GENERAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, August 16, 1849. (Continued from our last.)

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 440, 20 October 1849, Page 3

GENERAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Thursday, August 16, 1849. (Continued from our last.)

Appropriation Bill. On the motion of the Colonial Treasurer the Council went into Committee ou the Appropriation BUI. On it being moved that the sura of £860 should be voted for the Governor's Establishment, Mr. Merriraan objected to the salary of £400 for the Lieutenant-Governor being charged on the Province, as he considered that the Colonial Secretary might perform the duties, as he had done before the charter came into operation, in the Governor's absence. As to the sums of £200 each for the Private Secretary and bis assistant, as at- i

tached to the Lieutenant-Governor's establishment, he objected to tlieir being voted, and proposed that they with the Lieutenant-Go-vernor's salary, should be struck out. He thought that the messenger's salary was disproportionately high to the salaries allowed to messengers in other departments. The Governor said that the new charter rendered the office of a Lieutenant-Goveruor necessary ; and also, in order to proper attention being paid to the public service, he thought that such an appointment was very expedient. He was sure that a great many of the irregularities that had taken place in former times, while the Governor was absent at other parts of the colony, might be attributed to the absence of any one qualified to carry the Government on. As to the Private Secretaries, he believed that some misunderstanding had arisen concerning their duties. These officers were part of his own staff; and considering the amount of business that devolved upon him, be thought that his staff was the smallest of any officer of a similar rank in the service of the colonies. The work of his office was more than could be properly performed ; it had become more extensive since the charter came mto operation, for all the despatches from the Lieutenant-Gov2rnor, which were formerly forwarded direct to the Secretary of State, were now sent to him, and that alone increased the work of his office considerably. The Colonial Treasurer thought that he should be paid at the same rate of salary received by the Lieutenant-Governor of New Munster, and moved that his salary should be at the rate of £800 a year, for whatever time he served in the Governor- in-Chiet's absence from the capital ; which was seconded by Mr. Kemptborne. On the Governor stating that he would most likely be absent for more than six months of the next year, and that do saving would be effected by the arrangement, the motion was withdrawn, and the amount stood as printed. On the sum of £477 15s. being moved for the Native Secretary's department, Mr. Merriman said that the duties of the law officer of this department might be combined with those of the Crown Solicitor. The Governor and the Attorney-General explained why these offices should be distinct, so that natives having law suits, perhaps with the Government, should not have any reason to think that their interests were not impartially attended to. The salary for the law officer was allowed to stand over until that for the Crown Solicitor came under-consi-deration. On the motion for £1117 10s. to stand for the Colonial Secretary's department, Colonel Hulme proposed that the salary of the Colonial Secretary should be £500. Mr. Barstow would rather that the question should stand over until it was ascertained how much could be reduced from the departments ; but said he would propose that the salary of the second clerk should be raised to £175. The Attorney-General thought that the question should be considered independently and entirely on its own merits, and that the amount of the salary should not be made to depend on any such contingency. The rate of salary, he thought, should be fixed on one of these two principles — either with reference to the duties, importance, and responsibility of the office— '•or with reference to its previous amount. He thought it a most unsound principle to pay a public servant disproportionately to the length of his service ; and that if a change was ever made in the amount it should be for the purpose of increasing it. The salary having been originally fixed at £600, with an annual increase of £10, and believing that amount not to be higher than ought fairly to be paid for the services performed, he would at once make a motion to that effect ; and, in crder to act strictly up to the principle, would move as an amendment that the salary of the Colonial Secretary should be placed upon the estimates at the sum of £640. Mr. Merriman seconded the motion ; and also that of Mr. Barstow, for an increase of £25 to the salary of the second clerk. The Colonial Secretary's salary was voted at £640, and the second clerk at £175. On the sum of £870 being proposed for the Colonial Treasurer's department, on the motion of the Colonial Treasurer, the clerk's salary was agreed to at £275. On the motion for £450 to stand for the Audit Department, the Colonial Treasurer remarked that the Auditor-General was, in his opinion, badly paid for the responsible duties that devolved upon him. He thought that gentleman, holding offices of such great importance, on the proper fulfilment of the duties of which depended, in a great measure, the efficient working of the public service, should be paid proportionately to their very important and onerous duties, even although the other items of miscellaneous expenditure might be curtailed. He would, therefore, move that instead of £300 the sum of £400 be voted for that officer.

Tne Governor said that although he lu'ld the gentleman who filled the office at present, in the highest esteem, as one who h,n\ not only done essential service in his department here, but in another colony previously, yet he could not agree to the proposal ; nor could be adopt the principle just suggested of taking away from the miscellaneous expenditure,, suras of money to add to the salaries of officers, be they ever so meritorious. It such a plan were followed out, the Treasury might only be kept open for the payment of officers whose only business would be to see to the payment of each others salaries. Mr. Merriman objected to the motion ; but moved that £25 should he added to the clerk's salary, which was agreed to. Committee then adjourned.

Crown Lands Bill. On the motion of the Colonial Secretary^ the further consideration of the bill was postponed until Saturday. Colonel Hulme rose to move that a sum of money be voted for the re-erection of Government House, and said he was absent from the colony when the former Government House was burnt down, but be believed that his Excellency had suffered many hardships on that occasion and subsequently, by being so instantaneously deprived of a home. The house he now occupied was not convenient and by no mean* suited to the dignity of his office ; besides, in the event of his Excellency being promoted to another government, his successor, if he should have a family, would be much nconvenienced on his arrival by the want of a suitable house for his reception. Major Matson seconded the motion. The Governor thought that if such a sum were voted by the Council for the purpose oF providing a residence for the Governor, the amount would soon be saved to the colony in lodging money. His own thoughts upon the subject were, that the present hospital might be made to answer, with a little expense, the purposes of a Government house for some time, that was, if the sum of say £1000 were voted for the erection of a new hospital on a more convenient site ; and when the colony should be in a better condition to erect a permanent Government house, the present hospital buildings would be well suited (or a high school, which it would be most desirable to establish at no distant date. The Colonial Secretary and Mr. Merriman expressed themselves in favour of his Excellency's plan. The Attorney-General said it appeared to him that it would be desirable that a plau and estimate of converting the hospital in the domain into a Government house, and also a plan and estimate for building a new house on the old site should be laid before the Council, in order that they might have an opportunity of forming an opinion as to the best mode of carrying into effect the object on which they all agreed. Further consideration of the proposal was postponed until the miscellaneous Estimates were before the committee. Mr. Merriman moved the following returns. Return showing the expenditure incurred in locating the pensioners at Onehunga, Howick, Pan/nure, and Otahuhu respectively — showing the number of cottages erected and expense thereof — cost of breaking up, the number of cottages now occupied, rates of pay given to the privates and length of time each rate has continued, civil pay to the various officers, number of men that has been in the hospital and length of confinement, with the rates of pay drawn while so in hospital, number of cases of drunkenness brought before the magistrates, amount of money advanced 1 to pensioners to purchase stock and furniture, from what fund advanced and how applied, and to what iund ultimately chargeable. A return of all summonses issued from the Resident Magistrates' Court, at Auckland, between the Ist of January and the Ist of July, 1849, shewing in how many cases the debt or damage claimed was under 40 shillings — exceeding 40 shillings and under £s—exceeding5 — exceeding £5 but under £10— exceeding £10—distinguishing under each head the number of cases in which judgments have been given for the plaintiffs. A return for the amount paid from Colonial funds for the transport of pensioners and their families to this country. A return of the amount due from the colony for the transport of the pensioners and their families to this country. A return of the total number of pensioners and their families introduced into this country. A return of the extra expenses beyond the pay of the policemen incurred in serving summonses from the Resident Magistrate's Court. A similar return from the Resident Magistrate's Court at Howick. Mr. Barstow moved for the following :—: — Return of strength of police force, with daily state and distribution at present time. Return of appropriation of parliamentary grant for the service of New Zealand for the years 1850-51. The Attorney-General gave notice that he would move that this Council should go into Committee on the Crown Titles Bill on Saturday. The Governor suggested that the Council would perhaps do well to meet every day unil (be Crown Titles Bill should be disposed

of, so that their undivided attention might be given to it. Mr. Merriman thought that 'the Attorney General should not move for the committee on the bill until there were a greater portion of the returns printed. The Governor said he could not remain in town until the whole of those returns were printed ; he had received a letter since the Council met, that called for his attendance, with as little delay as possible, at another part of the colony. It was then agreed that the Council should meet every day of the following week, and enter upon the consideration of the Crowa Titles Bill on Monday. The Colonial Treasurer gave notice that he would move the further consideration of the Estimates on Saturday. Council then adjourned uutil Saturday, at two o'clock.