LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IX, Issue 959, 11 October 1854, Page 4

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

The Legislative Council met at two o'clock on Thursday, and a number of Notices of Motion were given. The Council again met yesterday, and with the business-like regularity and promptitude by which its proceedings, during the last Session, were so favourably characterised, made large progress towards placing itself again in the position it had occupied with respect to actual legislation on the day of prorogation. The Standing Orders having been suspended, the Interpretation Bill, and the Dower Bill, were carried through their several stages and passed as before :—th«: — th« Secondary Punishments Bill, the Powers of Attorney Bill, and the Naturalization Bill were severally read a first and second time, and considered, in Committee ; but some clauses of the two former, and the Schedule of the latter, were postponed till the next sitting ; and Mr, Whitaker's two Bills — one to provide for the Execution of Deeds, the other to bring into operation within the Colony certain Acts of the Imperial Parliament — leave to introduce which was given iv the last Session — were read a first and second time.-— «-Mr. Bell obtained leave to bring in a Bill to regulate the administration of the Nelson Trust Fund, which was read. a first time, and ordered to be read a second time at the next sitting. Mr. Salmon presented a Petition, signed by j 450 inhabitants of Auckland and its neighbourhood, praying that in any measure for the administration of the Waste Lana>, a portion of the land might be set apart for working settlers. At the commencement of the sitting, a Committee was appointed to prepare an answer to his Excellency's Opening Address on Thursday, i Subsequently, Mr. Seymour brought dp the fol- , lowing Address, which was unanimously adopted, and ordered to be presented by the Speaker ;—- 1 May it please your Excellency, j I # We the Legislative Council of New Zealand desire respectfully to address your Excellency in reply to the Speech with which your Excellency Jias i been pleased to open the Second Session of the General' Assembly, and to assure your Excellency that whatever measures may be brought before us '

by your Government or by the House of Repre- , sen ta lives will receive our most careful consideration. The Council then adjourned till' Monday, at two p.m. On Monday evening his Excellency's Financial Message was sent down and read. This important document we hope to publish in our next.; The estimates were also forwarded. It was agreed' to enter upon their consideration yesterday evening, and the House did go into committee upon 1 , them; but progress was reported before any real 1 progress had been made, in order that the Message, in a printed form, might be in the hands of' the members previous to discussion. i Several hours were occupied yesterday evening i in discussing the motion by Mr. Wakefield, for the exemption of Auckland from the Company's' . Debt, which that hon. member has persevered in keeping before the house until his exertions have ended in an eminently successful result. In compliance with a suggestion from some of the Auck- ' laud members (made by Major Greenwood after' he had commenced his speech) Mr. Wakefield 1 agreed to add a few words to his original motion, which, thus amended, was in the following terms — the words in italics forming the addition :—: — That it is the opinion of this House that, in jus- , lice, the Province of Auckland ought to be at once ' relieved from bearingany portion of the NewZeaCo'mpany's debt; whilst, on the other hand, that Province ought to bear the whole of any Debt incurred/or its exclusive advantage. The motion was seconded by Mr. Kelbam, who had'himself intended to propose an amendment, but being satisfied by the words then added, gave a hearty support to the proposition. Mr. Sewell had given notice of an amendment, embodying his notion of " adjustment" of the Debt between the different: Provinces : but he did not press it, and it must be evident that its effect would have been damaging to the Auckland claim for exemption, as substituting expediency for absolute and simple justice in the consideration of the question. In the discussion which ensued, a number of members took part, the Southern members generally advocating the right of Auckland to entire exemption with a warmth which we have unaffected pleasure in recording, as in a high degree honourable to their sense of justice and their feelings of generosity. ■ A division was scarcely to be anticipated, but it was enforced by Mr. Revans, who — after one of those displays which are rather illustrative of the good-natured forbearance of the Speaker, than calculated to uphold the dignity of the House, — himself voted in solitary grandeur against the Resolution, all the other members voting in its favour. The division therefore was Ayes 30 ; Noes 1. Mr. Fitzgerald's Waste Lands Bill was to have been considered iv Committee ; but after some discnssion it was postponed till this day. Notices of Amendments were given by Mr. Wakefield, Mr. Travers, and Major Greenwood. The Marriage Bill was read a second time last night, after an animated diacussion, all the speakers, expressing assent to the general principles, though some intimated their intention to urge alterations in committee. The consideration in committee was ordered for Thursday. . . . Mr. Mackay obtained leave to introduce a Customs Duties Bill, which was read a first time. A copy of ilwill be found in another column .... Major Greenwood obtained leave to bring in a Bill to adjust the Electoral districts. Il was read a first time. The House adjourned about .midnight, until 12 o'clock this day.