FOOTPRINTS ON THE SANDS OF TIME.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5409, 29 July 1878, Page 3

FOOTPRINTS ON THE SANDS OF TIME.

No. 8. Now that the Parliament of New Zealand is about to take into consideration a Governor’s speech, a glance at the address of a Governor in the early days of the colony will afford a good insight into the difference between “ now and then,” At times there have been published cleverly-written ' imitations of such a- speech, and in the old days this amusement was indulged in :—On the 20th September, 1811, the New Zealand Gazelle and Wellington Spectator published a fictitious address purporting to have been delivered by Governor Hobson. The joke is rather a.heavy one, as will be surmised from a few extracts

11 Gentlemen, —Since -wo last assembled I have been actively employed in the duties of my Government. I have even performed a perilous voyage to an obscure and distant, and, I grieve to add, a distressed portion of the dominions confided to my care. Some o{ you gentlemen are perhaps aware of the existence of Port Nicholson. A considerable number of insubordinate, not to say impudent fellows—a pestilent faction—have congregated in the place. Putting an extreme restraint ou my own feelings, X dwelt amongst them for some three or fouy weeks, and the state of discomfort to which I was reduced may be illustrated by the fact that it was with the utmost difficulty. I procured a joint of roast pork for dinner—the common articles of subsistence being beef, mutton, fish, and poultry—none of which, as you are aware, ever disgrace the well appointed tables of our metropolis. ■. “It may appear incredible that although during the greater part of my sojourn in Port Nicholson there were no fewer than fourteen or fifteen large vessels in the harbor, supplying the starving population with tho means of subsistence, and offering conveyance to a happier land, scarcely one of the deluded inhabitants conld be persuaded to exchange Wellington for Auckland, I repeatedly promised £l5O a-year and a very comfortable house to such of the more decent and loyally disposed residents as might bo willing to accompany me to the seat of Government; but generally my liberality was derided. Perhaps, however, some may change their minds, in which case I have taken care to provide for their comfortable accommodation in the spacious edifice now partially used as a post office and as the residence of the Postmaster-General.”

■ : “One o£ the calamities from which Wellington suffers is an extraordinary dryness of soil, arising, as my private secretary has discovered, from the substrata of chalk and lime. The' establishment- of an Anti-dry-rot Company, -under the auspices of a distinguished supporter of my Government, might tend to mitigate the evil”

“ During my absence accident brought about a meeting with a person commissioned to establish a new settlement in the Middle Island, and notwithstanding my announced determination not to colonise Munster, it is rumored that this contumacious captain in the navy has actually taken possession of part of the province. Gentlemen, I know how to deal with such disloyalty, but deem it discreet to say no more on the subject at present.” ■ “The Estimates for the ensuing year will be laid before you; and I glory in the fact that they exhibit no symptoms of pitiful parsimony .to be remarked in those of a neighboring colony. Whilst Captain Grey has cut down his expenditure to some £30,000 .a year for South Australia, the cost of government in New Zealand will be nearly double that sum. And it is with extreme satisfaction I announce that nearly all the funds to be placed by you at my disposal' will be extracted from the pockets of the Wellington malcontents, and expended to the honor and glory of our beloved metropolis. Assuredly some offices to which salaries have been attached have been created at Wellington; but, gentlemen, X trust that nobody will pretend that the slightest necessity exists for paying those salaries. From say own imagination nothing coaid be more distant when I distributed the favors of Government among toadies and proselytes.” This attempt at .a hoax gives one-or two pieces of information. Captain Grey, now Sir George, the Premier of this colony, was then Governor of South Australia, and lie had succeeded in keeping the annual expenditure, of the colony within tho very small sum of £30,000. Twice the sum was considered so ■ large an outlay for New Zealand that it was no doubt termed reckless extravagance by the opposition out of Parliament. As will be seen by the names,of Legislative Councillors there was not likely to be much opposition to the question inside the walls: of Parliament, for in the early days of all colonies the will of the Governor had sway. From the subjoined extracts from theactual speech delivered by Captain Hobson, it will he seen that his Excellency directed that certain Bills should be read the first time on a day he named, and throughout the speech Is evidently that of the man who delivered it. Among the Bills laid on the table were a Supreme Court Bill and a County and District Court Bill. A good many years have passed since that date, and the Legislature has not done with amending measures for establishing such Courts. Indeed, the questions dealt with,by the Jury Bill, Conveyancing Bill, and Municipal Corporations Bill, will probably all be legislated upon in some way or another this session. There is no finality in legislation, and now new men work away at the old measures, and thus the political world goes roundIt took weeks for Parliamentary news to reach Port Nicholson from Auckland, but the last Governor’s speech was known all over the colony a few minutes after it was delivered. , It will not he .easy to believe that the business ,of Parliament in 1841 was twice postponed in consequence of the non-arrival there of Mr. Earp,a Wellington resident, who had been called to the Legislative Connell. Yet snch is the fact.

Captain Hobson spoke in favorable terms {of Port Nicholson, and possibly the editorial mind, looking at things from Wellington, fancied evil designs) on the part of the Governor where none existed. He spoke hopefully of the success of the projected settlements at Blind Bay (Nelson) and Taranaki, bnt these early colonies of the New Zca’and Company have not been able to keep pace with other parts.of New" Zealand, - The omission of the reference to Divine Providence which is usually to be found near the end of a Governor’s speech may appear strange. Is it possible that "the now stereotyped prayer was not thought necessary until KesponsibleMihistries were the order of the day ? ’ ' OPENING OF PARLIAMENT, i On the If th December, 1841, the second session of the Legislative Council of New Zealand was opened. Present—His Excellency the Governor; the Hon. W. SwainsOn, AttorneyGeneral ; the Hon. Geo. Cooper, Colonial Treasurer; James K. Clendon, Esq.; William Held Porter, Esq.; and George Butler Earp, Esq.; Clerk of the Council, J. Coates. , In his address the Governor referred at considerable length to land claims, which -would include the whole area of New Zealand, and intimated that a Bill would be brought in to deal with them ; and went on to say:— “ Eor the general interests of the colony it is desirable that vigorous settlements should be formed at Manhkan, in the neighborhood of Tamaki, at the Bay of Islands, and at Hokianga. Means will immediately be taken for completing an accurate survey of these districts and for hastening the conclusion of the commission of inquiry. As soon as these objects can be effected each district will be divided into town, suburban, and country allotments. A portion of the Manukau District will bo set apart to satisfy the claims arising in this neighborhood and southwards down to Stewart’s Island, A portion of the Bay of Islands and Hokianga Districts will be appropriated to claimants northwards of Auckland. It is proposed that the claimants of land should' be allowed toselect inordcr,according to the priority of their claims, one suburban allotment,' to consist of from five to ' twenty acres, for every hundred acres to which they may be found entitled ; the residue they will be allowed to. select from the nearest country land open for settlement. Every alternate allotment will be reserved until the selections shall bo completed, when they, together with town allotments, will be immediately offered for public competition. “Population is chiefly instrumental in giving valup to land. All the neighboring colonies furnish proofs that new land rises in value in proportion as population is congregated in its vicinity. By the plan suggested for your consideration the evils of numerous scattered settlements will be avoided, the claimants of land will within a reasonable period acquire an available marketable property, and the most-effectual moans will be' taken of giving to that property a high and rapidly increasing value. Among the claimants are many who, by the cultivation of ‘the soil, and the establishment of whaling and sawing stations, and the erection ‘■ of substantial buildings, had proved themselves to bo bonil fide settiers. In ..addition to the land to bo granted to' them under the foregoing arrangement, they. will be allowed a lease, at a nominal rent, for such a period as will enable them to reap the full advantage of thoir improvements, of m giucl} of the land as they have actually cult!-

vated, or which will enable them profitably to continue tho business of their establishments. If any part of the land so occupied shall at any time be required for tho purp jso of form-; ing a township, it will be resumed by tie Government, and compensation will bo mads to tho lessee for the value of his lease on equitable terms.”

“ Since the last meeting of the Council X have visited Port Nicholson, the, site of the New Zealand Company’s first and principal settlement. From tho zeal and vigor with which the company have conducted their operations, the enterprising, energetic, and independent character of their settlers, and from the natural advantages of its harbor, there can be no doubt that Port Nicholson will soon become a very valuable and important settlement. From my own personal knowledge of the gentlemen selected as the leaders of the company’s more recent settlements, I should anticipate with equal confidence the successful establishment of Taranaki and Blind Bay.” “Tho numerous settlements to be formed within its limits necessarily render the Government of this colony expensive. From the natural character of tho country it is probable that it will be colonised iu numerous and detached situations. Under the most favorable circumstances it cannot reasonably be expected that at the outset the income of a colony should be equal to the expenditure. I have every reason, however, to believe that no long time will elapse before New Zealand will be independent of pecuniary aid from the mother country.” “It is important that we should as soon as possible proceed to the establishment of a Supreme Court. I have ordered a BUI for the purpose to be laid on the table for your consideration.”

“ The Governor directed tho Clerk of tho Council to lay the following Bills ou the table: 1. Supreme Court Bill. 2. County or District Court Bill. 3. Jury BUI. > 4. Conveyancing Bill. 5. Municipal Corporation Bill. 6. Now Zealand Banking Company's Bill (private). His Excellency then ordered that the aforesaid Bills be printed, and that tho same bo read the first time on Friday, the 17th December, 1841.