Thursday, June 7.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume V, Issue 402, 9 June 1849, Page 2

Thursday, June 7.

The Attorney-General moved the first reading of the bill confening certain powers on the Lieutenant-Governor. Bill read. Mr Seymour moved the second reading of the bill to provide a simple mode of procedure against unauthorised occupiers of land. Dr Greenwood seconded the motion. He thought such a bill was very much called for, persons who were settled upon land and had been in long occupation of it would atter a time begin to look upon it as their own. The bill was read, and the Council resolved itself into Committee on it. The bill passed through Committee with little discussion, and Mr Seymour gave notice that he should move the third reading on Monday next. The Attorney-General then moved that the standing orders be suspended, and the bill to confer certain powers on the Lieutenant-Go-I vernor be read a second time, the motion was agreed to. The Attorney-General then explained the object of the bill. It was to enable the Lieu-

tenant- Governor to put in force certain ordinances (a list of which was contained in a schedule) which had been passed by the Legislative Council of New Zealand, and none of them related to the subjects contained in the Provincial Councils' Ordinance as subjects over which they had uo power to legislate. It would in fact be equivalent to reenacting the ordinances with an additional clause giving the Lieutenant- Governor the same power as the officer t administering the government. » Dr Greenwood thought it was a matter in which they should be guided by the opinion of the Attorney-General. In looking over the list he obseived one or two ordinances which he believed were never acted upon, and he hoped uever would be acted upon. For instance a tax on Raupo Houses, also a bili for establishment of Courts of Requests. The bill was read, and the Council resolved itself into Committee upon it. Mr Hickson enquired if the Court of Requests ordinance, which was contained hi (he schedule, was still in operation, as he was not aware that it had ever been repealed. The Attorney-General said it was still in operation. The Colonial Secretary said, that as there was a Committee for the purpose of considering what ordinances should be reprinted he thought they had better consider this one and they could recommend that it be repealed. Four ordinances were struck out of the schedule as being unnecessary. The Attorney-General gave notice that he should move the third reading on Tuesday next. The Lieutenant-Governor laid on the table j the export and import retu m s for the diffe- i rent settlements. Mr Moore asked if his Excellency would have any objection to lay on the table any correspondence which might have passed between the Local Government and the Collector of Customs relating to an alteration in the Customs duties. His Excellency said he was not aware of any such correspondence. The Collector of Customs had written to the Governor-in-Chief recommending the adoption ot fixed duties, aud he might mention also that the Executive Council had made enquiry on the subject and expressed their opinion that fixed duties would be beneficial. He had written to the Governor- in-Chief, on the subject, and in reply his Excellency said that the subject was under consideration, and intimated that 6 change was likely to be made. Mr Hickson said that the Collector of Customs had some years ago prepared a statement of the duties received during the years 1843, 44, and -15, and the amounts which would have been received for the same goods under a certain scale of fixed duties, he would move that that return be laid on tl.e table, together with a similar return for 1846, 47, and 48. His Excellency observed that it would save a considerable amount of work if the hou member would withdraw his motion until al! the returns now being prepared should be lai'i on the table as they would comprise a considerable portion of the information required. Mr Seymour gave notice that be should present the report of the Committee on Education on Friday. \ The Council then adjourned tiirFriday.