HOUSE OF COMMONS.—Friday, June 1. [From the New Zealand Journal, June 2.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VI, Issue 441, 24 October 1849, Page 3

HOUSE OF COMMONS.— Friday, June 1. [From the New Zealand Journal, June 2.]

THE EARTHQUAKES IN NEW ZEALAND. Mr Aglionby, after referring to the uncertainty which existed iv the public mind as to whether the accounts lately received of the earthquake in New Zealand, and the damage which it had done, had been exaggerated, wished to put the following question to the honourable gentleman the Under-Secretary lor the Colonies — Whether any further accounts have been received from New Zealand, on the subject of the earthquake that had been felt there ; and whether the extent and amount of damage is known ? Mr. Hawes replied that since the arrival of the despatches which had been received on the 25th of April, and' laid on the table of the House, the Colonial-office had received no [ further despatches from the Governor of New Zealand ; but they had received copies of the official Gazette, published in the island. His honourable friend would remember that in the papers which had already been laid before the House, the Governor had stated that the total loss of property from the disaster amounted to £50,000. Since the date of these despatches however, the official Gazette had announced the appointment, by the Governor, of a commission to enquire into the exact amount of the damage ; and that commission, which was appointed on the 2nd of December, reported that they had endeavoured to ascertain the precise loss incurred ; and that that loss was not greater than £15,000 on property of all descriptions, including £3,500 of property belonging to the Crown (hear, hear). In a speech which the Governor had addressed, on the 28th of December, to the Legislative Council at Wellington, he had also taken occasion to allude to the disaster, and to assure them that no surer proof could be afforded of the real prosperity of the colony than the rapidity with which it recovered from the disastrous effect of the late visitation. The Governor had also announced that he had despatched circulars to the authorities of the neighbouring colonies, requesting them to make it known to their respective settlements that public confidence in New Zealand was quite restored, and that the ordinary course of commercial traffic had been resumed (hear, hear).

STTPPLT. Og a vote of £20,000 being proposed for the colony of New Zealand, Mr J. B. Smith remarked that he saw an item of £600 for the Bishop of New Zealand. He wished to know whether this charge was put on the same footing as the charges for the ecclesiastical establishments of Canada, and whether it would die out with the life of the present bishop ? Mr Hawes could not say that this would be the case.* The present charge on this country was owing to an arrangement which was made some years ago. At the same time he ought to inform the House that the revenues of New Zealand were increasing so rapidly that in a very short time he hoped the

government of New Zealand would take on itself its own charges. Mr. Scott observed that there Was a charge of £1500 for a colonial vessel. What was the meaning of that ? ! Mr. Hawes replied that this item was for a steamer in which the Governor visited the different ports of the colony, it being very important that he should have the means always at hand of doing so. Sir W. Jolliffe remarked that there was an item of £1,245 for the Chief Secretary and his establishment. Perhaps the honourable gentleman the Under-S2cr«-tary for the Colonies would explain how much was for the Colonial Secretary, and how much for his establishment ? Mr Hawes diJ not know whether the Colonial Secretary had £600 or £800 a year, but it was one ot the other. The rest went to his establishment. He begged to observe that £600 was not the whole income of the bishop although that was the whole amount { of the charge borne by this country. Sir W. Jolliffe said that the Lietenant-Go-vernor had a salary of £800 a year. What necessity was there for a Lieutenant-Governor as well as a Governor of New Zealand ? Mr Hawes replied that the Governor of New Zealand resided at Auckland, in the north-eastern part of the island. It was thought desirable, therefore, thataLieutenantGovernoi should be appointed for the southern division of the colony. The island was about to be divided, in accordance with an Act ot Parliament which had been passed some time ago, into two provinces, foi the purpose of representative government, and it was important that there should be a Lieutenant-Gover-nor in one of them. After a few words from Major Blackall, and Mr Hawes, Mr Cardwell expressed his satisfaction at hearing that the colony of New Zealand was likely to obtain representative institutions, and also to pay its own expenses. He must say that no colony in the world was more for- ! tunate than New Zealand, in having such a Governor as Governor Grey, and such a bishop J as Dr. Selwyn. Any payment which might have been made by this country to Bishop Selwyn had been more than re-paid to the public Treasury by the conspicuous services which he had rendered to the cause of order and good government in New Zealand.