THE COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13,1860.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 320, 13 November 1860, Page 2

THE COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13,1860.

The Under-Secretary's letter, acknowledging the Report of Mr. Fenton, an abstract orwhich report we have given in some of our late numbers, must next come under notice. From it we learn that his Excellency appointed Mr. Fenton Resident Magistrate for the Waikato and Waipa districts; and after complimenting the writer on his able memorandum, enters into a minute detail as to the various duties imposed upon him. It is due-to the Government to acknowledge that they appear to have given due consideration to the: writer's recommendations, and lost no time in authorising him to carry them into effect; and we may also be allowed to congratulate that gentleman upon the result of his able advocacy of the cause, which, we will venture to assert, would not have been the c#se had he clothed his proposition in the ordinary phraseology of official, complimentary, and vague verbosity, without meaning. There is but one passage in the UnderSecretary's letter which we consider calls for especial notice; it is as follows:—*ln connection with this subject' (namely, the power fo make laws for themselves by the Maoris) ' it may be necessary to explain to the natives that the full force of British law cannot be given to such ratified by-laws, so as to make them binding on both races until the consent of the General Assembly is procured to the proposed measure for that purpose.' The establishment of this Resident Magistrate's Court has now been in operation three years and a half. The General Assembly has now closed its labors; but we have "been unable to discover whether his Excellency has laid before the Assembly an act by which the force of British law might be conferred upon any code of bylaws which the natives might submit for their concurrence.

The despatch concludes with the intimation that, * in consideration of the importance of the service now entrusted to you, his Excellency has been pleased, on the recommendation of the Colonial Treasurer, to sanction the "augmentation of your salary to the sum of £300 per annum.' Here we have a beautiful specimen of official redtapeism, which the recipient found himself so incompetent to imitate. We pass over from page 14 to page 29 of Mr. Fenton's papers (the intervening space being occupied with an elaborate and highly interesting detail of his official circuit), wherein, in a letter to the Colonial Treasurer, he states, ' I have the honor to inclose a copy of my journal.' He then sa y S —«l will defer the general report requested by you until more intimate acquaintance with the necessities of the districts and the dispositions of the several tribes shall enable me to prepare one which may be devoid of uncertainty and worthy of the confidence of his Excellency and the Government.' Here we have an intimation that the augmentation of the salary has caused a corresponding augmentation in the phraseology of the writer. He however seems to have recovered from the mesmeric influence of the augmentation of salary; for we find him, on the 24th of April, 1858, writing as follows:— * In accordance with my instructions I have the honor to inclose you a copy of the journal of my last circuit. I have not kept it so minutely or entered into so many details as it has been my custom hitherto to do.' Why, gentle reader, do you suppose ? Listen: —'Inasmuch as I observe that the observations and memoranda in my previous journal have not been noticed, nor have any instructions arising therefrom or suggested thereby been communicated to me.' We confess we do not very well see, if, as the writer concludes that his former communications had not been noticed, how he could expect .that any instructions founded on them could be framed. ;' •.

«It was my desire that the views of his Excellency and the Government. on the course of conduct pursued by me in these operations might be communicated to me in order that I might learn what was approved of, and what steps or ideas did not* meet with approbation. It was with this view that! recorded not only my doings and sayings, but also any new thought that suggested itself to me in the course of my work. I have been less minute in the journal inclosed.' It is quite evident that the writer has never been properly initiated into the freemasonry of diplomatic phraseology, or he would have known that in official lan* guage yes means no and m means yes:; but until an apprentice has passed through the various grades he is not entrusted with the grand secret. Thus it is that he has read the Colonial Treasurer's despatch literally, wherein he is told to report this, and that, and the other, to keep an official diary and make a monthly report, together with a general report on the^state of the district, and keep separate accounts of all'fin* s imposed in each village; in short, to keep and transmit a detailed account of rebus omnibus cum multis aliis, .in reference to the sayings and doings of all the tribes from Dan to Beersbeba.

In taking a review of the whole ot this document and its correspondence, we cannot help coming to the conclusion that the vernment found their able memorandist a perfect bore, and tried the experiment of choking him off from his augmentation of salary by throwing, upon him exertions and responsibilities which the whole Executive would be horrified at the bare proposition of—even if divided among them all.

The House of Representatives, after the expenditure of so much caloric, has given uj> the ghost, and the 'Nelson pontin^en^

has returned home, after having run together so closely, that we believe in no one instance were the members of this pack on the two sides of the hedge at any one time; and, strange to say, that side which they generally kept was the ministerial one. The polling places and returning officers for the next election have been appointed. The polling places for the city of Nelson are—The Conrt House, Campbell's Schoolroovn, Bridge-street, and the Odd Fellows' Hall, Waimea-Street. John Sharp, Esquire, is the returning officer. The nomination of candidates will take place at the Court House ou the 17th of Decembor, and the polling, if required, on the 27th, The Acts passed and assented to. will be found below. .

Mr. Stafford moved and Mr. Fox se.conded the following 'Vote of Tnanks' to the Speaker, Sir Charles Clifford:—' That the cordial thanks ot this House be given to Sir Charles Clifford, Speaker of this House, for his eminent and distinguished services during, the period of more than six years for which he has filled the chair of this HouseV That he be assured that this House fully appreciates the zeal and ability with which he has discharged the duties /of Speaker under circumstances requiring much labor and exertion; and that this House entertains the strongest sense of the firmness and dignity with which he. has maintained its privileges; of his unremitting attention to its business; the care which he has devoted to the improvement of its forms; and of the urbanity and kindness which have uniformly marked his conduct in the chair, and which have secured for him the esteem and gratitude of every member of the House.' Sir Charles Clifford replied in a most feeling manner, every member of the House stood up, uncovered, during the reply. We copy the following from the New Zealander:—'

CLOSE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY. The sixth session of the General Assembly of New Zealand was terminated by prorogation on Monday last, at 2 o'clock, by his Excellency in person, attended by a numerous suite of military and naval officers. The day was a regular "Queen's day"—one of the most beautiful oi the season; and the Legislative Council Chamber was graced with the presence of a large number of ladies. The customary salute was fired as his Excellency and suite left Government House, and on arriving at the Assembly House he was received by a guard of honor composed of the 65th, under Captain Bulkeley and Captain Buck. His Excellency having taken his seat on the Speaker's chair, the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives were summoned to attend to hear the speech, which was as follows :— Honorable Gentlemen of the Legislative Council, and Gentlemen ofthe House of Representatives, ; The period of the duration of the present Parliament having approached its completion, I now release you from your Legislative duties. I thank you for the approval and support which you have given to the measures which it hits been my duty to adopt for the suppression of the Insurrection of a portion of her Majesty's Native Subjects; at the same time I recogniso the earnest attention you have j devoted to all questions connected with the improvement of our peaceful relations with the native race, and the generous solicitude which you have manifested ior their social advancement. I trust that, with the blessing of Providence, we shall, at no distant time, succeed in suppressing rebellion, and in establishing a solid and lasting peace on the secure foundation of law and justice. Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, I thank you for the supplies which you have so.liberally voted for the public service, and; assure you that they shall be administered with a careful regard to economy. I have much satisfaction in informing you that the Revenue is progressively increasing, and that there is every prospect that this increase will be steadily maintained. Honorable Gentlemen and Gentlemen, The Act for increasing and redistributing the Representation will ensure a full and fair expression of the voice of the people in theQeneral Assembly. I have assented with pleasure to the useful measures which you have passed on many other subjects, which cannot Vail to conduce to the welfare of the country. It is my intention immediately to dissolve this Pnrliament, and to call another without unnecessary delay. ■ . I declare this Assembly to stand prorogued to Mon- , day, the 31st day of December next. The Governor then shook hands with the hon. Speakers of both houses, and the ceremony was at an end. The sixth session and the second of the New Zealand Parliaments were virtually no more. Immediately afterwards the following General Government Gazette was issued, dissolving the ; Assembly:— A PROCLAMATION FOB DISSOLVING THE PRESENT GENERAL ASSEMBLE.

By his Excellency Colonel Thomas Gore Bbowne, Companion of the most Honorable Order of the Bath, Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same, &c., &c, &c. ■ Whereas it is expedient to dissolve the present General Assembly, which was this day prorogued and stands prorogued to Monday, the 31st day- of December next: now therefore I, Thomas Gore Browne, the Governor aforesaid, in. pursuance of the power and authority vested in me in that behalf, do hereby dissolve the said General Assembly accordingly and the Honorable Legislative Councillors, and the Members of the House of Representatives, are discharged from their meeting and attendance on the said Monday the 31st day of December next. ■ Given, under my hand, and issued under the Seal of the Colony of New Zealand, at Government House at Auckland, this sth day of November in the year of our Lord 1860. .... T. GORE BROWNE. . By his Excellency's command, E. W. STAFFORD. God save the Queen.

We cannot, however, allow the late Assembly to pass away, without noticing with much gratification the graceful farewell which the House of Representatives took of their esteemed Speaker, Sir Charles Clifford. This was done in the shape of an address, moved by Mr. Stafford (Colonial Secretary) in a very appropriate speech j and seconded by Mr. Fox, whose remarks, as an old friend and associate of Sir Charles Clifford's, naturally assumed a somewhat warmer tone. The reply was worthy of the hori. Speaker, and it was gratifying to hear him afterwards bear marked testimony to the very able co-operation he had received from the Clerk of Assembly (Captain Campbell) and the Assistant Clerk (Mr. Cumin,) in the discharge of the duties which devolved upon his office. He had also to thank Mr. Sergeant-at-Arms (Mr. Mayne) for his attention to himself and all the members; he trusted thatgenslemaa might long continue to hold his office.

If this, its closing session, has been less prolific of laws that which immediately preceded it, and which will be always distinguishable for its '' eighty acts," it has been by no meaus barren of such results. The following Acts have already been passed and have received the assent of the Governor. The Private Bills Evidence Act, 1860, The Absent Debtors Act, 1860. The Absent Defendants Act, i860.. ThQ Foreign Seaman's Act, 186 U. ■ ■ '

The Remission of Penalties Act, 1860. The Fraudulent Trustees Act, 1860. The Bankers Returns Act Amendment Act 1660. The Married Women's Property Protection1 Act; : . 1860. ; : The Gold Field's Act, 1853 1860. ; ' . The Mercantile Law Amendment Act, 1860. The Lyttelton and Christchurch Railway Act, 1860. The Purchas and Ninnis Flax Patent Act, 1860. The Summary Proceedings Improvement Act, iB6O. J.oinfc Stock Companies Act, 1860. : ■'..:> Patent Act, .I^6o. , . ■-■ •■ . Real Estate Administration Act, 18*50. The Conveyancing Ordinance; Amendment Act 1860. . The Supreme Courts Act, 1860. . The Barristers and Solicitors Admission Act, 1860, English Acts Act, IS6O. . . . Official Documents Evidence Act, 1860. The Savings Bank Act Amendment. Act, iB6O. The Nelson Roman Catholic Endowments Sales Act, 1860. , :. ■■ ■ The<Sale of Reserves Act Amendmegt Act, lß6ot - Nelson Wesleyan Schoolmasters Land Sale Act . 1860. -..'■■■. ■■: ■ Some others have likewise been disposed of— amongst them, an Act to amend the Representation. The Militia Bill, the Arms Bill, the JNaval and Military Settlers (Wellington) Bill, the Taranaki Land Regulation Bill, the Light Houses Bill, are being swiitly carried through, the perils of the close; a periodical "Slaughter of the Innocents " has not yet with us become an institution.

It was rumored lor some time that the Governor had sent home his resignation, and was only waiting the appointment of his successor to quit this land of locusts and legislation. The following from the Soitthem Cross does not at all confirm the rumor :— ' By private letters from England we learn that the Home Government have signified their approval of the Governor's proceedings in regard to the war. Whether any qualification be attached to this approval we are not yet able to say. We believe that our information is correct; but how it is to be reconciled with Sir G. Cornewall Lewis's despatch, received a month ago, we are at a loss to understand. We have seen a private letter, in which it was stated that an intention of sending out a Commissioner had been entertained, but dropped on account of the absence of ,the Duke of Newcastle, who was in America. This, if true (we are unable to vouch for it), is equally hard to reconcile with present accounts.'

The Margaret.Thomson arrived on Sun« day, after a favorable passage, and experiencing light winds nearly all the way from Melbourne, from which place she sailed on the 28th October. She made Qape Farewell on the seventh daj, and on Saturday last her jib-boom was carried away in a cross sea, since which time southeast gales prevailed. She reports the Prince Alfred as having been seen off Stephen's Island, at 11 a.m. on Sunday. We hoped when the vessel was signalled at the flagstaff as a brig, that the William Alfred had at length arrived in the Bay; our fears however on her account are still unallayed. By the Margaret Thomson we received Melbourne papers. The following. telegraphic communication will show that an advance in flour had taken place in the Adelaide market since the date mentioned | in our commercial column :— ' 'Adelaide, 26th October.—Flour £17 to £17 55.; Wheat 7s. 6d.'