MESSAGE No. 1.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XII, Issue 855, 7 September 1855, Page 3

MESSAGE No. 1.

Ti» Governor take* tht first opportunity, on assuming the government of the Islands of New Zealand, to forward to the House of Representatives the accompanying Correspondence with the Secretary ol State, having reference to the subject of the despatch addressed by the Secretary of State to the Officer administering the Government, dated Bth December, 1854, and published in the v , New Zealand Government Gazette " oi the Ist June, 1865, regarding the future Executive Government of New Zealand, in which despatch the Secretary of State intimates that the views of her Majesty's Govern* ment on the points referred to therein will be communicated to the Governor. Thomas Gob* Browns, Governor. Auckland, 6th September, 1855.

(Copy.) London, 24th April, 1855. My Lord,—- ! According to the legislative measure* proposed by the Officer administering the Government of New Zealand, in his address to the Assembly, dated 31st August, 1854, and Sir George Grey's despatch dated Bth December, 185 — , I have the honor to request that I may be favoured with the views of her Majesty's Government previous to my departure for New Zealand. I beg, more especially, to refer to the constitution of the Legislative Councils; and should her Majesty's Government approve of its being made "an elective body so constituted as to be less directly liable than the Assembly to popular impulse, and to be capable of acting as a check against hasty legislation," I should wish to know whether I may be empowered to give my provisional consent to this alteration, reserving the final consideration and approval for her Majesty's Government. The discussion relative to the immediate Responsible Government, detailed in '• the further papers" recently presented to both Houses of Parliament, induce me to make this request. \ a]po beg to be informed if the views of her Majesty's Government with regard to the measure for empowering the Superintendent to dissolve the Provincial Councils, and for fixing the seat of Government, and appointing a Lieutenant-Governor for Auckland, which, though not within the power of the local Legislature, appear by Sir George Grey's despatch to have occupied the consideration of her Maj sty's Government. I learn also that the debt to the New Zealand Company is a subject which occupies considerable attention in this colony, and I should be glad to receive instructions for my guidance when this subject is again agitated. Finally, I beg to call your attention to the 18th paragraph of her Majesty's Instructions to me, and to enquire whether it is intended that an Executive Council, j partly nominated, should continue in existence after the establishment of Responsible Government, as sanctioned in Sir George Grey's dospateh of Augmt 3, 1854. i I have the honour to be, my Lord, Your most obedient servant, T. Gore Bkownb.

(Copy.) Downing Street, V Ist May, 1855. Sm,— l have the honor to acknowledge your letter of the 24th ultimo requesting to receive instructions for your guidance in certain matters connected with the Government of New Zealand adverted to by the Acting Governor in his address to the Assembly in August last. I now purpose tot answer in order the questions which you have put : — 1. The New Zealand Constitution Act does not appear to give the General Assembly power to constitute an Elective Legislative Council. Any act which they might pass for this purpose would therefore remain inoperative. But if they should apply for power to make this change by Address either to yourself, or to the Crown, and you -hould find this change to be generally desired, Her Majesty' 9 Advisers would propose to Parliament a measure for carrying their wishes into effect either by constituting an Elective Council, or enabling the Colonial Legislature to alter the Constitution Act in this respect. 2. There is no express power given by the Act of Parliament to the General Assembly to confer the right of dissolving the Provincial Assemblies on the Superintendent, nor does it appear that such a power can be implied. I see no reason for the change, and should be disposed to leave this right in the hands of the Governor. 3. There dqes not appear to be anything to prevent the General Assembly from passing the necessary measures to change the Seat of Government if they think proper ; and Her Majesty's Government will move the Crown to appoint a Lieutenant Governor, if this should be desired, and it shall appear to you to be conducive to the welfare of the Colony. He will of course receive a salary out of Colonial funds. 4. I am unable as yet to communicate to you any resolution of Her Majesty's Government on the subject of the debt to the New Zealand Company. The subject is one of so much difficulty and intricacy, that it will require the most mature deliberation. I can only »ay that Her Majesty's Government will be anxious to act with' justice to all parties. 5. As soon as Her Majesty's Government receive intelligence of the establishment of Responsible Government in New Zealand, I will cause fresh instructions to be issued, omitting the Senior Military Officer from the Executive Council. Until that time, the instructions may as well remain unaltered. I have thus communicated to you the view* which I have been led to form of the provisions of the Constitution Act. I may hereafter think it necessary to take legal advice respecting them. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, (Signed) J. Russell. Col. T. Gore Browne, See. &c, &c. The message with the enclosures having been read, '.Mr. Clifford (the Hon. the Speaker) took the earliest opportunity of moving that this Committee recommend the House to present an address to his Excellency Governor Browne on his safe arrival in the colony. He had no doubt that this course was the proper one to adopt ; for from whom could hi 3 Excellency ascertain the ideas, the wants and wishes of the people, if not from their House of Representatives ? Therefore they could not too soon place themselves in communication with him. They could most certainly congratulate his Excellency on having arrived in the colony at a time when its material prosperity was undoubted and progressive. Upon this fact he had a right to 6peak, as having been a witness of all the various changes during the last thirteen year*. He j could remember the impression which he received on : his first visit to AuekUnd; however much he might have been struck with the picturesque outline of the ! mountains, the headland* of the Waitemata appeared to him little Letter than a barren moor, with a few houses dotted about. On his revisiting the same spot last year, he found a nourishing city, crowded with inhabitants, and surrounded with pastures not excelled in this or any other country for their luxuriant vegetation, j He came up to Auckland again on the present occasion, and found those pastures and cultivations increased almost tenfold, with improved buildings rising in every direction, and all showing the impressions of the footsteps of civilization and the increase of commerce. At Wellington, where he had the pleasure of residing, the same advancement was perceptible. Indeed no stronger proof of the energy or resources of that Settlement was , necessary than the f ict that the only apparent effect of the late severe visitation had been to improve the appearance of the town and cause the inhabitants to rely with still greater confidence on each other's support in times of difficulty or danger. The Plains of Canterbury, whilst on a visit just prior to the arrival of the first settlers, three years ago, he had found an uncultivated waste, he had seen, six months ago, covered with homesteads and stackyards containing corn sufficient not only for their own consumption, but enabling them to supply the wants of their neighbours. Otago, he believed, was not behind hand ; and Nelson, besides competing with the other Provinces in its pastoral and agricultural progress, could add rich raining capabilities, now in course of development. Indeed he doubted not that ere long the mining wealth of that Settlement and of Auckland would be serious rivalsto the sister colonies in Australia. All this was undeniable. Was it not fair, thon, to congratulatethis Excellency on the prosperity and advancement of the colony he had come to govern ? He would now turn to the political aspect of the colony, and here he feared he could not lay so bright a picture before his Excellency. He would here find trouble and difficulty awaiting him. He believed that there was not a single political difficulty that had agitated the colony from its commencement that was hot still ir being, or that did not still require a solution. Unsettled Land Claims— the Native Question —the New Zealand Company's affairs — the forms of Government for the Colony — nil had still to be considered. Nothing at all, in fact, had been definitely settled. But if there were these heavy clouds hanging on the political^ horizon— if these difficulties were in the way, by ■0 much the greater would be the credit and honour due to him who should dispel, overcome, and unravel them. But though the present Governor would have the same difficult qnestious to contend with as had his predecessors, he would, on the. other hand, have ad van-

tttfes which thay did not poutcu, in being able to contult directly with thft people themselves through their I Representatives. And he (Vlr. C.) felt convinced that! the talent, moderation, and common twite displayed by this House during its three sessions, even in time* of considerable excitement.vwoula* cause nis Excellency to have no fear in confidently appealing t«» them. He believed his Excellency had come out wi»U the determination of governing in the moit constitutional man» ncr, and that he was the last man who would allow undue interference or improper influences to guide his actions. He trusted and hoped that in future the Governor and the people, finding cause for relying thoroughly on each other, would become affectionately united for the benefit of the entire colony and its inhabitants. Mr. Clifford then read the following address : — To HIB EXCRLLKXCY THE GoVBRKOa OF NKW ZbALAKD. We, the Commons of New Zealand, assembled in their House of Representatives, approach your Excellency with the expression of our sincere congratulation, on i your safe arrival in this Colony \ Your Excellency will be gratified to learn that the general interests of the Colony, taken as a whole, »re in a state' of high prosperity and advancement. We dare not flatter your Excellency with the assurance that the task you have undertaken will be free from difficulties. Grave and important questions, which have perplexed the Government of this Colony from its ealiest foundation, and others arising out of the introduction of a new and hitherto untried form of Constitution, are still unsettled. The solution of these questions remains for your Excellency, acting in conjunction with the people of the Colony, through their Representative Legislature. In whatever measures may tend to the removal of existing or future difficulties, or to the advancement of the interests of the Colony, your Excellency may rely with confidence on the hearty support and co-operation of this House. Address put and carried unanimously. Owing to the press of new and important matter, we are unable to bring up our continuous report of the proceedings of the Representatives to the present date But on account of the peculiar interest of the address to His Excellency, we have forestalled as much of yesterday's proceedings as relates to it