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Friday, September 15th, (6 p.m.) The House met pursuant to adjournment. The Speaker took the chair. Mr. Sewell, pursuant to notice, moved the adoption of the following Resolutions :— 1. That the charge of £268,000 on the Land Fund of the Colony in favour of the New Zealand Company regarded as a compensation for losses, is excessive in amount, is founded on no grounds of justice, and ought not to be claimed from any part of the Colony. 2. That the charge in favour of the Company, was in fact an equivalent for the surrender by that Body, of certain suffered Land Claims, and is fixed on the entire Land Fund of the colony. 3. That by sundry transactions of the Company, and by its dealings with the Parliamentary Grants since the charge was created, its amount has been largely reduced, if not altogether extinguished, and that vigorous steps ought to be taken by the Executive Government with the least possible delay, for obtaining from the Crown and the Imperial Parliament equitable relief. 4. That looking to the separate interest which each Province has in the surplus of its own land fund, the mode provided by the Constitution Act for satisfying the Company's Claim, out of the proceeds of the first accidental Land Sales, is neither just nor politic, and ought to be corrected with the least possible delay. 5. That, whatever may be eventually fixed as the amount of the Company's Claim, ought to be apportioned amongst the Provinces, according to some just rule; and that under all the circumstances, with a view to a general adjustment, the nearest approximation which can be made to such rule is a computation of the area of land in each Province over which the Native Title had been extinguished at the time of the passing of the Constitution Act, according to which computation, the proportion chargeable to the Provinces of the Northern Island does not exceed l-15th of the whole amount. 6. That, as a part of such general adjustment, the charge of extinguishing Native Title in each Province ought to be borne by the Province, with temporary assistance, in case of need, by loans through the aid of the General Government and General Assembly. 7. That the charge of £27,587 lis. 6d., outstanding for debentures, under the Debenture Ordinance, Sess. 8, No. 11, was mainly incurred on account of the Northern Island. 8. That the charge of £3675 165., for Debentures improperly issued by Sir George Grey, though not sanctioned by law, was incurred, bona fide, on account of the Province of Wellington, though the same ought to have been defrayed by the New Zealand Company. 9. That the charge of £911 Bs. 6d., outstanding on Debentures issued under the Land Claims' Ordinance, New Ulster, Sess. 7, No 22, was incurred exclusively on account of the Province of Auckland. 10. That with regard to any Claim which may be made by the Imperial Government in respect of the outlay on the Pensioner Villages the supposed benefit of such outlay has accrued to the Province of Auckland, though this House disclaims all liability on that account. 11. That it is desirable to adjust and ascertain the proportions and manner in which the before-mentioned charges and burthens should be borne and distributed, and that the following plan for that purpose is equitable and expedient:— (a) That the Provinces of the Northern Island shall be relieved from contributing to the Company s Debt; and that whatever may be the amount fixed on as such debt, shall be borne by the Provinces of the Middle Island in relative proportions, according to the nearest estimates which can be made of the area of land within each Province", over which the Native title is extinguished. (b) That the cost of extinguishing Native titles in each Province shall be borne by such Province. (c) That the outstanding sum of £27,587 lis. 2d., under the Debenture Ordinance, shall be borne by the Provinces of the Northern Island, excepting New Plymouth. v °