NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday. July 19. 1854.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 935, 19 July 1854, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND SPECTATOR AND Cook's Strait Guardian. Wednesday. July 19. 1854.

By the steamer we have news from Auckland to the sth inst. The new Government was fairly inaugurated, and several measures had either been .brought forward by them, or were about to be introduced in the House of Assembly. We can only at present briefly allude to some of the more important of them. Among- the proposed measures were a " General and Provincial Revenues Act," and a " Waste Lands" Act. By the former it was intended to define what is to be General Revenue, subject to the control of the General Assembly, and what is to be considered Provincial Revenue, to be appropriated by the Provincial Governments. By the Waste Lands Act it is proposed to delegate to the Provinces the administration of the Crown lands, and in order to get over the difficulty imposed by the Constitution Act to the tiansfer of these powers to the Provincial Governments, the Bill enables the Governor to make land regulations in each Province, subject to the assent of the Superintendent and Provincial Council, and to delegate all powers of administration to the Superintendent which* are- reserved by the Constitution Act -to the Governor. The Executive Government Bill had been read a second time, and a draft of it' is published in the New Zealander of June 28. It provides for the appointment of six officers forming the' General Government of the colony, viz., a Colonial Secretary, Attorney General, Colonial Treasurer, Solicitor General, Secre-i , tary for native affairs and Auditor Ge- • neral, the first five holding office while they command the confidence of the As* sembly, the Auditor.- to be a permanent i officer, excluded from sitting in either house or holding a seat in the Executive Council. The Bill also, provides retiring pensions for the present Colonial Secretary, Attorney General, and Colonial Treasurer. The Bill was ordered to be Qtmmittedon the 7th July, previous to which date Mr. Fitzgerald stated his expectation of introducing the Estimates into Ihe house. Xhe principle of Respon-. sible Government had also been introduced into the Legislative Council by the ag-

pointment of Mr. Dillon Bell as one of the Executive Council. Along and interesting debate had taken place on a motion by Mr. Wakefield'for a committee to enquire, whether or notjin justice the Province of Auckland ought to be relieved from bearing any portion of the New Zealand Company's debt. Mr. Wakefield's speech on the occasion seems to have given very general satisfaction. Turning to other matters we observe the announcement of a subscription, the amount of subscription being limited to one pound, to present Colonel Wynyard with a testimonial for having established Constitutional Government by means of Ministerial Responsibility in the colony. The subscription was headed by Mr. Brown, Colonel Wynyard's opponent for the office of Superintendent, the amount of subscription advertised amounted to £64. The Government Brig was given uj>, and was advertised to 'be sold by public Auction on the 26th inst. Henceforward we may presume it is intended to maintain the communication between the different Provinces by means of steam. The Egmont had arrived at Auckland on the 24th June ; she had brought out a large reinforcement of troops for the two regiments stationed in New Zealand.

Testimonial to Db. Fitzgerald. — A meeting was held yesterday at the Wellington Athenaeum for the purpose of offering to Dr. Fitzgerald on his approaching departure to England, a fitting testimony, from his friends and well wishers, in token of their esteem and regard for his private worth and of their high sense of his professional exertions, now through a period of nearly fifteen years, both in his private practice and in connexion with the Colonial Hospital. The meeting was numerously and respectably attended, and included a large proportion of the oldest settlers, to whom Dr. Fitzgerald has been intimately known through his long colonial career. A. Hort, Esq., was called to the chair, when it was unanimously resolved — That a Committee be formed to prepare an address expressive of the sentiments of regard entertained towards Dr. Fitzgerald, and to take the necessary steps for presenting him with a suitnble memonal m testimony of warm approbation of his piofessional conduct. A Committee was appointed, to draw up an address for signature, consisting of his Honor Judge Stephen, Mr Hoit, Mr. Raymond, Mr. Wakefield, and Mr. Stokes ; and another Committee, consisting of Mr. Raymond, Mr. Barry, Mr. Hort, Mr. Levin, Capt. Sharp. Mr. Inglis, and Mr. J. Johnston, to receive the subscriptions of those who, desire, to join in.a.testimonial to Dr. Fitzgerald. The amount subscribed yesterday (the greatest pVt at the meeting) was ninety-two pounds. ""