annually or at longer intervals. After some discussion it wi>s determined the census should be taken tnpnniallv. I The committee then adjourned. The Committee resumed on the following day — June I Ith : — The CotoNivf S'euinnv N. I\T. moved theresumption in committee of the Census Bill. A discussion ensued on the question w bother a penalty should be inflicted on the Collector if he disclosed any private information he might receive. The Colonial Sicrltahv IV.EU.and the lion Mr. Dillon approved of a penalty being inflicted. Sir George GntY thought the principle a rather dangerous one. He had never been able to prevent people gossiping, and a person was now subject to punishmeut if he said what would injure his neighbour. Tho Cotoniai. SrrniT\Ry N. M. would rather see a Constable subjected to a fine for misconduct than another person, and the Hill made it penal if private persons did not give correct infoimation. Mr. Bci i. knew that the objection of the labouring class in Nelson to give the rpquiied information, arose from then anxiety not to be thought rich. Sir G. Gre\ 'bought that the precautions contemplated would only nsult in making people moie precautious in giving the necessary answers. '1 hey weie plain questions, which no British subject would have any objection to answer. The " Bill to provide for the Interpretation of Colonial Ordinances, and for Shortening the Language used therein" led to some conversations, but they were of no public interest ; — nor do we find in the proceedings anything fuither worth extracting even on the liberal principle on which we have made some of these extracts. Here then we pause in this pait of our work until some new infoimation reaches us from the South.