HOUSE OF COMMONS .- June 26.
On a motion for going into Committee of Supply, Mr. Adderley called attention to the conduct of the late Governor of New Zealand in delaying and partially frustrating the new constitution granted to that colony. He revived the facts stated in the form of interrogatories by Sir John Pakington on the 29th May, with the additional facts stated by the "Spectator," on the 3rd June ; showing how Governor Grey took advantage of the utmost limit allowed by law for proclaiming the Constitution Act ; that he did not issue the writs until six months after the proclamation ; that he took no advantage of the arrangements under the local act ; that the animus
of his conduct was a wish to prevent the new constitution from coming into a-Jtion until he should have quitted the colony ; and that the delay had been pronounced injurious, by the Provincial Councils ot Wellington, Nelson, and Canterbury. Mr. Adderley also repeated the charges against Governor Grey for disposing of the surplus revenues, and for dealing with the waste lands. In the matter of the waste lands, an injunction had been granted to stop the sales ; and had only not been made absolute because the Governor had the power of displacing the Judge of the Supreme Court. Under these circumstances, he coiild not think Sir George Grey a fit person to be appointed as Governor at the Cape, where more discretion is required than in New Zealand. Mr. Peel nearly repeated the answer he had made to Sir John Pakington' s questions. Of course, Mr. Adderley used his own discretion in reviving a subject that had already been fully discussed and disposed of by the House. The act, he said, was virtually Governor Grey's bill, framed and recommended by him ; "in fact it was to him that the colony is indebted for the constitution it enjoys." Mr. Peel repeated that Governor Grey could not have been more expeditious in bringing the constitution into operation ; that he issued writs as soon as he knew the electors ; that he .could not nominate the Upper House until he knew who had been elected to the Lower ; that the revenue appropriations were legal ; and that in reducing the price of land he had acted on powers given him by Sir John Pakington. As to the appointment of Sir George Grey to the Cape colony, that was one of the last acts of the Duke of Newcastle, and one from which the best consequences might be augured. Sir John Pakington bore testimony to the general merits of Sir George Grey as a governor, but thought he had acted indiscreetly in the matters complained of by Mr. Adderley. In passing the Constitution Act, the Government intended that the new Legislature should come into operation as soon as possible; and its postponement Sir John could not approve. Sir George Grey was not justified in leaving the colony before the Constitution Act was put in operation, according to the understanding on which -he had obtained leave of absence. He was also open to censure for having illegally appropriated - the revenue.- There was one other point : would the new Secretary for the Colonies sanction the anomalous position of Colonel "Wynyard, at once Commander of the Forces and Superintendent of Auckland ; a post to which he had been elected by the votes of his own soldiers and the military pensioners of the colony ? Sir George Grey, after "the full and satisfactory statement" of Mr. Peel, would not enter into the details, especially as he was not sufficiently informed. With regard to the position of Colonel Wynyard, the offices were certainly incompatible ; and, no doubt, Colonel Wynyard would see that it is his duty to resign the subordinate office. Sir George Grey had left the colony with the full sanction of the Duke of Newcastle, and not until he had prepared everything for bringing the constitution into full effect. In Committee of Supply, replying to Sir John Pakington, Sir George Grey explained why the vote of £600 for the Bishop of New Zealand did not appear in the Estimates this year. The omission does not imply any want of respect for the Bishop. The item had often been objected to, and it had been distinctly understood that the vote should be reduced : but he believed the new Legislative Assembly of New Zealand would pay him what Parliament had hitherto provided.
Mr. Adderley has again ca"l:d attention to the unconstitutional conduct of Governor Grey of New Zealand, which was lately brought in question by Sir John Pakington. Mr. Peel coolly asserted that the subject had been " fully discussed" already ; because, forsooth, the Assistant-Secretary had made an official and categorical answer to Sir John Pakington's questions. On that occasion there was no discussion. Now, however, Sir George Grey, responsible Secretary for the Colonies, declined to say anything after Mr. Peel's " full and satisfactory statement"! The' Canada Bill is the last that we have of the late Colonial Administration : the New Zealand apologies indicate the commencement of a new regime, the restoration of an sera with which we are familiar, as associated with the name of "George Grey" Un-der-Secretary. The time has returned for watching the Office in Downing-street as of old. — Spectator.
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Bibliographic details
Daily Southern Cross, Daily Southern Cross, Volume XI, Issue 759, 6 October 1854
Word Count
876HOUSE OF COMMONS.-June 26. Daily Southern Cross, Volume XI, Issue 759, 6 October 1854
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