Despatch from Lieutenant-Governor Grey to Lord Stanley. Government House. Auckland,

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 159, 6 February 1847, Page 2

Despatch from Lieutenant-Governor Grey to Lord Stanley. Government House. Auckland,

21th January, 1846. My Lord, — There is one subject of much importance to this colony, to which I am anxious to request your lordship's early attentiou ; this is, the difficulty I foresee that I shall experience in administering this government in such a manner as to satisfy her Majesty's wishes, unless some change is made-4n~th& constitution of the colony. If, in the present state of New Zealand, the framing and enacting of laws was left solely to the Governor and Executive Council, it is possible that the Governor, by having a steamer at his disposal, and frequently making visits to every portion of New Zealand, might administer the government in such a manner as to be satisfactory to her Majesty and consonant with the interests of the colony. This, however, would be a very imperfect arrangement, wholly dependent for success upon the energy and health of the Governor. I am, however, now quite satisfied that I shall find great difficulty in carrying out the government of the whole island, with my Legislative Council constituted as it is at present. New Zealand is divided into several settlements, separated by long intervals, having in some respects interests totally different from each other, and none of them exceeding the other so much in wealth and importance as to possess a preponderating influence and recognised superiority. From the very limited nature of the society in these small settlements, I cannot hope to

find in any oue of them gentlemen of such extended information and acquaintance with the whole island, and of such large views and forgetfulness of local interests and local clamours, as to be able in all instances to legislate with a view to promote the interests of these islands as a whole, perhaps in some cases even to the apparent detriment of their own peculiar settlement in which all their fortune is embarked. Nor can I, referring to the very imperfect means of communication which at present exist, ever hope to be able to keep the inhabitants of the distant settlements so sufficiently informed upon the intended legislative measures of the government, as to enable them to acquaint me with their views and feelings with regard to such measures, previously to their being passed into law. I beg further to state, that I feel doubtful whether the creation of municipal bodies, with extended powers of passing bye-laws, will remove these evils. I fear that this measure would rather increase them, and that the municipal bodies, feeling . that just grounds of complaint - existed regarding ths imperfect mode in which the legislative body discharged its duties, ' wonld endeavour to usurp an authority and power which did not belong to them, andj neglecting their own duties, would busy themselves with those properly belonging to the legislature. I also feel satisfied that they would soon contract large debts, the settlement of which would ultimately prove very embarrassing to the government. Upon the whole, a simple mode of avoiding the difficulties which exist in this respect, would be to create a Lieutenant-governorship in New Zealand. The Governor-in-Chief and his Council would then exercise supreme legislative jurisdiction in one portion of the island, whilst, in another portion, the Lieutenant governor, previously to assenting to any bill passed by his council, would, in the usual manner, transit to the Governor-in-Chief, in order that he might decide whether any amendment should be insisted on, as a necessary condition on which alone the Lieutenant-governor should assent to the bill. I think it would be indispensable to the general welfare of the colony, that uniformity of legislation Upon subjects connected with the aborigines, administration of public lands, and other matters of general interest to the whole islands, should be secured by some provision of this nature. Undoubtedly some increased expenditure would, if this course were adopted, have to be incurred for the creation and maintenance of a separate government establishment, but I think that, by judiciously curtailing that now in existence, no very large additional expenditure would be necessary, and the executive, as well as the legislative duties of the government, would be so much more efficiently performed, and the development of the resources of the colony would be so much more rapid, that there is every reason to think that the colony would, under the proposed arrangement, be better able to defray the whole of its expenditure at a much earlier period than it could otherwise do ; so that an ultimate saving would result to the British Treasury. Indeed, I feel quite satisfied that New Zealand will soon yield a large revenue. I-beg to assure your lordship that although I have thought it proper to bring this subject under your lordship's notice, because no measure has appeared to me so likely to secure the future tranquillity, prosperity, aod happiness of this country as that which I have proposed, that I will nevertheless do my utmost to secure the efficient working of the existing form of government in New Zealand, so long as her Majesty may consider that her Majesty's interests are promoted by my remaining here and conducting the government of this colony with a legislative body as at present established. — I have, &c. (Signed) G. Grey.