MISCELLANEOUS.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 853, 5 October 1853, Page 5

MISCELLANEOUS.

The following extract, referring to the numerous conversions which have taken place in both the Protestant and Roman Catholic churches during the last few years, is from Arclibibhop Whatelv's charge at the annual visitation of the Provincial Synod, held in St. Patrick's Cathedral :—: — "The conversions to Romanism of late years, especially in England, though a very in. significant number compared with the whole mass of the population, have yet exceeded very far anything that can be remembered by the present generation or by the preceding. And the number of recent conversions to our church in this Island (not to mention the conversions to various Protestant communions in the United States) is very much greater still. It has been often remarked that these latter have taken place chiefly among the humbler cltsses of society ; and ) that, on the other hand, the secessions to the church of Rome have been chiefly among the gentry and the clergy ; and a stranger might be disposed, at the first glance, to consider this as forming a presumption that education and intelligence are favourable to the cause of Home, and that comparative ignorance and want of intellectual ! culture predispose men to the reception of Protestant views. But, on closer inquiry, be would find that those of the educated classes who have erabraced Romanism have done so, for the most, part, by their own admission, not from investigation of evidence, and on ground* of rational conviction, but by deliberately giving themselves up to the guidance of feeling and imagination. Argumentative powers, indeed, and learning several of them possess in a high degree ; but these advantages they think themselves bound to lay aside and to disparage in all that pertains to religion. Though well capable, by nature and education, of weighing evidence, they decry all appeal to evidence, either for the truth of Christianity generally, or of any particular doctrine ; and place the virtue of faith in a ready reception of what a man is told, without any more ' reason for the hope that is in him,' than the pagans have for their belief. They are led, and consider it right to be led, by a craving for the beautiful, the splendid, and the picturesque. They deliberately prefer what will afford most scope for the exercise of their feelings : and the gratification of their fancy : and they find the church of Rome the one which best affords them all that they desire." The foundation-stone of a building at Earlswood, near Reigate, intended for the reception and maintenance of i<hots, was laid by Prince Albert on Thursday. When the stone bad been lowered, and the Bishop of Winchester had pronounced a benediction, Prince Albert received cups of corn, wine, and oil, which he poured out and spread over the stone. Between three and four hundred ladies then brought purses, etch containing some £5, and placed them on the stone. The building will accommodate 100 adults, 130 boy» and 70 girls. A conservatory will be attached ami a promenade, and eveiy thing will be done to make the place pleasing to the eyes of the unfortunates who are to inhabit it. The total amount of subscriptions is £10,000. An appeal had been made for thirty gentlemen to contribute £100 each : twenty-nine came forward, and then Mrs. Warner, wife of the partner in the firm of Peto and Warner, gave the thirtieth £100. Iron Sovereigns. — In addition to the recent discovery of counterfeit iron shillings, it has now been found that a quantity of sovereigns manufac tured in a similar way, and five shilling pieces, and half-crowns are in circulation, so skilfully executed as to defy all other tests but weighing. It has been ascertained that some of these spurious sovereigns are covered with as much gold as would cost 3s. Amongst others who have been victimised are the metropolitan clergy, — the utterers under pretence of paying the fee for putting up the banns, having obtained a considera. ble amount in change for their imitations. The Moving Tables. — The following letter has been addressed by an American gentleman resident in Paris to Galignani's Messenger.' — "I have seen in your journal, as well aa others, variou* accounts of moving tables by animal magnetism. As all these accounts are either inaccurate or inadequate, I take the liberty to make a few statements on the subject. The phenomena of moving tables by a power supposed to be animal magnetism have been familiar to the people of the United States for the last two years. These phenomena consist not merely in moving tables, hats, and chairs, by placing hands upon them, but in the far more interesting and wonderful fact, ' that when charged by the hands they will move in obedience to the will.' It is the latter circumstance which seems to be overlooked in the partial and imperfect experiments which have been made and reported in Europe. This moving of tables has been connected in America with what are called • spirit rappings,' and was, in fact, the preliminary step to these extraordinary developments. For the present I have nothing to say of them. Those who are curious to obtain information on the subject can consult a very clever London book, entitled Lights and Sounds, written by an Englishman who has been in the United States, and who has collected the facts in relation to it, But as to the 4 dancing tables,' I can present some facts which may be interesting to your readers. On the evening; of Saturday, April 30, 1 witnessed, at the house of an American gentleman in Paris, a series of experiments, of which I will give a brief account. It may be proper to -lay, that some fifty persons were present, among whom were several Parisian savans of great eminence, and who participated iv tbe performances. There were \ also other persons of high distinction. The party was strictly private, and I therefore dto not give the names. No professed adept in the art was in the room. In the first place, a light mahogany tea-table, with six legs, was placed on the waxed floor of the saloon, and the palms of tbe bands of ol four persons (two ladies and two gentlemen) were placed upon it. Tbe formation of a chain or circle, connected by the touching of the little fingers, being a mere pedantry of those who know iittle of the subject, wai not observed. In three minutes the table cracked, undulated, and then moved. On being directed by tbe will of one of the party, it moved along the floor slowly or rapidly, lo the right or the left, forward or backward ; when thus directed, it also rose on two legs, and

resisted strong pressurebefore it would come downWhile standing on two- legs, it also turned round to the right and the left f as directed by the will. A child of seven years, weighing 851b., was pnt upon (be table, and it then moved at before,. though somewhat lest rapidly. Similar experiments were made with other tables — one smaller and one larger. The former moved freely under the bands of two French icientific gentlemen, going round, and backward and forward, and risingupon two legs or one, in exact obedience to their volition. They fully admitted the astonishing reality, A large table, weighing 7#b., was tried, and the experiments were perfectly successful. It moved rapidly and freely, and rose upon two legs by the volition of one of the parly— an effect equal to raising a weight of 15lb. The experiments were repeated over and over again. There was no doubt, 1 believe, in the mind of any person present, as to the facts here stated. I need but add that these are only confirmations of what is familiarly known in the United States, and what any sensible person may determine for himself. Let the experiment be made in any circle of a dozen persons, men and women. Among these, some will probably be fonnd to have the requisite magnetic power. Four sucb persons being found,, the rest is obvious and certain. Two persons, of 6trong magnetic power, will succeed perfectly. I have also seen one person go through with all tbr performance. It is to be understood that a perse w who has not the power to charge the tables can. ditect them, if he has a steady intellect and a strong peristent power of volition. He must put his hands on the table, so far as my observation goes. It will be understood that I here state lacts, and attempt no philosophical explanations. I use the term • animal 1 magnetism to designatethe unseen and mysterious instrument of these phenomena only in obedience to popular usage, and not pretending to suggest its true Bature and essence. I only add that behind and beyond this wonderful discovery lies the question of spirit rappings. When I say that 30,000 people believe in that at in the electric tables, I suggest — though. I do not assert — that perhaps a still more marvellous leaf is yet to be opened in the book of human endowments."

"Table Moving" in Vienna.— A few days since the AugsUtrgh Gazette contained a letter on " Table Moving," which immediately excited a mixed feeling of curiosity and incrednlity here. Curiosity, however, prevailed, and for the last three day* ;be Viennese have thought and spoken of nothing but tbe new American discovery. Of the innumerable experiments made, many have been unsuccessful. An eyewitness states that on Sunday afternoon tve membert of our Judicial Political Reading Union — men of different ages — seated themselves round a sngall table, with double feet, and formed the magnetic chain, and according to the instructions given by Dr. Andtee, of Bremen, in the abovementioned letter. In an hour and a quarter the rotary motion commenced. Tbe experiment was made in the presence of SO persons. The Wiener Zeitung yesterday evening made mention of two other rases, in both of which tbe tables were broken. Yesterday evening the experiment was tried in' my presence, »t the house of a friend. A round veneered dining table, having three stout legs resting on one base, was pLeed on tbe tf pirquetted" floor (Dr. Andre* tecommeods a carpet) ©f the room. Round the table three ladies and five gentlemen placed/ themselves, and formed a magnetic chain, which is effected by each person laying his hand* l ; ghtly on tbe margin of tbe table and placing the 1 ttle finger of his right band on- that of his neighbour's left. The chairs must be a foot apart, and care taken that none of the dresses come in contact. Tbe feet must not touch tbe table. All rings and bracelets in tbe case now reJa'ed were removed. After tbe experiment had lasted about an hour tbe table began to exhibit an almost imperceptible undulating movement. Some minutes after it was convulsively/ jerked to the right and left, and, finally, it turned to the right on it* own axis with such velocity that the persona forming tbe chain-, who had in> the mean time risen, were obliged to- run in order to keep pace with tbe new- fashioned locomotive. The movement was so violent that the bystanders were soon obliged to relieve the original actors. When one person left the chain and another entered there was a slight interruption, of tbe electric stream, but ia tw or three minutes the table was dancing about the room as before. In the oourse of tbt experiment, which altogether lasted two hours and a quarter, it became evident that some persons possess far greater magnetic powers than others. Jf, when a new chaiu had been formed, tbe table seemed disinclined to continue its exertions, one gentleman, a man of great strength and site, could always immediately rouse its dormant energies.. This circumstance induced some persons to fancy that, by pressing the palms of his band* forcibly on the table he gave it an artificial impetus, but, to convince them that such was not the ease, he booked his little fiogers into those of hit neighbour*, and barely touched tbe table witb the lip* of his thumbs. If the dress of any liok in the chain was touched, the electric fluid escaped, and the table stood still ; and tbe same effect was produced if it was touched by a bystander. The sensations experienced by the experimentalists before the magnetic fluid was equally distributed through all tbe links of the chain were very different, but tbe most common were beat, tingling, and pulsation in the hands and arms, and paina in the head. In two cases ladies fainted ; but thi* is hardly calculated to excite surprise, a» there is something weird in the whole affair. An agent of the police, who suddenly found himself in tbe presence of a society of table-moven in expectation, would probably take them for a gang of conspirators just swearing fidelity toeach other. Successful table-movers — that is those in action— are like so many wild witches and wnrlockt. After quitting tbe abovemen? tioned bouse I went to tbe Mercantile Club, where an unsuccessful trial was made. Oa leaving the chain one of tbe gentlemen affirmed " tbat his watch had gone backwards during the experiment." The assertion cansed considerable hilarity at tbe time, bnt nyown wateh— whicb is known to Deut, of Charing-cross, as a capital one— went 27 minutes too late this morning.— From a Corres-pondent of the Tinges, Vienna, April 12.

amount of .£21,000 thus taken by the General Government) aye imposed and sanctioned either by the " Constitution Act," or by permanent Ordinances of the late Geneial Legislature, I must express my entire concurrence in the justice and fairnec-s of this an angement. It is of course liable to be disturbed and altered by the General Assembly ; but there is such ample reason for believing that the revenue of the whole colony will go on steadily and progressively increasing* that I do not anticipate that under any circumstances, less than two-thirds of its net ordinary revenue will ever be handed over to the Province ; — in all probability it will, at the end of the very first quarter be found entitled to a greater proportion. 2. With regard to the Territorial Revenue, you tire aware that by the " Constitution Act" one-fourth of the gross proceeds of all land sales are to he-paid to the New Zealand Company until their debt of £208,000 is discharged; that from the remaining three fourths are to be deducted the expenses of the land department (including surveys, &c.,) and all sums due to the natives on account of land purchases; and that after these deductions have been made, the surplus (subject always as in the case of the ordinary revenue, to any further appropriations by the General Assembly) is to be paid over to the Provincial Treasurer, and to be subject to the appropriation of the Provincial Council. From despatches, however, which will be laid before you, it will be seen, that the Land Commissioner has been instructed to pay over to the Provincial^Treasurer only one half of the surplus in question, and to retain the other in his own hands, to be applied by him to emigration purposes, in accordance with the terms of the Proclamation of the 4th March, 1853, until such time as you shall have expressed your desire to have it placed under your control. It will therefore be necessary that you should pass n resolution to this effect. But it will be further seen, from the same dispatch, that the Governor claims the power, under the Royal Instructions of the 12th August, 1850, of appropriating, without reference to the legislature, »ny proportion, not exceeding one third, of the gross proceeds of the land sales within any hundred, to such purposes as the wardens of the hundred may specfy. To the power thus assumed, I object on the following grounds ; Ist. that whatever authority may have been conferred upon the Governor by the Constitution Act, to regulate the sale, letting, disposal, and occupation of the waste lands there is no power given him of appropriating any part of the land revenue that remains, after the deductions already specified have been made; 2nd. that the Royal Instructions of the 12th August, 1850, under' which the power is claimed, being repugnant to the Act, are by it repealed ; 3rd. that the proposed appropriation is inconsistent with and in viola ion of his Excellency's own Pi oclumatiou of the 4th of March, 1853, undjr which the surplus is directed to be applied exclusively to public work, and emigration, until the Generul Assembly or Provincial Councils should otherwise direct ; and 4th. that the effect of any such appropriation would be virtually to withdraw the land revenue entirely from under the control of the Legislatures. I shall, therefore, a<«k you to consider the point, and the objections I have raisi'd, confident that any recommendations you may make, will be at once adopted and acted upon by his Excellency.' Without detailing: the other arrangements made between the General and Provincial Governments, all the despatches relating to which will immediately be laid upon the table, T pass on to the consideration or rather suggestion of those measures which appear to me most suited to the immediate wants and requirements of the Province. And here it is scarcely necessary for me to «ay, that in this, as in every new and partially settled country, our chief aim must be to prepare it for that population which it is so capable of supporting, for that race by which we know it must ultimately be peopled, to render it attractive to that capital and labour without which its vast resources must remain undeveloped, and its progress be indefinitely retarded. The means to accomplish this end are equally manifest. They are in my opinion. — Ist. to carcy out the Constitution in accordance with its own spirit, and with the practice at home ; 2nd. to extinguish the Native title to as great an extent, and as rapidly as possible, so as to have always at the disposal of the Government an ample supply of land open to purchase and settlement ; 3rd. to render the lands available, by opening out the communications over the whole province, and by the construction of other necessary public works; And 4th. to promote and establish a continuous stream of immigrant labour. Holding, as I do, the opinion, that no representative Legislature can ever work satisfactorily with an irresponsible Executive — believing that the Act under which we are assembled would render any attempt to combine the two utteily futile, I at once declare my intention to cany on the administration of the Government of this Province (as far as practicable) by means of a responsible Executive. I shall, therefore, in accordance with the practice of the British Constitution, select my chief Executive officers from amongst the members of this Council, who shall hold office, only so long, as their general administration of affairs shall meet with your approval and support. Far from being insensible to the difficulties attendant upon the introduction of this system in so young a community, I am prepared to admit, that it can only be established by the •forbearance and cordial co-operation both of the settlers and of the Legislature. At first, many may be unwilling to abandon their present occupations, in order to accept office on so precarious a tenure. The Executive once removed, it may be difficult or even impossible to replace them by others having seats in the Council. But when the principle is once fully understood, when the Electors recognize (as they soon will) the responsibility which will devolve upon them of electing men willing to take office, and competent to discharge its duties — when t ey perceive that it is only under such system that the highest offices can be thrown open, and offered as prizes to the legitimate ambition of all ; and when .each member of this Council feels, that i

1 he acts and Speaks, with the prospect of being • at any time called upon to carry out, as a ,- foundation of similar settlements, thus rearing ,- up a body of hardy and independent yeomen, 1 attached 'to the country by the strongest of all :. ties — the possession of their own Freehold, - Governor Sir George Grey has. upon ray res commendation, already reserved a considerable c block in the Valley, to be placed at the disposal a of the Association whenever their plan is maI tured, and they are prepared to commence i operations; and I need scarcely ask you to c render them whatever further assistance they ! may desire, and which it may be in your power y to afford. „ Simultaneously with this reserve being jet apart, an arrangement was made, by which the occupiers of runs under Native leases have •'» been granted the right of preemption over j land around their homestead to the extent of 640 acres. Without pretending to say that this con- . cession met the strict justice of the case, or j that those, to whose enterprise the Province i« mainly indebted for its present prosperity, 3 might not reasonably have looked for more fa- . vourable terms, I still believe that the practiL ' cal effect of this arrangement has been fully to i protect their interests, and to afford them no [ reason to regret the assistance they gave to wai ds , purchasing the Valley. , But in making arrangements, and framing plans with a view to facilitate the future disposal and settlement of .the waste lands, it would be unwise to leave out of our considera. tion the lands which have been already conceded to individuals, who neither intend themselves to use them, nor to permit their profitable occupation by others. The injurious effects of large tracts of country remaining unoccupied and waste — in separating and dispel sing the settlers — in preventing the formation of roads — in thus increasing the cost and diminishing the amount of production, has been so long forced upon our attention, that it is scarcely necessary for me to urge you not to allow this Session to j pass over without some attempt to palliate, if j not to remove, such serious impediments to '< the progress of settlement. The object of l any measure you may devise for this purpose being not . merely to raise funds for local improvements, but also to compel the absentees to contribute their fair proportion — to induce them either to settle and improve their lands, or to sell them at the market value, and at the same time to discourage and prevent any undue acquisition of land in future by the mere speculators, it appears to me difficult to suggest any other remedial measure, except that which has long been demanded by the actual setters, viz. , the imposition of a Land Tax to be levied by Local Boards, and expended for the benefit of the district in which the rate is raised. I intend therefore laying before you a Bill, the main features of which will be — to empower the inhabitants of each district to elect Commissioners' — to fix the maximum rate to be leved — to authorize the Commissioners to take any lands required for public purposes, on compensation, to be assessed by juries being awarded to the owners, — and in the eveut of the tax remaining unpaid for a certajn p.riod, to sell land sufficient -to defray the arrears and expenses. While however, I- believe •it i* only by such a tax you can reme)y the evils referred to, or make provision for the wants and requirements of this country, I am at the same time so fully sensible of the extreme impatience of direct taxation generally manifested by those who have previously been free from it, that I entertain little hope of the settlers having recourse to it, unless some direct and positive inducement be held out to them. I would therefore suggest, that to the amount raised in each district an equivalent sum (or such other amount as you max deem expedient) should be added out of the Provincial Revenue. The advantages of such a plan would be, to hold out a premium to local taxation, to cause a much greater expenditure upon public workß than would otherwise take place, to guard both the Executive and Legislature from any suspicions of favouring particular districts at the expense of others, to compel the settlers to manage the local affairs of their respective districts, and thus to educate them for the discharge of those higher and more important functions with which they are invested by the Constitution Act. •» Provision being thus made for District Roads, and other local improvements by the institution of Local Bodies armed with the necessary powers of taxation, I propose that the cost of keeping in repair, and completing the Rerautak a and North Western Roads, which constitute the two main arteries of the Province, should for the present be defrayed out of the Provincial Revenue, without calling upon the inhabitants of the districts through which they pass for any contribution towards them. From the Report of the Inspector of Roads, you will learn that there remain about 20 miles of the Remutaka to be constructed ; and that he estimates the cost at £ 1 2,000. Large as this sum nay appear — still the purchase of the Wairarapa Valley, and of the extensive districts io Hawke's Bay — together with the proposed establishment of the Small Farm Settlement, render the completion of this road into the Wairarapa Valley, and its ultimate continuation to Ahuriri, a matter of vital importance ; if we are really desirous of turning these Lands to account, and making them available for sale and occupation. '- With respect to the north western road, I shall lay before you a memorial, which I have lately received from the inhabitants of the Po rirua district, setting forth the serious difficulties under which they labour, from the steepness of that portion of the road which extends from Kai Warra to the Half-way House, a distance of about three miles ; and praying that a new line should be opened out from the Petoni road along the Ngahauranga stream, by which the evils of which they complain would be effectually remedied. The cost of forming the proposed road, will not, I believe, be less than £4000 ; but, looking to the amount of traffic which already exists between this port and the wes-tern coast— to the probable increase which would take place, were the difficulties of the land carriage removed, and the harbour of Porirua thus rendered available to small coasting craft, — to the probability of Waikanai and Manawatu being purchased, and becoming the sites of agricultural settlements, I am induced to recommend your acceding to the prayer of the memo-

• rialibts, if you can do so consistently with the i claims of other districts. In order to connect the different parts of a country, in which there are so many river«, the passing of which is seldom unattended , with danger, the establishment ofr ferries is almost as essential as the construction of roads ; : hut when we call to mind the number of valu- : able settlers who have los>t their lives in crossing these rivers, and how often we have pro- ; tested against the negligence of the Gove rnment > in this matter I feel that we are bound to devote some portion of our revenue each \ear to this important service, until a suitable Boat Ferry is established at every one of these rivers. The interruption to the traffic through this town which occurs duiing the greater part of every year, from the impassable state of the beach road pointg it out as another of the works which can scarcely be longer postponed ; whatever difference of opinion may possibly exist, as to the source from which the funds are to be derived. Although, as a general rule, I hold that the expenses of forming and keeping in repair the streets of a town should be defrayed by local assessments, yet the beach road is so clearly a matter of common concern, is to all intents so essentiallya trunk line.in which the residents of the country are almost equally interested with those of the town, and its formation in the first instance will involve such a heavy expenditure, that I consider it only fair and reasonable that j its cost should he defrayed out of the Provincial revenue. Should the Council sanction my placing for this purpose on the estimates such a sum as the revenue can afford, I apprehend that the inhabitants of Wellington will willingly undertake to keep it in repair, and to make their other thoroughfares by means of local rates ; and in order to confer upon them the necessary powers, a Roads and Streets Act will be submitted for your consideration. Unwilling as I am to divert the smallest sum ! that can possibly be avoided from the public I works, there is one institution, the establishI ment of which is demanded by every principle 'of justice and humanity. The practice hitherto pursued of either confining lunatics within the gaol, or of placing them in charge of private individuals, who, however humane and kind they may be, have neither the skill to treat, nor the convenience to accommodate them, has not only repeatedly called forth the remonstrances of the Grand Jury, but has al^o elicited such strong condemnation on the part of the whole community, that I feel assured you will willingly authorise me to take the necessary steps to establish an asylum in which. these unfortunates may be placed under proper superintendence, and receive the necestary medical treatment. To act upon these suggestions will involve a considerable outlay : estimating the amount of the grant in aid of locil investments at £2000, the repairs of the north western and Hutt roads at £2500, the completion of the Runutaka at £12,000, the formation of the Ngahuuranga at £4000, of the Beach at £1500, of establishing ferries at £500 ; a total sum of not less than £22.500 will be required. Without at present going into any details, I estimate the Ordinary Revenue for the current year at £16,000; and I think it not improbable (tho, until I know the sums which may be required for future land parchases, it is scarcely aare to calculate upon it) that this may be increased by £2,000 from the Land Fund Revenue, making the total Revenue for the year, ending tht 30 h September, 1854, £18,000. The expenses of the Civil Government will not, I hope, exceed £9,500, leaving a surplus of £8,500, available for public works. Satisfactory as this state of the Revenue undoubtedly is, it is evident that it is only by raising a Loan that sufficient funds can be provided. It is not, however, a question of money only — the difficulty consists, not so much in providing funds, a 9 in expending them profitably. For before you can undertake the execution of the several works proposed with any degree of vigour, or with the prospect of completing them within a reasonable time, you must secure a better supply of labour than is at present at yaur command. It is indeed not impossible that the Government might, by guaranteeing employment for a considerable period, and by offering exorbitant wages, procure from other districts a sufficient number of Natives for the Roads ; but to supply that demand for labour which exists in every branch of industry, I see no other means than to establish a stream of European E-mgratioa. To introduce labour from Great Britain, involves such delay, and so great an expenditure, that I myself am scarcely disposed to recommend it: more especially as from the current testimony of all who have recently Tisited the Australian colonies, there is every reason to conclude, that not only many of our own colonists, who were induced to try their fortunes at the diggings, but that numbers of the vast multitudes, which during the last two years have been pouring into Victoria, would gladly transplant themselves to New Zealand, if assistance were aflorded them. The source, however, from which the labour is to be derived, and the plan upon which the immigration is to be conducted — whether upon the system of " bounties," of " assisted passages," of " loans," or of defraying the whole cost — are questions which must be left to your discussion and determination. But whatever scheme you may adopt, I conceive a sum of not less than £10,000 would be required to afford it a fair trial, or to secure any beneficial results. Adding this sum, then, to the estimated expense of theseveral Woiks, I would recommend that the Government should be authorised to raise a loan of £25,000, by the sale of Debentures — made a first charge upon the Provincial Revenue, and bearing interest at the rate of not more than 6 per cent. And with a revenue, one half only of which is required for the support of the Government — with between two and three million acres of land open for sale — with the certainty that, after the next year, the territorial Revenue will be amply sufficient for the construction of all public works — together with the abundance of money in the neighbouring colonies, I do not anticipate any difficulty in borrowing the sum named, or any larger amount which we could postibl) want. In all probability it will not be necessary to ruse more than half this amount,

but still I think the Government should have the power to borrow the whole sura, in the event member of the Executive, the principles and measures which he may hnve advocated in opposition ; when m short the responsibility with which under this sy?tem iill, whether electors or members of Council, become clothed is fully understood, I shall not despair of our ultimately succeeding in establishing responsible Government, and thus investing this Province at least, with the greatest attraction which any country intended to be peopled by the Anglo-Saxon Race can possibly present. Whether members when accepting appointments should resign their seats and pa s through the ordeal of a fiebh election, is a point upon which I am anxious to ha\e your opinion. The law was originally passed with a view to prevent the Crown from obtaining au undue influence over Parliament by conferring places upon its members ; but when it is considered, that here they would be appointed by the Supeiintendent, who is himself elected, and elected only for a short time — who is liable to be removed at any time either by the Governor or by the Council ; and that iv one of the Bills relating to the Executive, it is provided, that thevshould under any circumstances go out of office with the Superintendent who may have appointed them, it seems doubtful whether it would be either wise or expedient for us to adopt a similar law. But whatever your decision upon this question of constitutional policy may be, I shall abide by and ac upon it. t A Bill "to establish an Executive power for this Province " based upon these principles will be one of the first measures brought before you. Three other Bills will also be submitted, one "to vest in theSuperintendent certain powers heretofore vested in the Governor and Lieutenant- Governor of the Province," — and the others to make all fines, forfeitures, and licenses in the Province payable to the Treasurer for the uses of this Province. The Bills relating to the Executive have been framed without any intention to usurp powers, but at the same time with a desire to vest in the Local Executive all the powers necessary for the efficient administration of affairs and to render the Provincial (in all provincial matters) entirely independent of the General Government. And lam happy to add that Governor Sir G. Grey has in most of bis arrangements adopted and carried out this principle as far as he well could. ;. With respect to the purchase of lands, the statement which I have to lay before your Council, must be deemed as gratifying as it is satisfactory. Of the 10,500,200 acres comprised within the Province the Native Title has been extinguished to 2,015,000, of which 235,000 acres have been alienated ; leaving a balance of 1,780,000 acres at present open to purchase. These tracts of country being chiefly situate within the districts of Rangitiki, Ahuriri, and Wairarapa, to all which easy access may or shortly will be obtained, contain a vast quantity of agricultural land of the richest description. > Arrangements have also been concluded within the last few days for the purchase of other Blocks in Hawke's Bay and the Wairarapa, by which the land open to settlement will I believe be at once increased to above three millions acres. And lam happy to be able to announce that the valuable districts of Waikanai and Manawatu will in all probability be obtained within the next few months ; and that there is little or no prospect of any difficulty arising in regard to the purchase of the remaining portions of this Province, whenever their acquisition may be deemed desirable^ While it is a source of no small gratification to me to be thus enabled to congratulate you at your first session, upon these recent purchases having placed at the disposal of Government, an amount of the most fertile and available land within the whole Province, more than sufficient to supply any demand that may arise for some years, however strongly the tide of Emigration may set in, I gladly avail myself of this public opportunity, of acknowledging the deep obligations we are under to Mr. Commissioner McLean, for the zeal, the tact and ability he has displayed, in bringing the several negotiations with the Natives to a successful issue.and also to Governor Sir G.Greyforthe very cordial assistance he has afforded, and for the readiness with which he has advanced the requisite funds. A Report, which has been drawn up. will show you, that these purchases have of necessity created a considerable debt (amounting to about £10,000) upon the Land Fund, of which about £7000 will have to *>c repaid, before any part of the proceeds of future land sales will be available for other purposes. But, considering that during the last six months not less than 43,535 acres have been sold, 33,249 having been paid for in scrip, and 10,185 in cash; bearing in mind that the scrip having now been almost entirely absorbed, future purchases will be effected with money ; and looking to the increased demand which is certain to arise, as soon as it becomes known in the neighbouring colonies, that the valuable and fertile districts I have named are open for sale and occupation, I fully anticipate that the debt will be paid off within a few months, and that a considerable surplus may eren during the next twelve months be applicable to Public Works and Emigration. There is one subject in connexion with the purchase of the Wairarapa, to which I am anxious to call your attention. Of the many causes which have hitherto operated against the progress of this Province, perhaps none has acted more injuriously than the difficulty experienced by the working class in obtaining land. Whether this has arisen from the small quantity hitherto open to purchase, from the £1 an acre system, or from the unwillingness of the Absentee proprietors to sell except on terms altogether beyond the means of the settlers, there is still no denying the fact, that many of the industrious class have been debarred from realizing the chief expectation, under which they were induced to emigrate. The recent purchases, and the reduction in the price to ss. and 10s. an acre, having removed this difficulty, an Association has been formed far the purpose of founding a settlement, on the Small Farm System, in some district or blook from which it is proposed that the Absentee and mere Speculator rhould be excluded. And in order to promote this scheme, in the desirableness of which all raust cordially concur, as, should it j

succeed, it will in all probability lead to the of any favourable change occuring in the labour mnrket. n i he et-tirra'es vHI be l.tid b»foie you on an early d:\y, when tbe necessary explanations will be afforded ; permit me however, here to say, that whatever reductions you may deem advisable, in addition to those I have alrdaey made, shall receive my most willing assent. As the Appropriation Ordinance expired on the 30th Sept., I mast ask you by a simple resolution of the Council to sanction my issuing the usual warrants for the payment of the current expenses, until the Appropriation Act shall have been passed. Having thus endeavoured to place before yoa the present condition of this Province, having explained my own views both as to the principle upon which th* Government ought to beecvducted, and as to ths end and aim of all our Legislation, I trust that you will not infer from my having refrained from touching upon subjects of more exciting interest, that I am insensible to their importance— but that you will attribute the omission, solely to my desire not to raise expectations which may not be fulfilled, but to limit my suggestions on this occasion to those measures, which appear of the most pressing urgency — to be most immediately within our reach ; and which, I confidently trust and believe will, if we are enabled to cat ry them out, give suchan impetus to the progress of this Piovince, as will not only stamp the first session of this Council, as the commencement of a new and bright era in our history, but will also bear witness to the great truth, that it is only under the Institutions of Freedom thai the energies of a people can be called forth, the resources of a country developed, and its prcsperity placed upon a firm and lasting foundation. After the delivery of his address the Superintendent left the Council. On the motion of Mr. Waitt, H. S. Harrison, Esq., was unanimously elected Clerk of the Council. On the motion of Mr. Lyon, S. Revans, Esq. was elected Permanent Chairman of Committees. On ths motion of Mr. Moore, seconded by Mr. Ludlam, it was resolved that the address of the Superintendent to the Countil be printed. Mr. Wallacb moved that the Council do adjourn to Monday at 3 o'clock, when the standing rules should be taken into consideration. Mr. Revans seconded the motion. Mr. Wakefield rose for the purpose of making a motion, which he would submit as an amendment on the motion of the hon. member, that the first business to be undertaken by the Council after the standing orders, should be the consideration of the Superintendent's speech. It was necessary to fix some time for that purpose, and he would therefore move as an amendment that the speech of his Honor the Superintendent be taken into consideration immediately after the standing orders were passed. Mr. Wallace rose in support of the original motion. Mr. FiTzitERBERT seconded the amendment* which he observed was not framed in opposition to Mr. Wallace's motion, but in strict accordance with it. Mr. Ludlam supported the original motion. • Mr. Wakefibld explained that if he bad not moved the amendment, the House would have been at an •end, without taking any formal notice of the Superintendent's speech. If the the hon. member would withdraw his motion, aad allow the amendment to be put as a substantative motion, he could afterwards move the adjournment of the Council, Mr. Wakefield's motion was then put and carried, after which the Council was adjourned to Monday next, at 3 o'clock.