THE COLONY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XVI, Issue 929, 5 October 1861, Page 2

THE COLONY.

The political history of the colony for tl three months is chiefly comprised in the -° PaSt the legislature during the late session in AulT °f In the previous summary of the ' Lyttelton r . the commencement of' the session was notifi J^"' a sketch of the probable proceedings drawn the session has now terminated, we are abl i before our readers a Huceinct account of th e ° interesting events which have occurred f Juj-U T^ continuance, during the early part of the the Stafford Ministry were thrown out on a of want of confidence brought forward by Mr° p 0" which was carried by one vote. This brings',,,,? the point at which our Auckland corresponded • letter commences, from which we extract U, r lowing account: — " c- n r, • • A «g«sts, 1861 Sir George Grey is appointed Governor of vl Zealand and is daily expected to arrive h " Cape. luni the Colonel Browne is promoted to the Govern, v of Tasmania, which will be shortly vacant "p Mr. Sewell and Mr. Crosbie Ward have join*! h Ministry, the former as Attorney-General thp i c as Secretary of Crown Lands and Twf. ter General. Dr. Featherstone and Mr. WiIuZTS" two Superintendents, have retired. ' "b A vote of want of confidence in the Govern moved by Mr. C. W. Richmond on ThundavT*' the Ist instant, was lost by a majority of Q L ,i '' number being 26 to 25. All party opposition i, „ withdrawn and the Ministry is considered perman Peace is believed to be certain. Sir Georae G •'' influence with the natives is considered suffici? TV put down the king movement; but it is tliolw probable that force will be used to punish tho ♦••? south of Taranaki. tnl)es I think this is a tolerable summary of new ß f one mail. The various items, added to the wonde* ful accounts received from the Otago gold fi e u have afforded subjects for discussion in every mouth during the past week. n Your last news from Auckland will haveconveveri the intelligence that Mr. Fox had formed a Ministr consisting of himself as Attorney-General, D Featherstone as Colonial Treasurer, Mr. Reader Wood as Treasurer, Mr. Mantell as Native Minister and Mr.Williamson, Mr. Henderson and Dr. Pollen without office, the latter being in the Upper House. The Postmaster-Generalship was not filled up. Overtures had been made to Mr. Ward to accept thp Secretaryship in place of Dr. Feathersione who had taken the duties temporarily; but the offer was refused, and the Ministry, as formed, continued to conduct public. business for about a fortnight Before the end of that time Mr. Richmond gave notice one evening that on a future day he would move " That this House has not confidence in his Excellency's responsible advisers." The day for the explosion of this shell was not named and the time past on without another move until last Monday July 29. When the House of Representatives met on this morning, a message from his Excellency came to the door before business commenced, and being opened, proved to contain the following despatch :— " Thomas Gore Browne, Governor, " [Message, No. 12.} " The Governor transmits to the House of Representatives copy of a despatch marked 'Separate,' dated 24th May, 1861, received by him on Saturday, the 27th instant, from his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, K.G. " Government House, Auckland, July 29, 1861." " [Enclosure.] " Downing street, May 25,1861. " Sir, —I have perused with much anxiety the intelligence respecting the progress of the native war which is contained In your despatches recently arrived. "I cannot but perceive that, in spite of some symptoms of a desire on the part of the natives for the restoration of peace, little effect has really been produced hitherto by the military operations at Taranaki, and that, notwithstanding all the efforts of yourself and your advisers, the disaffection of the Maoris is extending itself to those tribes whose amity, or at least whose neutrality has hitherto been hoped for, and is assuming a more organized form, and a more definite object. " I am far indeed from ascribing this untoward course of events to those who are responsible for the conduct of affairs in New Zealand. On the contrary, I recognise with pleasure the sound and impartial judgment, the integrity, intelligence, and anxiety for the public good which have characterised your government of the colony for nearly six years. The present conjuncture, however, renders it necessary for her Majesty's Government to leave no expedient untried which is calculated to arrest the course of events now unhappily so unpromising, and at the same time to provide for the future difficulties, which there is only too much reason to anticipate, even if the war should happily be soon brought to a conclusion, " Having regard therefore to the peculiar qualifications and experience of Sir George Grey, now governing the Cape of Good Hope, I have felt that I should be neglecting a chance of averting a more general and disastrous war, if I omitted to avail myself of the remarkable authority which will attach to his name and character as Governor of New Zealand. "I trust, therefore, that you will not feel it as any slight on yourself that I should have determined to place the Government of the Islands in his hands at a moment when your own term of office has all but expired, and you would have no opportunity of providing against those future difficulties to which I have referred. I hope that, in doing so, I shall n"1 deprive the Crown for any long period of the advantage of your services. " I have communicated to Sir George Grey my wish that, as the matter is one of urgency, lie should lose no time in proceeding to New Zealand. for the purpose of assuming the Government. My confidence in your public spirit, assures me that, in transferring it to him, you will give him every assistance and information which is calculated to facilitate his dealiugs, whether with the local Government or with the friendly or hostile Maories. I h»ve only to add, that, in case you should be disposed to accept another Australian Government, it may M convenient that, instead of repairing to this countn, you should remain for a time at Sydney, until 1»"' able to communicate with you more definitely upoi that subject. " I have, &c, " Newcastle, , " Governor Gore Browne, C.8., &c, &c, &c." Some few favoured members had been in secret for an hour or so. Some others had $ at' s> very close to the truth from the telegraphic senU" of received a day or two previously —"Governo New Zealand reappointed." This oracular senten^ was interpreted by most to mean that uove Browne, whose six years of office had nearly exp was to be continued and confirmed in the (- T°"'^ or( | ship. Others, more sagacious, believed the « " reappointed " to have a deeper meaning. sincl; iSt , fresh commission was needed in the former ■_• But the effect of the despatch upon the t;^^^ jority, if not upon all who heard it reiul, w'jl * '„ treme surprise. The general feeling wiis t"" vv , is peaceful issue from the present disturbances assured by the advent of so remarkable n '"" „ savages as Sir George Grey—an assuring '• v doubly sure by the fact that the savages p:trtun in question retained an extraordinary rejjw respect for that astute Governor.and wouw u^. |k accession to office with submissive delight-. both personal friends and personal foes^jo1' declaring that the reappoiutment of Mr. ' t)) ; lt Grey at this juncture would be the best tllin^ lvl i could happen for New Zealand; but it wm> oV!l fof rare case that anyone rejoiced at the renu • _ Colonel Browne. Almost "every expression oi I sure at the approach of the ' Conquering cr

nunled with another expression of regret and sorJ at the departure of so true a gentleman and n warm a friend to the colony as Colonel Gore ttrowne. He had received despatches of a most n ,piinientary kind by the previous mail; and was "Ljbtless expecting, as every one here also expected, . lengthened term of office in the colony. The des"itch announcing his arrival, also speaks of him in FLli terms, and as in reality the usual term of office Hs expired, the announcement of his recall is by no e'lns considered a mark of reproach. Tasmania is "ro'motion in many respects, including that of salary. It is proposed to give the Governor and Mrs. Gore ■Browne a a^» previously to tue'l< departure, and a oiiimittec has been formed to collect subscriptions ♦l roiigliout the colony for the purpose of obtaining ! handsome piece of plate to be presented to the f overnor from the colonists of New Zealand. It is • tended to be of New Zealand gold, and to be made t home, where Sir Charles Clifford and other friends of tne colon>' will no doubt readily undertake to superintend the design and execution. I tore say that the people of Canterbury will not be ilhind hand to take part in this graceful tribute to Governor than whom the Middle Island, should it ever become a separate colony, could not hope for a Apropos of this subject, the question of separation lias been much discussed out of doors amongst both Northern and Southern members, and has been mooted in the House. For instance, when Governor Grey's appointment was announced by the message -ibov-e quoted, Mr. Ward rose and said : "After hearing the despatch just read, the House will expect"that henceforward the Middle Island members will use their best endeavors to obtain separation." These few words were received with cheers ) f ron j a large number of members, who recognized ' the hazardous position in which the Middle Island interests are placed by the war; and the still greater danger which hangs over them, should Sir George Grey bring with him, as is expected, fresh powers to govern the colony in whatever way best pleases himself.

The same day the Middle Island members held a meeting amongst themselves, every one of both Houses of Assembly, being present. It was determined that it was improper at the present crisis to make any overt move for separation ; and some doubt was expressed by a few whether complete separation was desirable. Nevertheless, almost complete unanimity was expressed upon the broad doctrine that the Middle Island interests are apart from and require a different kind of management from those of the North Island. In fact, the members present clearly held views pretty much in common on the question, but hesitated to declare them and still more to take action upon them ; being deterred by the feeling that to talk of separation so soon after expressing a strong opinion in favor of prosecuting the war might be thought to be drawing back from their honorable engagements with their fellow colonists, and still more by the belief that so great an undertaking as this should emanate from or at least be confirmed by the voice of public opinion. As separation is not in our own power, but must be effected by the Imperial Government after the lapse of at least a year, and as by the end of that time it is to be hoped that the northern difficulty will have disappeared, it does not seem that the present moment is too early to commence the necessary steps towards attaining the object. The Provincial Councils of the Middle Island provinces should take the matter up ; the public should express their opinion by petition ; and all representatives should be given authority to urge the undertaking. Commenced in this way, it would not be long before the fine island of Te Wai Poenarau would enter upon the life of a colony already as full of population and wealth, and with greater advantages and higher prospects in the future at least, than Queensland ; and above all, freed from the yoke which at present so grievously oppresses it.

I go on with events as the3 r occurred in connection with politics and the Assembly. The first thought which occurred to all was that on the arrival of Sir George Grey a strong Government should meet him. The Stafford-Richmond party naturally believed that their leaders were the ablest, and desired to see the task of representing the interests of the colony to the new Governor, committed to them; but they recognised also the desirability of including some from the other side; and in the latter view both parties agreed. It was evident that the war policy which had previously seated and unseated ministers, and which had affected almost every vote given, was now removed from the cognizance of the people and delivered over to the Governor sole. No one dreamed that Sir George Grey would follow the advice of ministers in native questions or submit the question of war or peace to the determination of the House of Representatives. This dividing line being removed, it was hoped that the two parties could be brought together and a fusion take place, out of which a ministry representing the strength of the colony could be formed: and to the accomplishment of this end many influential men of moderate views actively devoted themselves. It was proposed that Mr, Richmond, Mr. Wbitaker, and another from that side should join Mr, Fox, Mr. Wood, and Mr. Mantell; but the first named on each side declared that they could not work together. The bitterness of opposition- had been too great and was too recent to te at once forgotten. This being so, overtim.-* were made to Mr. Whitaker and Mr. Weld, or Mr. Bell, with another (probably Mr. Jollie) but partly from some declining to take office altogether, and partly from their not being able to detach themselves from Mr. Richmond, negotiation after negotiation broke down, and proposal after proposal was rejected. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were consumed in these unprofitable attempts, and the last ultimatum of Mr. Fox having been finally rejected, Mr. Richmond gave notice on Wednesday evening, that on the next day he should move a vote of want of confidence. The same evening, the ministry was reconstructed, —Mr. Williamson and Dr. Featherstone retiring, and Mr. Sewell and Mr. Ward having joined it. The latter gentleman, it will be recollected, acted last session, together with most of the Canterbury and Otago members, with the then Government on the war question, and against them on all provincial questions: forming, in fact, a kind of cross-bench. Mr. Ward, on Thursday morning, when the announcement of the new alliance was made, recalled this fact, and stated that, the war question being at an end, he felt himself at liberty to act entirely with Mr. Fox; and as hitherto the Middle Island was almost unrepresented in the Ministry—a circumstance to be deprecated, looking to the arrival °f anew Governor—he felt it his duty, when asked, to accept office as Postmaster-General: Mr. Sewell, at the same time joining as Attorney-General, and Mr. Fox talcing the Secretaryship. Mr. Ward added that he did not wait for the result of ihe want of confidence motion before joining the Government, as it was not his object merely to join a winning («ide, and besides he wished to mark his own opinion M the impropriety of keeping up party spirit in the House at sucli a juncture. The Ministry, as now formed, is, in fact, a coalition of the ultra Wellington party with the cross-benches of last year, and gains some strength thereby;—more strength, it ought to bo said, than is shown by the division list of 26 to 25 in their favour, on the ' No Confidence' motion of the same evening; for it is to be observed that on most questions of government the Canterbury members hold with the present Ministry, while their votes upon the occasion in question were governed by their views upon the war policy only, which was the theme of all discussion up till the past week. Mr. Ward remarked that the policy of the present Government had really the support of these gentlemen, who would therefore have voted in support of the Ministry but for the ties of personal affection which had grown up and bound them to the leaders of the opposition.

The Ministry, as at present constructed, is as follows:—

Mr. Fox, Colonial Secretary Mr. Sewell, Attorney-General Mr, Wood, Colonial Treasurer Mr. Mantell, Native Minister Mr. Ward, Secretary for Crown Lands and Postmaster' General And Mr. Henderson and Dr. Pollen, without office. vr- Pollen and Mr. Sewell are in the Upper House; «ie rest are in the House of Representatives.

Wednesday, August 1 ti,,??n c. Smportant debates have taken place during II o Steam Postal Service, the Control of GoVer nmeat Expenditure, and the Repeal of the Ne v l^esAct.havebeeutheoUiefprovoca^of > The question of steam and mails was referred early in the session to a select committee, who brought up their report about ten days ago. The main feature was the recommendation of a ponderous service, very complete, and I fear very Lpensi"e joining Sydney with Auckland and Nelson, and Melbourne with Otago and Canterbury. If such a service were in operation, the work would undoubtedly be efficiently performed; but as five boats in constant operation would be required to carry it out: and these boats for the most part would be running without freight, it is certain that an enormous subsidy would be required by the company before undertaking it. The committee did not recognise this fact as an objection to their proposal, but they did see that the service could not be put in operation tor a considerable time; and accordingly they suggested a modified temporary service, the whole gist of which was the removal of the Sydney boat from .Nelson to Auckland, leaving all southern mails to trickle slowly down the coast as best they might. 1 Ins proposal was designated by the name of 'Simple Justice' to Auckland! The House did not see that justice demanded quite such simplicity on the part of southern members as Mr. Firth (chairman of the committee) seemed to expect of them,,and they declared that the proposal was utterly absurd. A strong plea was, however, put in by Auckland for some consideration. Of the two services now maintained, the southern ports get the benefit of both, having under present arrangements two steamers each way in a month. Auckland gets a call (at the Manukau) from one only of the two. This boat brings no cargo from Sydney, and is useful only for the conveyance of mails and passengers. The mails are carried round by way of Nelson, and the consequence is that the chief city of the colony, and the General Government get their letters exceedingly late, the mail boat being anticipated by sailing vessels bringing the news, on almost every occasion. The House recognised the inexpediency of leaving the Governor so long without his despatches, and determined that on all these considerations it was fair to help Auckland to subsidize a boat. As the estimated cost was £6000 a year, the House offered £3000, or half the amount; and the service will probably be organised accordingly. The Public Expenditure Control Question has interested the House very deeply. A lengthy debate took place on the second reading of the Provincial Audit Bill of the present Government, and a constant discussion has gone on in committee, probably for the last time. A perusal of its clauses, made up as they are of suggestions from both sides of the House, will give more information than I can supply by description. It will be seen that it falls short of the stringent action proposed by the late Government, and it does this simply because the House refused to believe that it was right to tie down Superintendents to a shilling. Discretion may now be exercised, but at the risk of heavy penalties, which may be inflicted or not at the will of the Council. The measure is felt to be of a tentative character, and its operation is limited therefore to five years; the more moderate party desiring that the limit should be only two years, but being overruled by those who wished for vigour at all hazards. The result, it is to be hoped, will be to place in the hands of the Council some portion at least of that real power which they ought to exercise in matters of finance, and without which they have become subordinate to the Executive throughout New Zealand.

I p,i3B now to a much less pleasant topic—the New Provinces Act. This is the latest and the worst act of the House at the time at which I am writing. Mr. Fox brought in a (not ministerial) measure like that of Mr. Gilles last session, simply repealing those clauses of the New Provinces Act which permit the formation of these small states by their own uncontrolled volition. The bill went, no further. Before the second reading Mr. Dick of Otago prepared and gave notice of an aditional clause, to permit reannexation in the case where the two portions of a divided province desired to unite; the new province expressing its opinion in the same way as when separating, and the old province being also required to give its assent in a similar manner. This was the apple of discord. Many thought the reannexation clause fair, if n'ofc likely to be useful. But a good number while ready to repeal the old act would by no means consent to anything which savoured of reannexation and they declared that if that clause were carried in committee they would join the out and out opponents of the repeal to stop the bill on its third reading. On the other hand, seeing this possibility, the other ultra-party, composed of some Otago and Wellington members, violently declared that unless annexation was accorded they would vote against the repeal of the Act altogether, desiring to see Canterbury and Auckland brought under the same discipline which had scourged themselves. This was very kind and high-principled on the part of these gentlemen, for whose sake Canterbury had exerted all her influence in previous sessions to stop this pernicious Act. Mr. Weld, to prove himself as thoroughly fit a representative of Canterbury as he was believed to be at the time of his election, made matters still worse and more complicated by proposing as an amendment to the second reading a resolution declaring that before the Government proposed any bill to repeal the New Provinces Act, it was their duty to submit some other measure to. give to outlying districts some power of self-government, and to secure to them a portion of the land fund. This was a proposal of the most approved insidious character. It was just clothed with the appearance of justice so far as to attract men who really wished fair play to be done to the districts : forgetting that it was impossible to prepare any such measure during the present session ; that to declare the propriety of doing so was to vote against the repeal of the New Provinces Act ; and to repeal this act was not to stop the formation of new provinces altogether but to prevent their constitution in a hurtful way. To make Mr. Weld's resolution more attractive, something was said about suspending the act for the present. In this division and subdivision of opinions, many members forgot altogether the simple intention which ought to have been aimed at by all those who wished well to the institutions of the colony, that separation should only be granted by the General Assembly ; so that each case might be determined on its merits, and each district might obtain those powers and privileges most adapted to its condition. It may be for instance that Southland and Marlborough both required more local self-governing powers than they had before ; but would any assembly have dreamed of imposing upon the worn out Wairau all the functions and all the burden of institutions which might be suitable to Murihiku whose fortunes are all in the future ? Certainly not. But you want my facts, not my opinions. The debate on the second reading commenced about a week ago and, being broken off, was resumed yesterday. The House was in a state of great confusion, a state which was by no means rectified by the wanderings and windings of certain long-winded debaters. , The thread of the discussion was broken in several places also, by the free use of a power which some impatient young members had just discovered to belong to them, of forcing a division at any time— a division, that is, not upon the main question, but whether the main question shall or shall not be at once put without further debate. I should say that several Otago and Wellington members desiring to leave for home by the steamer to-day, wanted to push on the work as fast as possible and used this inefficient device for the purpose. When the last of the series of motions for division proved successful, Mr Weld's resolution was put as an amendment on the motion that the repeal bill be read a second time. The perversity which I have attempted to describe drove several" who desired repeal or suspension to vote for the amendment because it seemed plausible; and besides Wellington and Otago men despairing of reanncxation, voted deliberately on that side for the purpose of opposing the repeal. 'Ihe amendment was carried by 24 to 22; upon this another Sndment was proposed to declare the advisabihty

of. introducing a suspension bill, and after more confusion, was carried. The whole resolution thus amended, was then finally put as a substantive motion, and lost! The result was that nothing whatever was concluded, and the House came to a blind end at midnight. The second reading of the repeal bill is technically not rejected; the only effect beinc ' that it be not noio read a second time; and it may be brought on at any time hereafter.' It is to be hoped that a little more discernment and a little less selfishness will result in greater success when the attempt is next made. The course to be taken will probably be to introduce into the Legislative Council a bill to suspend the operation of the act for a year, the Government undertaking during the recess to prepare some general measure for giving some fit power of self-government to outlying districts.

The Canterbury and Otago boundary question is almost settled. The first^bill had passed and could not be altered when the Commissioner (Mr. Cass) and Mr. Ward arrived in Auckland. These gentlemen took then the next practicable step and demanded the readjustment of the New Zealand Company's debt on the ground of the reapportionment of acreage since 1858, when the burden was settled, subject to this adjustment. The question was referred to the arbitration of Messrs. Richmond and Whitaker, and these gentlemen are on the point of sending in their award—of course I cannot say what its terms may prove to be: but that something worth while will be saved for Canterbury is certain. The award will be embodied in an act, which will at the same time clear up doubtful points in the bill as already past, amongst other things clearly stating that no refund of rents received shall be demanded.

The Militia have been relieved trom drill until further instructions. The Volunteers are going on steadily and have become a first-rate body of troops. I wish there was any chance of rifles being spared for Canterbury; but in sorrowful truth it must be said that the northern settlements have not sufficient for their defence, in which case none can think of pressing for any to be sent away. The Government fully recognise the high desirability of arming all the settlements, and have stated so in reply to a deputation which waited upon the Colonial Secretary from the Southern Volunteers. It is proposed to apply £30,000 to the purchase of arms (the amount being fixed by the Defence Committee) and each province will have a share of this amount specially appropriated to its service. Under the impression that if arms were supplied in abundance men would be found to volunteer to use them, at least 500 stand of rifles will be asked for for Canterbury. Drill instructors will also be asked for, and the necessary equipment of an artillery force. Friday, September 6. The General Assembly has speDt, since last mail, a month of comparative dulness. Ten of its members have been absent, and on their departure the struggle for power was ended by consent. Though a great deal of work has been done, it has been achieved in a somewhat slovenly fashion: the debateable questions which- have arisen for the most part dividing the House of Eepresentatives into unexpected and anomalous parties, and the House and the Council playing at cross-purposes with one another. The New Provinces Bills (of various kinds), and the equally varied Audit Bills have been lost and won in this way. In fact, the one great question which absorbed attention in the earlier months of the session—the native question— having been partly settled and partly withdrawn from consideration, the strong opinions held upon other points of policy began to produce their effect in dissolving the solid and equal ranks opposed to one another, and a sort of chaos followed, out of which there was not time or opportunity to construct a new organization. A dry catalogue constructed on this last day of the session will best show what has been done. The General Assembly, during the three month's of its late session, had before it in all fifty-eight measures : of these, thirty-four public and three private bills have become law, and four are reserved for Her Majesty's assent; one (Land Claims Extension) lapsed before the select committee of the House of Representatives, to which it was referred; thirteen were rejected or allowed to die in various stages of their progress through the House, and three in the Legislative Council. Not a few of the lapsed measures were in fact superseded by bills brought in for a similar object under a different form: the audit bills of the Stafford Ministry for instance.

The public acts which have passed are as follows, with the date of their passing:—

1. An act to enable certain commissioners (Mr. Justice Johnstone and Mr. Henry Sewell, at Taranaki) to examine witnesses on oath. 3rd July.

2. An act to define the boundary between the provinces of Cauterbury and Otago. 15th July.

3. An act to amend the law relating to advances bona fide made to agents intrusted with goods. 15th July.

4. An act for amending the ' Weights and Measures Ordinance' (adding Troy weight to those previously specified). 30th July.

5. An act to declare that certain statutes (the Summary Proceedings Ordinance, Summary Convictions Act, and Summary Proceedings Improvement Act) do not apply to civil cases. 30th July.

6. An act to extend to the province of Marlborough certain provisions of the Naval and Military Settlers Act, 1860. 9th August. (Reserved).

7. An act for the naturalisation of certain persons in the colony of New Zealand. 9th August.

8. An act to amend the ' Ordinance for the relief of persons imprisoned for debt' (permitting persons taken in execution under process of the Supreme Court to apply for discharge at any time.) 15th August.

9. An act to amend the 'Jury Amendment Ordinance ' (making publication of list in newspapers unnecessary). 17th August.

10. An act to amend the' New Zealand Company's Land Claimants Ordinance;' (limiting claims to 31st December, 1861). 17 th August.

11. An act to regulate the practice of the profession of the law in New Zealand; 29th. August. (To come into operation Ist October).

12. An act to authorise the issue of a grant for certain land to H. C. Balneavis. 3rd September.

13. An act for authorising the issue of Crown grants in certain cases of lost .land orders. 3rd September.

14. An act to amend the 'Registration of Electors Act, 1858/ (simplifying the form of claim to vote). 3rd September. . 15. An act to explain and amend the ' Canterbury and Otago Boundary Act, 1861.' 3rd September. 16. An act to authorise the preparation and the interim validity of amended standing orders for private bills. 3rd September, 17. An act to continue the Arms Act, 1860, to the end of next session. 6th September. 18. An act to apportion the public debt of Otago and Southland. 6th September. 19. An act applying the Waste Lands Act, 1858, to naval and military settlers in Hawkes Bay. 6th September, 20. An act to amend the Nelson Waste Land Regulations (as to reserves for settlement and mineral lands. 6th September. (Reserved.) 21 An act to grant land orders to certain immigrants into Auckland. 6th September. (Reserved.) 22. An act to regulate the descent of lands held by persons of the native race under title derived from the Crown. 6th September. 23. An act to prevent the importation of diseased cattle. 6th September. (To come into operation on a day to be proclaimed). 24. An act to provide for the audit of accounts of Provincial Governments. 6th September. 25 An act to amend the Public Debt Apportionment act, 1858. (To alter the debt of Canterbury and Otago.) 6th September. 26. An act to amend the New Provinces Act, 1858. 6th September. 27 An act to amend the Customs Duties Act, 1858*. (To permit drawback on wine, &c, lor troops.) 6th September.

Gtlfse At"m'bV° PrOtCCfc certaia im P°rted animi's. 29. An act to divide the province of Auckland tombed provincial electoral districts. 6th Sep--30. An act for the due rendering of accounts by official administrators ceasing to hold the offi * f Registrar of the Supreme Court. 6th September. 31. An act to provide for the settlement of certain pensioners' claims. 6th September. 32 An act to amend the Auckland Immigration Certificates Act. 6th September. 33. An act for the taxation of costs on private bills. 6th September. 34. An act for giving effect to regulations under the Land Registry Act, 1860, and for amending the said act. 6th September. 35. An act for correcting surveys of land (by district registrars). 6th September. 36. An act to amend the Civil Service Superannuation Act, 1858 (entitling officers appointed before August, 1858, to retiring allowance without medical certificate), lith September. 37. The Appropriation Act. There were also four private acts passed:— 1. The New Zealand Bank Act. 2. The New South Wales Bank Act. 3. The Dun Mountain Railway Act. 4. The Picton and Wairau Railway Act. Reserved. Of this long series very few deserve special mention. The Diseased Cattle Act is a remarkable specimen of the mode in which the Assembly deals with subjects in which the whole colony is concerned generally and each province is separately interested. The subject was taken up very warmly early in the session; a select committee was appointed to consider and take evidence upon it; the committee reported, and a measure was introduced accordingly; the bill hung fire dreadfully in its earlier stages, and on going into committee was so altered by its introducer as to require reprinting. One idea after another was proposed, accepted, embodied, discussed again, rejected, and replaced by a new suggestion. It was clear that the House of Representatives did not know what principle to apply to the case, and the confabulations in committee wandered over all possible objections to all possible propositions, from the dreadful hardship of excluding cattle in which money had been invested, to the dreadful hardship of admitting cattle under any conditions whatever. At long and at last, after giving ample time for the infection of every province from south to north, the people's representatives agreed to a measure which permitted importations only from such ports as should be proclaimed clean, and eased the hardship to English importers by permitting their cattle, if shipped before the act could be known in England, to be landed on inspection and kept in quarantine so long as necessary. Thus the bill went to the Lords, and my Lords, taking it into their best consideration, some time after sent a message back to say that they had agreed to it' with admendments.' The 'amendments' proved to be a new bill altogether: it is not too much to say that a critical eye could scarcely find a sentence the same as it had been; the very shape and size of the measure were totally altered. As these 'amendments' transpired only a few days before the session closed, the two houses had barely time to confer together, when some of the old ideas of the Lower House were grafted upon the new stock of the Lords, and the act which is gazetted is the result. The powers given to the Governor have since been delegated to the Superintendents.

The discussions on the Provincial Audit Bill were referred to in my last letter; the bill was at the time in committee. It passed finally in the shape as it then stood, with one or two alterations. The resolution of the Council, authorising a prosecution, must be carried by not less than three-fifths of the whole number of members, instead of by a mere majority; and the act is to be in force for about five years. The Legislative Council made no amendments.

The Provincial Bill was taken as the subject of discussion, it being understood that a bill for controlling the expenditure of the General Government should be brought in, in the same form in which the first should be adopted. This was done, the Government introducing the measure; but. with a curious perversity, the House refused, by a small majority, to allow the Government to impose upon itself any such restrictions, and the second reading of the general Audit Bill was rejected. Mr. Richmond's Money Control Bill, which attempted to restrict both General and Provincial Government expenditure in another way, had before this been thrown out.

The bill to repeal the New Provinces Act had been rejected, as you are aware, though Mr. Ilichmond voted for it, and every man in the House admitted that the act in question required very serious reconsideration. Those who have suffered by the New Provinces act are responsible for preventing the House from recording a strong expression against it. The repeal being lost in the Lower House, a suspension bill was presented to the Lords by Mr. Watts Russell, but by a small accidental majority, leave to introduce it was refused. The next step was to make those amendments, at least, which were generally admitted to be desirable; and to this attempt most of those who opposed the principle of the act were induced to assent as a last resource, while a few would not suffer themselves to record a consent even to the amendments of the act. Mr. Cracroft Wilson introduced the amending bill, which, after some alterations passed, fixing 201 as the minimum number of electors who must sign a petition for separation, and requiring a copy of the petition, with its signatures at full length to be published for eight weeks in.the old province, to prevent or expose fraud. Thus the law stands now.

Botli Houses took a mild interest in the Protection of Animals Bill, which must not be called a game law. There are no classes privileged to shoot, but all and sundry are forbidden to kill within certain periods, and for some birds and animals the protection of a lengthened term of years is given, during which they are to be safe from the wilful destruction of man.

Two acts of the series, 15 and 25, put Canterbury in a somewhat better-position with respect to the boundary question than the first act placed her in.

The rest of the acts are • for the benefit of whom they may concern,' and the discussions of the Legislature upon them are fully recorded in the ' New ZealanderV reports.

The estimates of the current year have been passed by the House of Representatives without much alteration, a strong majority steadily rejecting the additions which private members are always ready to propose to this and that salary. Among the new items is one under the postal head which is of some interest to the sea going public. A sum of £400 is devoted to the inspection of mail steamers, for the purpose of periodically ascertaining that they are in a state of efficiency and thoroughly seaworthy in every particular. This is done by virtue of the contract existing with the Company, and is but one step in the right direction; it should be followed by an act of the Legislature, empowering the Government to inspect all steamers carrying passengers upon the coast of the colony. I believe the appointment of Inspector has been offered to Captain Johnson of the Airedale, to whose competency every one who knows him will bear testimony. Some months must necessarily elapse before the new machinery can be set to work. The Legislative Council has declared by resolution that Superintendents ought not to bo elected. It their Honors feel as deeply distressed at tins resolution as it is intended they should, it is open for them to retaliate by a joint and several declaration that the Legislative Council ought not to be nominated, and the rejoinder will be every whit as effective as the attack.

The Legislative Council recorded its high sense of Governor Gore Browne's ability and personal character in a resolution proposed by Sir Osborne Gibbes. And the House of Representatives a few days afterwards adopted an address proposed by Mr. Domett, not without" some doubt as to the exact force and meaning of the somewhat complicated phrases employed iv the composition, a doubt which

caused some members to leave the House rather than vote either for or against it. A select committee appointed to investigate Mr. C.W.. Richmond's conduct as a minister with respect to the war at Taranaki, reported that there was no ground whatever for suspecting that that gentleman had brought any undue pressure to bear upon the Government for the purpose of obtaining land at the Waitara. This decision was unanimously arrived at by a committee of a thoroughly mixed composition. Another select committee has within these few days reported upon Mr. James Bushby's curious case, in which an old land claim, Mr. Commissioner Bell, and the system of responsible government are mixed up in most absurd confusion. It; seems by the report that Mr. Bushby has a case which deserves consideration, but that as between him and Mr. Bell and the Constitution, there are faults on both sides.

Hie Audit Committee has brought up an elaborate and most valuable report, reflecting great credit on its members, Mr. Curtis, of Nelson, Mr. White ot Akaroa, and Mr. Pitzherbert, of Wellington. The Dejence Committee, after sitting in secret the whole session, has produced something comparatively insignificant. I enclose the text of both these documents, for they do not bear to be briefly summarised Ihe same may be said of some other interesting sessional papers, which go to fill a blue book of unwonted extent.

The session was brought to a close this morning, and the steamer leaves Manukau with the mail to-morrow, leaving but little time for a recapitulation of any but the leading events. Out of door news, as I have said, there is none, nor will there be till Sir George Grey divulges his peculiar policy, about which perhaps the greatest mistake that can be made is that it will be under present circumstances the same as, or similar to, what it was under different circumstances.