AUCKLAND. [From the New Zealander September 2.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 959, 11 October 1854, Page 3

AUCKLAND. [From the New Zealander September 2.]

On the meeting of the House yesterday afternoon, after some preliminary business, Mr. Forsaih moved the following Address : To hit Excellency the Officer administering the Government of New Zealand, The House of Representatives present to your Excellency the respectful expiession of their thanks for the full and unreserved statement of your Excellency's views and intentions, as these are set forth in the Speech by which the Session has been opened. The House desire to assure your Excellency of their concurrence, generally, in the liberal principles, aad popular sympathies which mark the policy indicated by jour Excellency's speech; and they readily pro mite your Excellency, that their most prompt and diligent attention ihall be given to every measure which may be laid before them by your Excellency's advisers. Nevertheless, the House are of opinion that it will be difficult, if not impossible, to protract the Session longer than may be requisite for giving immediate effect to such measures as are of a peculiarly urgent character with regard to time, or are not likely to elicit material difference of opinion. Whilst the House are sure that your Excellency will recognise the great inconvenience to which Southern members of both Houses would be sub • jecfed by 'a much prolonged detention from home, they acknowledge, that every Representative of the People is in duty bound to make sacrifices of personal convenience', in order that beneficial legislation by the General Assembly may not be indefinitely postponed; and the House doubt not, that from amongst the measures which your Excellency has brought to their notice for present or future enactment, they shall be able to select such a proportion as may become law, with great advantage to the colony, and without overtasking the public spirit of those members who represent the people at a distance. To the end that the service of the people may be the single object and motive of every member of the Legislative during a comparatively brief session, the House cordially respond to the wish of your Excellency, that the whole subject of past differences may be henceforth buried in oblivion. The motion having been seconded by Mr. Cargill, Dr. Monro moved as an amendment the adoption of the following Address, which was seconded by Mr. Carleton :—: — We, the Commons of New Zealand assembled in. their House of Representatives, acknowledge! witbl great respect, the address delivered by your Excellency to this House at the opening of the present session. • Heartily concurring in the wish expressed by your Excellency to avoid reference to past differences between your Excellency and this House, and anxious to devote the small space of time which, remains available of the Session before us to mea- ' sures of importance, we respectfully point your Excellency's attention to the fact that a large proportion of the members of the Legislature drawn from the Southern parts of the colony have already been detained from their homes, some upwards of five months, none for a less period than three months and a-half ; and that they will be obliged to return thither by the next steamer, which may^ be expected to leave Auckland probably within a fewdays from this time. It being opvious that, under these circumstances, it would be impossible to give adequate consideration to all the measures proposed in your Excellency's address, this House can only state that it recognises the -practical utility of many of them. It must at the same time add that, as to a large proportion of those measures, it is of opinion that they involve questions of policy of such magnitude that they ought to be submitted to a session of the General Assembly with ample time before it for deliberation, and then only by a Governor enjoying the confidence of the Legislature, and responsible to it for the proper administration of whatever measures may be adopted. But that which appears to this House to be its most urgent and imperative duty is to provide supplies for the public service, a matter to which it would-be its anxious wish to devote its first and most careful attention. Whilst the House' thankfully acknowledges the desire exptessed by your Excellency to give effect to the principle of Ministerial Responsibility in the conduct of Legislative and Executive affairs, it cannot refrain from expressingits regret that your Excellency should have deemed yourself to be in such a position as to be unable to concede its immediate and complete establishment. During the necessary interval which must elapse before this object can be attained, this House ventures to submit to your Excellency its deliberate judgment that such a partial application of the principle as is proposed by your Excellency will fail in its object and be attended with detriment to the public service. A mixed Executive, as now constituted, conposed in part of irresponsible officers and in part of members drawn from a small minority of this House — a Ministry constructed on a delusive theory of representation of Provincial interests — is a form of Government in which the House declares its absolute want of confidence. During the interval of suspense which we fear is inevitable before the establishment of Ministerial this House reluctantly expresses its opinion that the Executive Government of the colony should be continued as formerly under the exclusive management ot those public Officers who at present derive their authority from and are responsible to her Majesty. This House has already conveyed to your Excellency its opinion as to the expediency of such a change, but, as a choice of evils, it deems it best to submit for a short space of time to that alternative. This House is ready to grant supplies to a Government conducted by the old Executive officers, and it humbly prays your Excelle icy to lay before it the necessary estimates at the earliest possible moment. Further, this House begs to assure your Excellency that it will devote the small space of time during which it is possible for Members to remain together, to the work of forwarding such Legislative measures as are of the" most urgent importance, and as can be passed through the requisite stages within the allotted time ; and, under the pressure of existing circumstances, it will* by all means in its power facilitate the passage of such public business. A discussion, which occupied several hours, ensued, in the course of which the original Address (Mr. Forsaith's) was supported by Messrs. M'Andrew, Travers, Porter, Lee, O'Neill, Wakefieid, and (in a qualified manner) by Mr. Merriman ; whilst, on the other hand, Messrs. Sewell, Bacot, Picard, Fitzgerald, Weld, Hart, Ludlam, and Gtedhill spoke in favour of the amendment (the Address moved by Dr. Monro, who on this occasion appeared as the ex-ministe-rial party). Mr. Forsaith having replied, the house divided, when the original Address was negatived, and Dr. Monro's amendment carried by a majority of 22 to 11. It was then ordered that the Address should be presented to bis Excellency this day by the Speaker, with as many of the members as may thiuk proper to accompany him. Several notices of motion were given for the re-appointment of Committees of the last Session, and other matters. A discussion of some length then ensued as to the time at which the bouse should meet again. Tbe majority pressed that this day at 12 o'clock should be fixed on, urging at their reason a desire to make the most of tbe little time that remains before the expected arrival of the steamer Nefson, by which many of the Southern members intend to return. On tbe I other hand, the members of the Executive Coun-

cil urged that under the existing circumstances — • majority having pronounced a decision hostile to the policy propounded in His Excellency's Address — it would be obviously proper that the head of the Government should hare time to consider the course he would take ; and they pat it in the form of a strong request that the House should adjourn until Tuesday, — the timetowhjch according to the Standing Orders, the adjournment should take place in the regular course^ The majority held their ground, however, and i t was carried that the House should meet this day^ [From the New Zealander, Sept. 6.} The occurrences since our last in the House of Representatives included tbe announcement of the resignation of the gentlemen whose appointment to the Executive Council had been Gazetted on Thursday evening, but who on Saturday, ia consequence of the adverse vote of Friday night, tendered their resignations, which it was announced on Monday that his Excellency had, in conformity with their own request and advice, been pleased to accept : — tbe transmission to tbe j House by bis Excellency of a Financial Message, together with the Estimates : — and the adoption last night, all but unanimously, of Mr. Wakefield's resolution declaring that in justice Auckland should Le exempted from paying any portion of the New Zealand Company's debt. On Monday, his Excellency's Message, in Teply to the Address adopted on Friday night, \?as sent down to the House. We append a copy. After it had been read, the following statements were made. Mr. Jerninoham WAKEFiELDsaid — With the permission of the house, I will make a brief statement with regard to what fell from my bon. colleagues and myself, on Saturday, with regard to the resignation of our seats in the Executive Council, (hear.) I have to inform the bouse, that his Excellency has been pleased this day to accept the resignations which we tendered to him on Saturday afternoon. His Excellency has kindly permitted me to read a correspondence between him and ourselves, which will best explain the circumstances to the house. The following is the letter in which our resignations were tendered-— Auckland, 2nd Sept., 1854, 4 o'clock, p.m. " SiRj — In consequence of the decision of the House of Representatives upon the Address moved by Mr. Forsaith, in reply to your Excellency's suggestions with regard to Legislative business during the present session of the General Assembly, as those suggestions embody a general policy for the cojony, we feel it our duty, in conformity with the principle of Ministerial Responsibility, so far as your Excellency has felt able to give effect to that principle, at once to place in your Excellency's hands the resignation of our seats in the Executive Council, and we take the liberty of expressing to* your Excellency, whilst still members of your Executive Council, that our opinion" and our wish are both in favour of the acceptance by your Excellency of the tender hereby made to you. We beg to offer to your Excellency our sincere thanks for the kind and cordial support accorded to us by your Excellency and tbe official members of the Executive Council during the short period for which we had the honour to occupy the position of members of that Council ; and we respectfully beg to assure your Excellency, that we •hall feel the greatest satisfaction (in our position, as members of the House of Representatives), in co operating with your Excellency's government, both generally as well as in carrying out those measures of policy which are stated in your Excellency's speech; and which we believe to be so well calculated to benefit tbe colony at large, and to be acceptable to the people. We cannot help deploring tbe evident determination of a majority of the House of Representatives, to oppose the enactment of those important measures of practical legislation suggested by your Excellency j for we feel perfectly assured that those measures are essentially necessary, and would be highly acceptable to the people of tbe colony. Upon tbe subject of the Executive policy stated in your Excellency's speech, and in relation to which your Excellency had expressed an intention of exercising the powers of the Crown until prospective legislation shall take effect, and complete Ministerial Responsibility shall be established, we would, before the acceptance of our resignation as members of the Executive Council, venture most humbly to express to your Excellency, our earnest hope that in the interval which must of necessity elapse between tbe termination of the present session of the General Assembly and its convention at some future period, your Excellency will be pleased to give effect to that policy, so far as it may be possible to do so, We have the honour, &c, f*T. S. Forsaith, O-VnpJ J E. J. WaKEFIELD, Signed, < w T L TRAVERg> (.Jas. M'Andbew. I received this morning, the following reply — The Officer administering the Government having had under his consideration, Mr. E. J. Wakefield's resignation of- bis seat in the Executive Council, accompanied with his advice that such resignation should be accepted, begs to acquaint him. that under the circumstauces, but with regret, he accepts the resignation thus tendered. The Officer administering the Government further begs to avail himself of the present opportunity of thanking Mr. E. J. Wakeflold for his proffered future support, and the cordiality with which it has been tendered. (Signed) R H. Wyntard, Officer administering the Govt. Oovernment House, Auckland, 4th Sept., 1854. Mr. Thavers, Mr. M'Andrew, and Mr. Forsaith stated that letters precisely similar to tbe last had been received by each of them. Dr. Monro asked whether the bon. member (Mr. 7. Wakefield) would have any objection to lay the correspondence on the table, as the house •might have to take notice of advice which appeared to have been given by the hon. gentlemen at the time of their resignation. (Hear, bear, from tbe majority.) Mr. E. G. Wakefikld said, — I crave the indulgence of the House, for permission to detain them not more than a few minutes. The occasion seems a fit one for contradiction by me, of a statement respecting myself, in connection with his Excellency, which' has been twice made in a newspaper, the proprietor of which is an hon. member of this house, whom I am glad to see in his place. The statement is, that after being honored by his Excellency's confidence, I was dismissed by him with disgrace. The truth appears from part of a letter which I had the gratification of receiving •from his Excellency when I ceased to be his temporary adviser. As my sole preseot object »to place the truth by the fide of the newspaper statement in question, I will content myself with leading a brief extract from his Excellency's letter, which bears date tbe 19th of last month, — ■" Tbtt during the time I have had the advantage of your vast evperience, permit me to state how sensible I am, of having, on every occasion, enjoyed the most ready and friendly response to my appeals, and for which I am deeply indebted.

■ Having been favoured with the views and senti- > menu of one so versed in New Zealand nffairs as i yourself, must ever be • source of congratulation > to me ; especially as I have gamed from your . assistance and advice, a mass of information, that t not only has aided me in my present novel posi- > tion, but will prove of the utmost value to me i through life. 1 trust I may yet be able to shape . a course, that may save ulterior measures, as unpleasant to "me, as to the colony, and when the ' ship is righted, as I trust it may be, I shall not forget the valuable support for which I am so ' much indebted in my time of need, and to which the hoped for result may be attributed.'' — (Loud f Cheers.) p Mr. Wortley gave notice that this day he , would move the following Address to Her Mal jesty, in accordance with the resolution passed by t the House on the last day of the last session : — , lo the Qa««n'# Most Excellent Majetty. ■ # We, the Commons of New Zealand, assembled i in their House of Representatives, humbly beg ( leave to approach your Majesty, with renewed assurances of "our loyalty and attachment to your ! Majesty's person and throne. i We have already conveyed to your Majesty our , grateful thanks for the boon of Constitutional freedom conferred on us by a recent Act of the Imperial ! Legislature. We , have further addressed your Majesty, in i grateful acknowledgment of what we then believed to have been the final completion of that t measure of Constitutional freedom by the concession of Responsible Government ; we deeply regret now to be compelled to address, your Majesty in other language, and to pray for that we believed we had already attained. We are compelled to submit to your Majesty, this our humble prayer, that your Majesty will be pleased to* give effect to the principle of Ministerial Responsibility, in the conduct of Legislative and Executive affairs, by instructing His .Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, to remove from their Offices the gentlemen filling the offipes of Attorney General, Colonial Secretary, and Colonial Treasurer of this colony ; and further to instruct his Excellency to give your Majesty's Royal Assent to a Bill to be passed by the General Assembly, for establishing the Executive Government on the basis of Ministerial Responsibility. It would be impossible, within the limits of this Address, to narrate fully the circumstances under which we are obliged to make this appeal. We have ordered to be transmitted to your Majesty's Secretary 'of State for-the Colonies the fullest and most authentic particulars, in sure reliance that a due consideration of them will satisfy your Majesty of the justice and wisdom which we now pray your Majesty to grant. We can assure your Majesty that a generous confidence in the people of this Colony, which shall place in their own "hands, through an Executive Government, responsible. to a popular Legislature, a large control over their own affairs, will be a sure means of uniting this distant dependency of Great Britain to its' parent Empire by an indissoluble tie. ' Mr. Wortley also to move : — ' That Mr. Speaker be instructed to transmit to Her Afajesty's Secretary of State for the Colonies cppies of all- papers and documents which have been laid before this House relative to the establishment of Responsible Government. In the earlier part of the evening, Major Greenwood presented the following Petition, which had between four and five hundred signatures. It was received and ordered to be printed p — To iht Honourable the House of Representative* of New Zealand, in Parliament assembled. The Petition of the undersigned Inhabitants of Auckland and its neighbourhood •Respectfully sheweth — That your Petitioners are deeply impressed with the evils which have arisen from ■exposing the Waste Lands of the Colony to speculation and monopoly, without any adequate provisions for securing a fair proportion of the lands of the colony for real Working Settlers desiring to occupy the land themselves, and improve it by their own exertions. That your Petitioners are also most anxious that stringent provisions may be made by the General Assembly for securing entire publicity in the proceedings of the Land Offices, without which we cannot hope for an impartial and effective administration of any provisions intended to protect the , true Working Settler classes. Wherefore, your Petitioners respectfully pray, that your Honourable House will be pleased in any law that may be passed for the disposal of the Waste Lands, to take care that provision be made for setting apart, and protecting from speculative monopoly, a portion of such lands for the class of the true Working Settlers ; for assisting persons of that class to obtain Land on the easiest terms, — but also compelling them to improve the s«me by actual occupation for some years; and also for establishing open Land Boards, in which all transactions relating to the disposal of waste land shall be carried on with the same publicity as attends proceedings in a Court of Justice.