Tuesday, August 24th.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 235, 30 October 1847, Page 4

Tuesday, August 24th.

Present — His Excellency the Governor, and five members. The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Mr. Brown rose to request, on behalf of certain land claimants, that his Excellency would lay on the table the entire despatch from Earl Grey, on the subject of lands purchased from the natives, as well as copies of his Excellency's despatches on the same subject, forwarded to the Colonial office, shortly after his arrival in the colony. He made this request in order that those claimants who had purchased large tracts of land for depasturing cattle, and who now found that 500 acres were insufficient for that purpose, might know all that Lord Grey had said, and so be enabled to judge whether to acccept of his terms, or those offered by his Excellency. The Governor said that he could assure the hon. member that there was nothing whatever in Earl Grey's despatch relative to the information required, that had not been already published ; anything that had been kept back related to individuals, and which perhaps would not be wise to publish. The subject to which the hon. member had referred was one of great importance, and one which he (the Governor) had not overlooked. On referring to the instructions accompanying the New Charter, the hon. member would find that the Governor had power given him to make regulations for the depasturing of cattle. Now he would be very glad to hear suggested, what kind of regulations the Council would consider best, or he would be happy to have the suggestioons of men engaged in grazing pursuits ; his own idea was to form a liberal code of regulations, and to give individuals who had established their claims to have been proper and good, a preference over other persons ; but in all cases, to secure as completely as possible, all interests of this kind in the colony. [The Governor then laid on the table a despatch from H.M. Secretary of State for the Colonies, dated Ist March, 1847, and Lieut.-Col. M'Cleverty's despatches from Wanganui, both of which have been previously published in the Spectator.— Ed. N. Z. £.]

Paper Currency Bill. On the motion of the Colonial Treasurer the Council went into committee on this bill, which was further considered. - On the commencement clause being read, the Attorney General moved that the blanks should be filled up with Ist day of January, 1849, which was agreed to. The bill was further amended, and consideration postponed till Thursday.

Slaughter House Bill. On the motion of the Coloniai Secretary the bill was further considered. Mr. Merriman proposed several amendments, which with others, were ordered to be printed, and the bill stood over for further consideration on Thursday.

Thursday, August 26. Present, the Governor and five members. Mr. Brown moved for various returns, showing the araouni of fines recovered on conviction of offenders, by information of constables — to what purposes they were appropriated, the number of fines remitted, and the grounds upon which such remission was made. The Governor laid upon the table several of the returns required.

Paper Currency Bill. On the motion of the Colonial Treasurer, the Council resumed in committee on this bill. The committee were occupied for some time in considering the best mode of dealing with the branch of the Union Bank of Australia now existing at Wellington ; and during thd discussion the principle of the bill was 1 again brought under review by Mr. Brown, who quoted a portion of, an article from the London Daily Neurs, which concluded by stating, that much of the distress existing in England, was to be attributed to the interference of the Bank Restriction Act. The Governor said that, by his last offictal advices, it appeared that trade and commerce

were in a wholesome state ; and that he was surprised that such a change in the state of things should have taken place between the date of the paper just quoted, which, he believed, was 20th ; March, and the dates of his despatches. Mr. Brown said that the writer of the article, a portion of which he had read, appeared to understand his subject, and probably had a better knowledge of the state of the country, than officials at the Colonial Office were in possession of. The Governor said that he might also observe that he had read extracts of various sermons that bad been preached throughout England on the general fast day, and really it appeared from them, that the distress which had existed, was attributed to a very different cause than the Bank Restriction Act. On the motion of the Attorney General, the following clause was then introduced to secure the interests of the Bank at Wellington. Clauses 40, 41, 42, 43, and 44, were struck out — several others amended, and the committee adjourned.

Slaughter House Bill. On the motion of the Colonial Secretary, the committee resumed consideration of the bill. A series of clauses introduced by Mr. Merrimao, were considered, which were slightly amended and agreed to — and further consideration of bill postponed. The Governor laid on the table the draft of a bill to secure the payment of certain debentures out of the general revenue of the colony. The Council adjourned until two o'clock on Saturday.