LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 609, 4 June 1851, Page 3

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Tuesday, June 3, 1851. The Council met shortly after two o’clock The Hon. C. A. Dillon and F. D. Bell, Esq., Commissioners of Crown Lands, and G. Cutfield, and W. 0. Cautley, Esqs., took their seats, and G. Cutfield and W. O. Cautley, Esqrs., took the oath of allegiance. His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief laid on the table a memorial which had been presented to him op the subject of the present, duty on tobacco, requesting that tobacco for sheep washing may be taken out of bond free of duty or only subject to a light duty. His Excellency said he would also take that opportunity of laying on the table various letters addressed to the Government on the different details of the New Zealand Company’s land claimants bill. PETITIONS. The Colonial Secretary presented a petition from certain inhabitants of New Ulster in which the petitioners, referring to a clause in the New Zealand Company’s land claimants bill authorising the issue of land scrip, desired that the holders of land at New Plymouth to whom scrip should be issued, migh t be allowed to repurchase their land in other parts of New Ulster,

Sir George Grey said that this was really a petition from the inhabitants of Auckland, th® purport of which was that persons holding scrip should be allowed to purchase land in any part of the Province.

Mr. Cautley presented a petition from Nelson, signed by 120 persons, requesting that a bridge should be built by the Government over the Maitai to connect Nelson with the suburban districts, the hon, member also presented a petition from the inhabitants of Waimea and Motueka for assistance from the Government in making the roads and bridges in those districts.

His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor moved that the petition referring to the New Zealand Company’s land claimants bill be printed. DUTIES OF CUSTOMS BILL. On the motion of Mr. Hickson the Council went into Committee on the Duties of Customs bill. lhe Collector of Customs moved as an amendment on the first clause, that after the words “port or place therein” the words “or cleared from any warehouse for home consumption” be inserted, as without this amendment goods in bond at the passing of this Ordinance might remain under the operation of the old Ordinance.

The different clauses of the bill having been considered, Sir George Grey suggested that the Schedule should be reserved for another occasion ; as some members were now present for the first time, and others who had newly arrived had not yet taken their seats, he thought the Council would agree in the propriety of its adjournment to Thursday, to give those members an opportunity to consider it. Mr. Dillon Bell concurred in the suggestion for postponing the consideration of the Schedule, as he wished to offer some amendments on the Schedule based on suggestions drawn up by the Collector of Customs at Nelson. The consideration of the Schedule was then adjourned to Thursday, LAND FUND APPROPRIATION BILL. Lt. Col, M’Cleverty moved the second reading of the Land Fund Appropriation Aill. Sir George Grey, before the bill was read a second time, suggested that it would probably be found necessary slightly to alter some of its provisions ; at the present moment, under the Royal Instructions, certain privileges had been actually granted to the Wardens of hundreds which had been established, so that they may be said to be in the possession of a certain right, and the effect of this bill would be to take from them this right and to bestow it on other persons : the question therefore arose whether the Wardens should not have secured to them a proportion of the funds raised within the limits of their hundred. It was probable that several hundreds would be included in one corporation ; in the corporation of Auckland, for example, while the town would probably have five or six members, the hundred would only be represented by one member, and it would be in the power of the members of the town, by a majority of votes, to take the whole of the funds produced by the sale of land in the hundred and apply them to improvements in the town. He thought it would be advisable to enact that one third of the third of the proceeds of sales of land in each hundredshould be expended within that hundred, so that not more than two thirds could be taken from them, and applied to the general purposes of ihe corporation. He would therefore give notice of his intention to move this alteration.

Tk P j j uc Mill woo meu tcau a octuuu uuiu. The Colonial Treasurer moved the first reading of the Valley of the Hutt Fencing Bill.

The Attorney General wished to postpone the consideration in committee of.the Debtors’ Writ of Arrest Bill in order that he might have an opportunity of conferring with his learned friend the Attorney General of New Ulster on some of its provisions, he would therefore withdraw his motion, and move that the Council go into committee on this bill at its next sitting. CENSUS BILL. The Colonial Secretary, in moving that the Census Bill be read a second time, said that the schedules of the bill would have to be considerably altered in order to alloiv a certain form to be used which was recommended by the Home Government, to ensure uniformity. He thought there could be no objection on the part of the Council to this, as the alteration only referred to those particulars which related to population ; there were many other subjects included in the old schedule on which it was desirable to obtain information. Some feeling existed on the part of certain persons to this measure, owing perhaps to the census having been taken too frequently, but it would be for the Council to say how often in future it should be taken, and he thought if it were determined to be taken, either biennially or triennially, it would remove every rational objection to the measure.

Mr. Hickson moved that the return laid on the table by the Colonial Secretary be printed for the information of members of Council. Sir George Grey was of opinion that it was desirable that any amendments in this measure should be made in this form ; first, that provision should be made that the Census to be taken should be uniform with that to be taken throughout the British Empire, this was the first point to be regarded ; and secondly, that any additional information should be procured which would be useful to the Colony. This bill might then remain in permanent operation, stated periods being fixed by the Council for taking a Census of the Colony, giving the Governor power to modify some of the details. A similar course was pursued at home where the Secretary for the Homedepartment was empowered by Parliament to alter or modify certain details, in taking the Census, and if the bill were put in this form it would be a perfect measure as it would enable this Government to co-operate With the Horne Government. The Colonial 'Secretary moved that the bill be committed at the next sitting of the Council. Mr. Hickson was desirous that the returns should first be printed. Sir George Grey thought the clauses of the Bill might be first disposed of in Committee. Capt. Smith said that in order to give the newly arrived members time for considering the provisions of so important a measure he would move that the second reading of the New Zealand Company’s Land Claimants Bill be deferred to next Tuesday. Mr. Hickson wished to know, in reference to the English Acts Bill, whether it was the intention of Government to print these English Acts for the information of members of Council. At present only the heads or titles of these Acts were printed in the schedule of the Ordinance, and it was impossible for hon. members to know their meaning or import from the information so afforded. Sir George Grey, in reply, said the Bill referred to had not yet been brought before the Council, as although it was very desirable that these Acts should be introduced into the colony, this mode did not appear the best calculated for that purpose. When he had had an opportunity of conferring with the two Attorneys General on the subject, he would be prepared to answer the question the hon. member had very properly asked. NOTICES OF MOTION. Col. M’Cleverty gave notice he would move at the next meeting, that the Land Fund Appropriation Bill be considered in Committee. The Colonial Treasurer gave notice he would move the second reading of the Valley of the Hutt Fencing Bilk His Excellency laid on the table a Bill for shortening the language used in oidinances. The Council then adjourned to Thursday next, at two o’clock.