DESPATCH FROM EARL GREY TO GOVERNOR GREY.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 380, 24 March 1849, Page 3

DESPATCH FROM EARL GREY TO GOVERNOR GREY.

ON THE FUTURE GOVERNMENT OF NEW ZEALAND. (bo. Downing-street, March 18, 1848. Sir, — You will receive herewith the Act to suspend for five years the operation of certain parts of an Act for making further provision for the government of the New Zealand islands, which received her Majesty's assent on the 7th of this. month. The general scope of this measure, as well as the reasons on which it is founded, have been already explained to you in my despatch of November 30th, insomuch that it only appears necessary now to add a few practical directions respecting some of its more important provisions. As I pointed out in the despatch above cited, it was intended to give you, and this Act confers, the power to keep on foot the Provincial Assembly for New Munster, if you should already have constituted one, by passing an Ordinance conferring on it the same powers which it possessed when constituted, or modifying those powers as may seem advisable. This, however, is a provision merely adopted in order to meet a possible contingency. I assume that it is more probable no such Provincial Assembly will have been constituted. In that cj»se it will be in your power, if you and your Council think fit, to establish in either, or both provinces, legislative bodies of the kind described by yourself in your confidential despatch of May 3rd, 1847, wherein you express the opinion, that a council " composed of official and unofficial members, the unofficial members being elected by the inhabitants of the colony," would, for the present, be the form of government best suited to the wants of the people} and in no respect repugnant to their feelings. It would be practicable, also, as has been suggested by some authorities at home, to give ea officio seats in these councils to the mayors of the several boroughs. ■' But the constitution of such legislatures for the period of suspension,' or of any other forfii of '' legislation which experience and local 'knowledge may suggest, is left for the pre-

sent to your discretion, with the assistance of your Council. And, if no serious inconvenience were likely, in your judgment, to arise from the delay, I should consider it highly expedient that ordinances passed for the constitution of such legislatures should contain clauses suspending their operation until her Majesty's pleasure can be signified, since it is possible that their disallowance might occasion much inconvenience. If, however, you should be of opinion that the introduction of a constitutional government for the period of suspension into either province is much required, and ought to come immediately into operation, I'do'not wish to fetter your discretion by insisting on the introduction of such a clause ; and I have so much reliance on your judgment, that I think it highly improbable that your Council would frame an ordinance for this purpose which her Majesty would be advised to disallow. I am fully aware, and much regret, that the course which I have taken, both in introducing this measure and in the instructions which I have given upon it, imposes on you a great amount of responsibility. It may be necessary for you to refuse to exercise, to such an extent as the settlers may desire, the power which you will be known to possess of extending to th.-m the advantages of representative government : it may be necessary for you also to act to the best of your own judg- j ment in circumstances in which you might have preferred, and naturally expected to receive, the specific directions of the Home Government. But after giving the subject my most anxious attention, I have not been able to discover any other mode of proceeding which would not be open to still greater objections than that which I have taken, of making this unusual demand, and placing this more than ordinary reliance, on the exertions and judgment of yourself and of those whom you have selected, or may select, as advisers. If there exists any strong desire on the part of the settlers for the immediate enjoyment of a completely representative government, I trust that feeling will be qualified- by the reflection, that the very first principle and foundation of that order of government is, that the representatives of the people provide, by taxes imposed on their constituents, for the expense of the administration of public affairs which they control. So long, therefore, as the mother country provides a large part of the expense incurred in the government of New Zealand, the settlers have reason to be satis-" fied with exercising only a moderate share of direct influence over the Legislature. And when they obtain a complete system of representation, they may fairly be expected to take upon themselves the burden, together with the advantages, of representative government. I have, &c, (Signed) Grey. Governor Grey, &c, &c.