Friday, August 8.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume II, Issue 68, 24 January 1846, Page 4

Friday, August 8.

Mr. J. A. Smith asked whether the right honourable baronet (Sir R. Peel) had any objection to lay on the table, before the house separated, the recent correspondence between lie Colonial Office and the New Zealand 'Company ? He trusted he might be permitted to express the great satisfaction he felt that the term was approaching to those very disagreeable discussions which had lately taken place between the Secretary for the Colonies and the Company. It was certainly true that the whole had not- been obtained which the Company thought to be their right, and also to be essential to the good government of the colony of New Zealand ; bnt he could not forget that, after what had occurred; ■a certain degree of sacrifice on both sides was necessary, and he did hail with great satisfaction the tone and temper exhibited by the Colonial Office. Before he sat down he must -advert to one point which had been purposely left by the Company till the close of these discussions — a point which was important to the Company .here, and not without its importance to the prosperity of the colony — he alluded to the application which had been made for a ioan «£ money item, die Government. Me -was aware that the application must be considered on public grounds, and he was willing that it should be so considered ; but at the same time he hoped the Government would -state that the application should receive consideration without delay. He begged to add, that the success of this application was indispensable to enable the Company to resume 'its operations as & colonising body, and indispensable, in his opinion, to the harmonious working of the arrangement which had just taken place. Sir S. Peel-: I do not think it necessary for me to assure the house that the recent harmonious understanding between the Colonial .Office and the New Zealand Company must •have been to me aya v subject of great satisfaction ; but I am bound to state, and I do thus publicly state, that whatever credit is due for 'these improved ?e-}atieras must be given to my noble friend. I said some time ago, that whatever might he the differences between my noble friend and the New Zealand Company, it would be found that my noble friend was not influenced by them. For the purpose of conducting the late negociations a gentleman was nominated who had not been mixed up in the previous transactions, I and was therefore enabled to take a more ■ -dispassionate view of the whole .ease; I allude i to that most distinguished public officer, Mr. Lefevre ; he was called on to assist my honourable friend the Under Secretary for the colonies, and was employed by my noble fciend to conduct the arrangements which has just been completed with the New Zealand Company. With respect to the charge that a 4t cross " has taken place between the Government and the New Zealand Company, 1 think that no man who Is acquainted with the respective parties would imagine such a thing could be possible. No secret understanding of any kindhadbeen enteredinto on the part of the Government. As to the' application' for a loan, 1 have no difficulty in assuring the honourable gentleman that the Government will give an early consideration to the subject., Of course nothing could be done without the' consent of Parliament. If- the came to the opinion during the recess that the, loan otight to be granted, they could only; give' an assurance subject to the consent of Parliament.