AREIVAL OF THE AIREDALE.

New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1725, 20 September 1862, Page 1 (Supplement)

AREIVAL OF THE AIREDALE.

THE GOVERNOR'S SPEECH. PBOBOGATION OF THE ASSEMBLY. The arrival of the s.s. *' Airedale'' this afternoon, places us in possession of our files of the Southern journals, and, in anticipation of our regular publication, we hasten to lay before our readers the most important items of intelligence. The Assembly was prorogued by the GV; ornor on Monday last, when his Excellency delivered the following address:

Honourable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives— The business of this session of the General Assembly having been brought to a close, it is now my duty to release you from the task of legislation, which, under the present circumstances ot the colony, has been one of extraordinary difficulty. I return you my sincere thanks for the measures you have passed to assist me in the work of restoring this country to tranquility, and of bringing its native population to obey the law, and acknowledge the authority of her Majesty's Government. Your care for the welfare of the natives, and your desire to admit them in all respects to the privileges and rights of British subjects, have been shown in a marked manner (luring the present session. The Act you have passed to secure to them the practical ail vantages of ownership in their lands, and to give them titles which can be recognized by our laws, will, I trust, if administered with discretion and judgment, contribute very greatly to remove the distrust and disaffection prevailing amongst a portion of the native population. It will be my care to endeavor so to administer this law, if it should receive her Majesty's assent, as to secure the beneficial results which it has evidently been your object to attain. I will transmit to her Majesty the addresses you have adopted relating to the government of the natives, and the adjustment of the past and future liabilities attending it. The Imperial Government will, without doubt, give to these subjects that full and impartial consideration which their importance demands. Gentlemen of the House of Repkesentativeh— I thank you for the ample supplies you have voted for the public service ot the colony. The increase which you have made in the salaries of the Judges will tend to maintain the independence and reputation of the Bench, by helping to secure a succession of men of high attainments and character to exupy it. There is no object to which the public funds can be more worthily devoted than the maintenance of the dignity and the social as well as the intellectual elevation of the chief administrators of the law. It is particularly incumbent on me to acknowledge the liberality of your contributions for the benefit of the natives. All the assistance in your power to give, towards the success of the experiment of introducing civil institutions among them, you have freely bestowed in voting the whole of the amount which was asked to meet the expenses of that experiment. You have further consented to impose upon the future resources of the colony, the burden of a loan for a large sum of money, to be expended in defraying past liabilities, in remedying existing evils, and in providing for future exigencies resulting from the relations between the Government and the nativer. These are large liabilities to be undertaken by so young a colony, and prove the sincerity of your desire for the welfare ot those on whose behalf you undertake them. I think it oue to the members representing the Middle Island, especially to acknowledge the public spirit, and sympathy with their Northern lellow colonists, which they have shown in cheerfully taking so large a share of the burdens arising trom political troubles peculiarly affecting the Northern Island, and trom the removal of which troubles, the principal advantage they ctin reap will be such as must necessarily spring from the prosperity and welfare of these importnut islands, regarded as a whole. It gives me great gratification to observe that you propose to appropriate so considerable a sum to the reestablishment of the ruined settlement of Taranaki, and the reinstatement on their lands of those settlers who so bravely contended against, and have since endured with so much fortitude, the various calamities which mve befallen them. It will be my earnest endeavour \ £ effect.these objects with the least possible delay. ±* I desire you to accept my assurance that the large sums thus to be placed at my disposal as the contribution of the colony towards the settlement of the Nativo question, shall be expended with the utmost regard to economy, and in accordance with your views in supplying them HONOBABLK GENTLEMEN AND GENTLEMEN, — The Act for the management of the gold-fields of the colony will, it may be hoped, remedy many defects "i the existing hws relating to this subject, and mate ially assist in the orderly and successful development of the great mineral wealth of these islands. The Act for increasing the number of members representing the Southern portion of the Middle Island, will secure for it an influence in the Legislature more in accordance with its rank and importance as a component part of the colony. la the meantime it will be the object and desire of *he Government to gire tc its interests, on all occa-i

sions, that anxious attention to which its rapid increase in wealth and population justly entitles it. I have assented with pleasure to various practical measures passed by you affecting the administration of justice, and the commercial interests of the country I trust that, under Divine Providence, these measures and all our efforts, may tend to the complete re-estabhshment of peace, and to assure the prosperity of all classes of her Majesty's subjects in the colony. J I now declare this Assembly to stand prorogued to the 31st day of December next.

The Domett Ministry is not yet complete. The Attorney-General is minus. We content ourselves with stating the fact until we shall have published Mr. Sewell's speech in the Legislative Council, wherein the circumstances attending his rupture with his colleagues are detailed.

The Native Lands Bill—greatly changed, however, from its lirst aspect—had passed, aud was reserved for Her Majesty's assent. We take the following from the Nelson Examiner of tho 17th inst.:—

The Airedale, which arrived yesterdav, brought the news of the prorogation of tho General Assembly, after a session shorter than usual, but scarcely loss interesting. In 1860 the session extended over ninety nine days, in 1861 over ninety, while that which just ended only occupied sixty-three. This is attributable to the delay which occurred between the summoning of the Assembly and its opening. The \cry tedious passage of 11.M.5. Harrier, bringing his Excellency lrom Auckland to Wellington, was the cause of the delay: and the patience ot many members was beginning to fail before the work fairly began. It seems that there would scarcely have been a quorum of members if the session had been prolonged. The last fortnight was one of great haste and scuffle, and several bills of an important character were dropped in one house because they were not sent up from the other in time to be decently considered. The imperfect means which Wellington possesses for printing the bills and documents for the Legislature contributed to the confusion On several occasions, when the houses were anxious to be at work, adjournments took place at an early hour, Ministers having again and again to announce that important business could not be proceeded with because the necessary papers " had not vet come up from the printers." The most important work since the last mail left Wellington for this place, has consisted of the further consideration and completion of the Native Lands Act. No bill ever received more elaborate discussion. Not a section escaped debate. At hist it emerged from the Lower House scarcely recognisable for the bill that entered it, and passed its second reading by eight to four votes in the Legislative Council. In Committee, the Upper House, however, made an amendment in the most vital section, in the shape of a proviso, that no dealings with any native land should be jlawful until a sealed certificate or Crown grant should have issued for it, and fees of half-a-crown per acre been paid in respect of it.

The party in the House of Representatives which had carried the Bill through, were highly indignant, and voted the action of the L sgulative Council a breach of privilege; because the amendment imposed a tax. What would have come of this very pretty quarrel no one can know, but for the intervention of" the dues ex mac/tind. When the amendment of the Council was proposed for consideration in the other House, Mr. Bell recommended that it should be agreed to, as the Governor would propose a further amendment, when the bill should be sent up to him. The Governor's amendment, which was reluctantly accepted by both Houses, provides, instead of half-a-crown an acre, a ten per cent, duty on the purchase money at the first sale, and a four per cent, transfer tax on all future sales; and with this doubtful alteration the Act goes home for approval. A Loau Bill for racing £500,000 passed. This sum to be appropriated as follows:—£200,000 to the re-establishment of the settlement and inhabitants of Taranaki; and an undetermined amount to the satisfaction of the Imperial claims; and the balance to public works in the North Island. The first and last portions will be eventually local charges. It is hoped that this loan will have the Imperial guarantee. The grant for native purposes has been made for three years. It adds £19,000 to the £7,000 already on the Civil List, and further appropriates the amount remitted by the Imperial Government on account of the Colonial contiibution for troops. The Estimates have been voted for two years, with a proviso that, if the Assembly is not called till after the 31st March, 1804, the appropriation for the second annual period shall be altogether void. A double object w.-s attained by this arrangement. The sessions will be held in future in the autumn, instead of spring; and a longer uninterrupted time is allowed to Government to cany out any plans that may be adopted for restoring confidence in the Northern Island. An Act has been passed to authorise the Governor to raise a semi-military constabulary force of Europeans and Natives, and authorizing the expenditure of a portion of the native grant, and a part of this new loan for the purpose; the whole cost to be limited to £30,000 per annum.

The shipwrecked passengers of the "Lord Worsiey" have come up. As we anticipated there are conflicting accounts of the conduct of the Natives, the truth lying between both extremes. We give an extract from the Taranaki Herald relative to the wreck, and in our next propose to reprint an interesting statement of the occurrence, made by one of the passengers.

Accident on the Dun Mountain Raiaway.— On Thursday last a party went up the Dun Mount-in Railway, at Nelson, to visit the mines, and having inspected them, were returning in two empty cars, when, about two miles from town and coming down at the rate of 10 or 11 miles an hour, a stone was observed on the line ahead and the break applied, but the break broke and both cars were flung off the line at a place where the slope is much gentler than ordinary. The passengers were thrown out, some of them remaining on the line and others rolling down the hill. Of the latter was Dr. Monro, who, after turning two or three summersaults, readied the bottom much shaken, bruised on the face, and with n sprained ancle. Dr. Knight was also much bruised. The others (Messrs. Carleton, O'Rorke, Watt, Atkinson and Goulter,) were but slightly hurt. It was marvellous indeed, considering the nature of the place, that they all escaped so well. The trucks only fell a few feet down the hill and hurt no one.

EARTHQUAKE.—A very perceptible shock of an earthquake was felt at Nelson on the morning of Thursday, 11th hist., at about | past 8 o'clock. Several who were in bed were awakened, and others at breakfast bad the tea shaken out of their cups.

The supposed wbbck of the Aldinoa.—We arc happy to say that the rumour relative to the loss of this steamer is incorrect, although, us will be seen by the following extract from the letter of the Duncdiu correspondent of the Nelson Examiner, she has sustained much serious damage.

The New Zetland coast seems to be a most uulucky one for steamers. The Aldinga on her last outward trip struck on a rock off Waipapu Point, and at first it was thought she had sustained no injury, as she made no water. After leaving the Bluff, however, she enencountered a heavy gale, and the damaged plate started, and she made water so fast that Captain McLean ran back to the Bluff and beached the vessel. She was detained there several days patching up the leak and she returned to Tort Chalmers last week, where the started plate hus been repaired so as to enable her to proceed to Melbourne, winch she does to-day While the Aldinga was at the Blull, the slit)) Flying Mist, from the Clyde, arrived, and, owing to some, "mistake in dropping the anchor, or, as ,s sinposed, to the direct intention of th •■ crew, .she went ashore, and afterwards sunk. The whole ot her sheep, about 700, were got out, but the cargo is lost, A special intniiry is to be made,

IMPORTANT PROCEEDINGS LAST NIGHT. Abandonment of the Million Loan and Militia Act. (Krom the *' Wellington Independent," September 11.) The Native Lands Bill came before the Legislative Council for its second reading on Tuesday, and was ordered to be read by Bto 4. In Committee, the following important addition was made to clause 17, by which it will be seen that the fee of half-a-crown an acre, originally intended to be paid when the purchaser chose to exchange the certificate of ownership held by the Native for a Crown Grant or document equivalent thereto, is now proposed to be paid on the transfer of the Native Certificate to the purchaser, and also in the case of leases over more than seven years:—

"But no certificate shall entitle any tube, community, or person named therein to sell, exchange, or lease for a longer period than seven years, or dispose of any land or interest thereby affected, unless such certificate shall have been endorsed by the Governor and scaled with the public seal of the Colony as aforesaid, and the amount parable on such endorsement and scaling be duly paid." This clause was ear-led by 9 to 3.—Ayes, Crawford, Cutfield. Hall, Johnston, Kenny, Menzics. H. Kussell, Stokes, Sewell. Noes, Richmond, Col. Kussell, Tancred. The ccrtifieaies to be granted to Natives are on a par with what we know here as the Land Orders of the New Zealand Company, and secure a good holding and selling title, but still not in many respects equal to a Crown Grant, the securest of all titles. In practice it would no doubt have been found that the purchasers under the Native Lands Bill would have been content with the Certificate granted to the Native, just as many still are with the New Zealand Company's Lund Orders, and the half-jrown clause as agreed to by the House of lteprebentativcs would have been a myth so far as the receipts of the Provincial Treasuries are concerned. The amended Bill was sent to the House of Representatives yesterday, and the amendment is to be considered U -day. Mr. Fox's Bill to make it a misdemeanour to negociate for lands until the above measure had become law by receiving the Queen's assent, was rejected last night on the second reading. The Government objected to it, because there were hundreds of persons already breaking a somewhat similar law, and thought it would be unjust to let them go free, and punish those who might do no more in the future than others had done in the past, and also because it was not contrary to the wishes of the Government that advances should be made by settlers to Natives, which would enable them to get'their land surveyed,—one of the first steps towards the individualization" of the title.

The loan of a million for emigration purposes is abandoned. Notice was given last night, tor a Bill to authorise the raising of half a million—For compensation to 'Parana! i settlers, (.£191,000 less £20,000 already paid them—see summary) payment of war expenses, ps required by the Duke of Newcastle, (X 193,000 or say £150,000) and the remainder (about £175,000) for road making purposes in this Island, to be spent under the sanction of the provinces, and to be charged to the provinces in which spent. The new Militia Bill was withdrawn, a Bill of two clauses amending the present Bill having passed the Legislative Council, which Government think will suffice for this session. Notice was, however, given by Mr. Domett of a Bi'l to be introduced to-day, authorising the raising of a force for the internal defence of the Colony,—probably an armed constabulary force. Another most important proceeding last night was the pressing a resolution authorising the Government to extend the Estimates until March, 1804. This means, practically, that the next sitting of the Assembly is not to take place fur two years. By this side wind some of the various important questions that had been postponed for a yerr, such us the final settlement of the position of the seat of Government, are sought to be put off almost indefinitely, and the colony precluded from all action in the government of the country, at a crisis when it is most desirable that its action should continue to be evoked as frequently ns it has been during the past three years. So far, however, as the seat of Government is concerned, we are under very little apprehension that the opponents to its removal will gain anything thereby; the impossibility of its continuance in the North will be so obvious, and the South become so determined to remove it, that removed it must then most certainly be.

[Prom the " Advertiser.'']

Yesterday was appointed (or the second reading n the Legislative Council of the Native Lands Bill. Mr. Tancred moved the second reading, when Mr. Crawford moved as an amendment, that the Bill he read that day six months which was seconded by Mr. Stokes. The Auoi.iey-General supported the Bill in a speech of considerable length and ability weighing the arguments on both sides, and giving his assent to the L'ill as an inevitable necessity, and as the only alternative in a choice of evils. Air. Hall of Canterbury made an eloquent speech in opposition to the Bill which in his opinion was calculated to operate very prejudicially to the Native race. The second reading was carried by a majority of Bto 4. But though the second reading was can ied, both Colonel Kenny and Colonel Kussell, who voted for it, expressed their strong disapproval of the Bill, and their hope that it would be materially amended in committee. An amendment was moved by Colonel Kenny tj the following effect: " Provided that no such sale, disposal or exchange to any person shall include more than one thousand acres,"

Which was lost by a majority of 7 to 5. The Bill passed through Committee without further a nendments, and the Standing Orders being suspended was read a tlii d time and passed.

(From the "Independent,'' Sept. 13.) Although we detailed at great length, in our issue of Thursday, the many important events of the last month, our columns to-day contain much that will be read with interest in the home country. We think we cannot better illustrate the fitness of Wellington for the seat of the Central Government than by appealing to the steam arrivals on Thursday afternoon. The llangatira, from Sydney, made her appearance at mid-day, followed by the Airedale, from (jtago and Canterbury, the Storm Bird from Taranaki and Nelson, and the Queen from Auckland and Napier. The intelligence is given in detail elsewhere, and from nearly all quarters there is something not altogether satisfactory. From Australia we regret to learn that our last month's mails per Gothenbugh, did not reach Melbourne in time to catch the Madras. From Taranaki, the wreck of the Lord Worsley—the favorite boat of the I. C. R. M. Company—is most painful; though the providential escape of all the passengers is a cause for much thankfulness. While from Utago the privations in store for the numbers of diggers who are rushing there, is much to be deplored. The only feature in the Assembly requiring special notice in the passing of the Native Lands Bill, as amended by the Governor. Instead of a fee of half-a-crown an acre, there is now to be paid to the Government 10 per cent, on the first purchase, and 4 per cent, in perpetuity on all subsequent transactions. This amendment only passed the Legislative Council by the casting vote of the Speaker, notwithstanding the threat of withdrawing the Bill if not unconditionally assented to. The amendment is of so impracticable a character that no wonder it was not concurred in by the whole of the Ministry, and passed only because some of the members did not think it right to exercise their own judgment in opposition to that of His Excellency. The Prorogation is to take place on Monday.

A New Zealand Hansard is to be published next year, and a government printing olliee is to be established. In consequence, however, of the uncertainty as to where the scat of Government will be permanently fixed, the select committee has reported against procuring other than temporary hand presses for the present.