GENERAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tuesday, August 7, 1849. (continued from our last.) Crown Lands' Bill.

New Zealander, Volume 5, Issue 340, 11 August 1849, Page 2

GENERAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. Tuesday, August 7, 1849. ( continued from our last.) Crown Lands' Bill.

The clauses up to Iff were discussed, several agreed to, others amondid, and clause 3 postponed for further consideration. On motion of the Colonial Secretary Committee adjourned until Thursday, Colonel Hulme gave notice that he would on Thursday next move that the Legislative Council do resolve itself into a Committee and petition His Excellency to introduce an ordinance to facilit ite Squatting on the Northern District, and to extend to the natives under such rules and regulations as to His Excellency may seem meet the right to lease the waste lands, so tbat large t' nets of country shall be opened up for depasturing cattle. Colonel Hulme also gave notice that he would move on a future day that the Council do tesolve itself into a Commit cc to invite His Excellency to take into con* sidcratiou the conditions on which the Crown- Lands are disposed of at public auction, which he views as injurious to the prosperity of the northern province. Mr. Merrimai) gave notice that he would on Tuesday next, brii.g under the consideration of the Council the subject of the proposed introduction of Exiles into this colony. The Governor laid on the table the Estimates for the year 1849-50, and stated that he would reserve his observations on the same until Thursday. Couucll adjourned until two o 'clock on Thursday. Thursday, August 9. Phesent :•— The Governor-in-Chief, the Colonial Secretary, the Attorney-General, the Colonial Treasurer, Mr. Merriman, Mr. Barstow, Lieut.-Colonel Hulme, M.ijor Matson, and Mr. Krmpthorne. The Colonial Chaplain read the usual prayers. The minutes of last meeting were road, amended and confirmed. ' The Colonial Secretary presented a petition, signed by the Rev. G. A. Panton, on b-half of the Kirk°Session of the Free Church of Scotland, praying that the Marriage Oidinance (Se a s. 8, No. 7) might be so far modified ai to allow Presbjteiian ministers the same privilege to pei form the i ite of Marriage as that enjoyed by clergymen of the Churches of England and Rome. On the motion of the honorable member seconded by the Surveyor-General, the petition was read and recei veis. To His Excellency the Governoimn-Chiuf, and the Honourable the Legislative Council of New Zealand The respectful Memorial of the Kirk Session of the Free Presbyteiian Church, Auckland, Sheweth,— That while there ii in this Colony no Established Church, aad consequently no reason why one body of professing Chi Minns should have confcrted upou it the possession of rights and privileges to the exclusion of others, by the Marria^« Ordinance passed by th« Legislative Council of New Zealand, m the eleventh year of the reign of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, the rlijht to issue licenses to marry without publication of bands, has been conferred exclusively upon the United Church of E .gland aud Ireland and the Roman Cathc*. lie Church ; That while the Presbyterians of this Colony have done nothing to warrant any interference whatever with those lights and liberties which thpy enjoy m their native country, these rights and liberties have been, by the aforesaid Ordinance, seriously infringed : and many of. the Presbyterians, in consequence of iia partial, unnecessary, and oppressive restrictions have been subjected to much hardship, delay, and expenae, or have been obli ed to conform to the rites and ceremoniei of other churches, dud *>o to violate their conscientious religious scruples ; That while the Minis' ers of the Presbyterian Church receive no fee«, and hive no beneficial interest in th« solemnization of marriage, and while in the di-charge of their eccleiiastical and spiritual functions, they are controlled by, and answerable to, their ecclesiasticas superior alone, by the said Ordinance these functitfol are interfered with, and certain duties attempted to bu impoied upon them, a id enforced by legal pains and penalties ; That on all these and other grounds, the aforesaid Marriage Ordinance isagteat and oppressive grievance to the Presbyterians of thii Colony; and your Memorialists would respectfully pray your Excellency and the honourable the Legislative Council, to take the same into consideration, and repeal or modify its provisions so as tj piess unduly and oppiessively upon none ; and your memorialists shall ever pray, &i. Signed in name, and by the appointment of the Kirk Session of the Free Presbyterian Church, Auckland, thi» seventh day of August, eighteen Hundred aud forty-nine years,

George A. Panton, Moderator. Crown Titles Bill. On the motion of Mr. Merriman, seconded by Mr. Barstoiv, for the farther adjournment of the debate on this bill until the Returns reluting to the Land Claims were printed and in the hands of members, a long discussion ensued. Tho Colorilal Secretary thought that all the information to be derived from the returns could easily be acquired by a perusal of them in manuscript ; it was unnecessary, and might become inconvenient, to delay the bill unlil the return* were printed. The Attorney-General regretted that any delay should have been thought necessary in a measure of auch importance. However, it will be understood tbat the desire for postponement is not on the part of the Government, it comes from the other side of the house. The Governor, at the same time that he wished every information to be in the hands of members on the subject, could not hut view these returps at mere indexes, and that for fuller information members would be obliged to go to the tecordi themselves, Mr. Merriman had noticed one case, that of Mr. Busby's, in which it appeared that the grant had been altered since it had received the seal of the colony and been issued. Neither of the honorable members — the Attorney General or Colonial Secretary— on moving or secouding the bill, had referred tv this circumstance. ", The Colonial Secretary could not see any good that would arise from investigating the merits of every discrepancy in every grant— *3uch a course would cause a great deal of vexation to the claimants and much trouble to the Government. It would be far batter, instead of probing them afresh, to heal up all these old wounds, and to reconcile the differences too long existing by a sweeping measure at onc#.

The Surveyor-General thought that, ns a disease Whs admitted by the Colonial Secictnty, hshonoiable fiiciul would also admit that, in order to an effectual euro, the rxtent of it ahould be known. Although the Government were aware of the paitioulars connected with this question, yet the Council were not in possession of such infoimation as he, for one, thought they should have on this subject. After some other iemarka by the Governor and geveial members, the debate wa3 pobtponed n til Tuesday nexi-

Crown Lands Bill. On the motion of the Colonial becrctnry Counci resumed m Committee on this bill. The Governor submitted ecveial new clauses, which were read, and the couiideiation of them defened until ft future day. Clauses 17 and 18 were amonded, ar.d If) to 29 were agreed to. Clauses 30 aud 33, were amende and 34 was agreed to. A discussion was raised by Mr. Barstow on the reading of the 35th Clause, which authorised the wardens to impound cattle lound tiespassing on tho Crown lands, whether such lands were fenced or not. He said that the cattle of settlers running upon their own unfenced lands might readily go beyond their boundaries, tiespass upon the lauds of the Crown, and be impounded ; while the cattle of those holding licenses might roam upon the unfenced lands of the settler with impunity, ihe latter having no redress, although his tun was barely sufficient to maintain his his own cattle. lie contended that landowners within the hundred should have the same privileges for their own protection as waidens bud for that of the Crown. Mr. Merrimnn thought this consideration would induce settlers more speedily to reclaim their lands and bring tliem under cultivation. The Governor thought that the difficulty might easily !>e oveicome l>ete,(as it was mother colonies, by the setJjer tluowing his unieclaimed lands into the common, taking out a license for depasturing, and tin n he should fjc entitled, in proportion to the quantity of the land he added to the common stock, to have so many hend of cattle raora than his apportioned number upon the general run. Mr. Barstow thought that the scheme was practicable and feasible. Clauses 34 and 35 were then allowed to stand over for fu» ther consxleiaiion. The Governor proposed to introduce a clause to bring the public loads within the meaning oi the Ordinance, so m the Wardens should have control over unlicensed c-itlle roaming on tl em» and so biing a gieat deal of the land laid out at. roads whit li were not yet made, into the depasturing common > Major Matson objertul to allow c»Ule to depasture on public roadi, us a great deal of mischief would be done by them to nenly made hedges, and to partially enclosed plantati* ns and meadows. lie thought that the tcttler should be piolected from half-starved beasts, the property of pi rsona who made no pioviMon for their keep, but turned them out, tinder the cover of a license, to live upon the settler's cultivations. The Governor made the proposition with a view to prevent the evil to which the gallant member alluded ; he thought that by his plan the wardens would become the pioper conservators of the roads. Mr. Bdrstow agreed with the gallant member that great hardship would be enclutcd by settlers were cattle allowed to depasture on the ro.ids ; he would ouly give the wardens p^wer to impound caLle lound running upon them. The Committee then adjourned. Colonel Hulme rose to move the reiolution of which lie g*ve notice on Tuesday. He had now become so closc'y identified with this countiy, that he hoped he might be allowed to say he felt great interest in its prosperity. Nothing, he thought, would tend bo much to the general 'good and welfai c of New Zca s and us the opening up of its lands to the occupation of European settlers and squatters. Cattle owners > in the adjacent colonies would be induced by our glaziers and trMtiberfl here to bhip their herds to us, and on their arrival encouraging prices would be realibed, for wo would hate lands on which to place them, where, in the course of time, their condition would be improved, and our markets supplied with the fine wholesome savoury meat that the grasses of this country are 6o well fitted to produce. As the country would be opened up oar herds would extend themselvet over it i aud the opportunities llidtev ry day experience would afibrd the natives of becoming ai quainted with the management of stock, would soon induce them to become stockholder and shepherds themselves ; and in such a way the ancient New Zealand warnor might be taught to lay aside his musket and his tomahawk, us well as every warlike notion, and seek a knowledge of the implements and the emp'oyments of peaceful industiy The gallant member concluded by moving that his resolution be adopted. Mr, Uarstow rose to second the motion, but tie did so on somewhat diflbient giounds from those just taken up by the gallant mover. He thought that it was most dmrable that the county should be opened up to graziers, not altogetlu r to induce the importation of fresh stock so much as to the preservation and increase of the cattle aheady in the country. Many settlers had suffered loss from want of sufficient runs on which to support their stock ; and lie knew one person who had six head of cattle died from actual starvation. This was too bad in a country where such vast tracts of land he unoccupied and unused. He knew that the increase of stock was seriously retarded ; he himself, was obliged to kill his calves, rather than risk the attempt to rear them, and he knew many others who had to similarly make away with the offspring of their cattle for want of runs on which to place them. The opening of the country would prevent the necessity for the importation of stock, and keep within the colony a large amount of money annually sent out of it for the purchase of our neighbours cattle for our own consumption. Mr. Merriman would give the motion his cordia ■up port. What he would wish to see was an ordinance passed to settle the question and to assure the settlers that the country would be thrown open to them for squatting purposes. He believed that iucli a measure wa« actually needed for the preservation of what stock we have. He knew a. settler who had lost eighty head of oattlc during the last winter from starvation, being so far exhausted as to be unable to extricate themselves from swamps in winch they were bogged.— Many persons were quite ready to make arrangements with the natives under whatever just regulations the government might establish ; and he thought that some •wise and safe method might be divised, by placing the power of negotiating in the hands of some prudent officer through whose bands the whole matter should pais, and in this way avoid any possibility of dispute between the settler and the native. The Governnor said that the resolution as it now stood could not be entertained by the Council — but he thought that they might readily adopt a different one, which might answer the ends aimed at, and be IeBS objectionable. A« it 6tood he could not advise its adoption, for this reason that it involved a question that was one of universal interest for the whole of New Zealund, South as well as North; and although the General Legislative Council of the whole islands

bad power vested in it to adopt resolutions on this su' jfot, vet as this Council did not repicscnl the whole islands, it could not entertain a subject aficcting the entire country. He had incurred a serious responsi. bility in summoning the Conncil in such a hurriol mannei ; but he had done so under a peculiar and very pressing emergency, affecting this Piovinre alone ; and in the absence of any member to represent the other province, he did not think that members should press the intiotluction of subjects of a seneial natuie which could not he entertained. He could see that the gallant mover wis not fully aware of the client of his preposition. What he (the G >vernor) would advise was, that the Council should firat &o into Committee, and appoint a -ul> committee to draw up nn address to the Governor, embodying every argument and reason that could be given for the adoption of what the Committee desired to see a< complished, liecause iuch addieis might have weight elsewhere, and then lie would be able to give a distinct reply lo th. n proposals. If it were requested, however, of him to introduce an ordinance to carry into effect what had been proposed, he feared that he must give to such request a negatire ; for believing that it would be impossible to act upon such an ordinance , he could not agree to introduce it. He thought that regulations on the subject, which he had power to make, should first be tried, and impioved as time and alieied circumstances would call for improvement. He believed that more general satisfaction would thus be afTculed, than by an impolitic attempt to legislate on a subject where such va ied interests were at stake. Ten gmilemen assembled here might proceed to enact laws on this question, in which nearly 100,000 native people, as well as many Europeans, were deeply concealed ; but were they sufficiently acquainted with the feelings of those people on the suhjecc to be sure that their laws vvouHl give satisfaction. He thought the bt sfc way would be to proceed in this matter by slow degrees. The Attorney-Genet al' thought that ull the gallant Colonel rtquiicd was already piovidod (or by the Crown Lands Bill. Mr. Mcrriman. — No ; what was desired was that the power of leasing should be grauted to the natives also. Mi. Baistow had heard from a gentleman who had been in search of runs, that the Government had none of sufficient extent to run any great amount of cattle. The Surveyor General said that there was an error in that statement, which the returns on the table, called for by the hon. member himself, would show. Within forty miles of Auckland, on the southern banks of the Manukau, there were several extensive districts well adapted for grazing purposes, owned by Ihe Crown; and honorable members must have foi gotten what had been alie.idy slated to the Council, that other large districts were about to be acquiied. C.ittle had not yet reached the extent of the Ciown I" mis in this neighbourhood, he believed that they had only advamed about Unity-live miles fioin the town, lie could easily understand how it was that cattle had perished during the last winter ; it was not fiom stai va<lon — but fiom weakness brought on by the voyage to this place, and the severity of the weather when landed here, so that they were unable to bear up against the inclement nights and days to which they were wholly ex. posed. A great deal that has been said by honorable members upon the sudj< ct of the scarcity of cattle runs and food for stock has been uttcrod fiom a want of knowledge of the actti >1 state of the country, for gentlemen residing in Auckland who ncvci visit the country districts can know little on tbo subject on which they have spoken. The Governor said that the Surveyor General was. quite light, and he could himself have st'iled that all (hat had been said wa, not exactly as the case •tood. lie had visited the districts adjacent and he never had *een a countiy better fitted for gn zing. He might have replied to an honorable member who had said that fheie we-e no squatting regulations in this country, and pointed to those embodied in the Crown Lands Bill which he could confidently btate were moie liberal than any similar i emulations in any other Biitisb possesfcion. Several other observations were made that he might hava replied to, but he wos more desirous to keep in view the wish of the gallant member, and to point out some way by which what he desired could be most effectively and safety accomplished. Hii Excellency then suggested alterations in the wording of the resolution, which were mude, and said that it he believed (thtit it was then as the gallant colonel me/wit it to stand. Mi. Kenapthorne wished to know whether ho understood His Excellency to state that he saw a difficulty in allowing settlers to Kase the natives' lunds ? The Governor said, that to answer that question would be to do away with the necessity ol the address. He believed that the feeling in England was, th.it a rent should be paid by the Government to the natives for tbeir lands, annually, aud that in this way the country might be opened up to Europeans. The motion was then put as ameu.lcd — tlmr, "That the Legislative Council do resolve itbdf into a committee to prepare an address to Hii Excellency the Governor-in-Chief, requesting him to extend to the natives of New Ulster, under such regulations as to His Excellency may seem meet, the right to lease thenwaste lands to Europeans, so that large tr.icU of country shall be opened up for depasturing cattle." On the motion of Colonel Hulme, the following members weie appointed a committee to prepare an address to the Governor on the subject: — Mr. Merriman, Mr. Barstow, Colonel Hulme, Major Mjtoon, and Mr. Kcuapthorne.

Estimates. The Governor then laid on the table the Appropriation Bill for the year 1819-50, and proceeded to lead his Financial minute. Gentlemen of the Legislative Council,— -In laying before you the Estimates of the probable cxpendituic of the Province of New Ulster for the year 1860-51, I feel much satisfaction in congratulating you upon the steady increase which, for the last few years the revenue of this ptovince has continued to make in each successive year, as also upon the fact that the revenue and expenditure are now so nearly equalized, that there is every probability that within a very moderate period of time, the revenue wll amply suffice to defray all the legitimate expenses of the Civil Governraent. The varioui amounts of expenditure which it is proposed to incur upon account of the several services stated in the Estimates, will be so fully discussed by the Council when in Committee, that I shall upon the present occasion refrain from troubling you with these details, and shall confine myself to directing your attention to those general principles on which it is proposed to conduct the financial policy of the Government, an acquaintance with which appears essential to enable you to afford me your advice and assistance in reference to the details contained in the Estimates, when these are brought under your consideration. You are aware that the revenues of these islands are at present principally raised from duties of customs, which are imposed upon nil imported articles which are actually retained in New Zealand for the purpose of consumption in the country. These duties consist at present of certain hxed duties upon spirits and tobacco, aid of ad valorem duties upun all other articles.

It was necessary, in the first instance, to adopt this system of ad valorem duties, in oidpr that the cxpelienoo of a few years might establish the average quantity and value of each description of goods winch was likely to be annually consumed in these markets, and that the Government might thus be lumishcd with the necessiiiy data for calculating what amount of paid duty should be imposed upon each article, with u view to laising in the whole a revenue ad( qu Ue to the rcfjuii emetits or ilie^u colonies. Although it was olent that the sy*te<n of ad vnloion duties, was not one likely for any lengthened period of time to be tatihl.ictoiy to the community, yet lor the le.isoiia I have above stated mid for others, it would not only have been difficult in the fiisr 'nstnnre to have intioduced a complete s^s'om of fined duties, but I think ihiit even for some tune to come, such a system cannot be ini reduced, in n complete form. Indeed many yeurs must piobnbly elapse befoie the necessary warehouses and conveniences for the storing and examination of goods, which would form a necessary part of such a by-tern of fned duties cau be established in many of the ports of these ialinls. I have, however, always i'elt that it would be desirable at the earliest possible period to replace the pre sent ad valorem duties, by fixed duties of customs, to ag gi eat an extent as was practicable, end then from time to time to extend such a system of fixed duties, as the circumstances of the Colony would admit of such extension. With this view a Schedule of fixed duties which it was proposed to levy on cert.un articles was by my directions some time since proposed for the consideration of the Government of Uie Province ot New Minister, and since this Council h,is been assembled for the despatch of business, I have icccived a report of a committee of the Provincial Legislative Council of that Province upon this subject, which report I have directed to be laid on the table for your information, us it is my intention at a future period, to take steps for proposing to the Legislature, such a change in the mode of collecting the. revenue as I have above indicated, but Mich a proceeding on the part of the Government would I think rather have the effect ot increasing the amount of revenue raised, than of reducing it below the amount at whicu it has been estimated. I now proceed to make such remarks upon the proposed appropriation of the revenue for the year 185051 a3 will piobably be useful to the Council. In the first place you will obseivc that those salaries of public officers which have hitherto been usually charged upon tho Pailiameniary Grant, are now btated as a chaise upon the revenues of the Piovince. This arrangement appeared to be necessary because the aid afforded by the British Pailument for tho purpose of defining ih» salaries of officeis wa only temporarily so artbidcd, and it therefore appearid to be tlesii able at the fiist fitting opportunity to carry out the intentions of Pailidtnent by relieving Great Britain of these charges, and because the Pailiamenury Grant was made in aid of the revenues of the whole of New Zealand, and there appemed no reason why this Giant should be appropriated to paying the salaries of the Civil Officers of one Province, rather than the cone ponding (salaries of officers of another Province. In reference, however, to those officers who left Great Britain under a specific agreement as to the rate of salary they were to receive, I have felt it to be my duty to have th.,ir Salaries home upon the present eslimatos, nt tho rate which waa sp p cificd when they took office, without any reference to the amount of sal.iry paid to the officer* of corresponding rank in the Province of New Munster. But in the ciKeof the Colonial Secretary, who was appointed in this colony, J have felt it to be my duly to have his salary placed upon the estimates at th<s same amount which would under the existing state of things be paid to the Colonial Secretary of a Province if he were recently appointed. I cannot, however, but feel that there would be a gre.it degree of apparent hardship in placing the benior officfr of the Government, in so unequal a position in reference to other officers, and in making &o large a reduction in the salary of a Government officer after nearly six years of most faithful and uninterrupted service, and if the Council under these circumstances think proper to make this a peculiar case, I shall very gladly assent to such a proceeding. I think that (he preferable tule would be that officers' salaries Bhould commence at a stipulated amount, and then up to a fixed limit, incicasc at a certain rate for so many years service. Neither the revenue nor the establishments of the Government have hitherto assumed a sufficiently permanent and satisfactory form to enable me to propose, with any confidence, a plan of this nature for the considcraiion of Her Majeity'b Government; but if the Council should think proper in ibis instance to (establish the principle, that the salaries of the Colonial Secretary, and the superior olficers of Government, should increase at a ceitnin rate for each year's service, I will endeavour lo prepare and submit tor the coniideiMtiun of the Lords of the Treasury, a general plan lor u\v adoption of a similar punciule for the whole Government establishment. No appropriation has yet been made of the Civil List, which has been placed at the disposal of the Crown ; the Council will therefore find that no refer eucc to the Civil List has been made in the estimates. I felt unwilling to recommend any 6ucb appropriation of the Civil List, until the future form of the Institutions to be confened upon this country had been definitely arranged, and until some subsidiary questions connected with them (such, for example, as the question I have just raised for the consideration of the Council) bad been completely adjusted. The Couucil will observe that the sum of i? 262 has been placed upon the Estimates as the probable cost of the maintenance of the Governniant schooner " Aliert." This vessel is at piestnt employed upon the marine ■urvey of some of the Noithern fort*, being temporarily attached to H.M.S. " Acheron." I propose, however, that the " Albert 1 ' should be almost immediately placed upon the Manukau Harbour, and s>bo«ld there be employed in running between the northern and southern shores of that harbour for the transport of passengers and goods, such moderate rates of freight and passage money being charged as would probably suffice to pay at least a considerable portion of the cost of the vessel. I think that the Council would find that the vcsnlt of this arrangement would be, that a very large amount of produce from the Waikato and Waipa Rivers, which is now almost wasted, would find its way into the Auckland market, increasing our internal trade and the commerce of this port, whilst the increased facilities of communication with the interior of the country which would be afforded, would probably lead to the formation of settlements and stations in the interior, and consequently to a much greater development of the lesources ot the couutry, and to a greater amalgamation of the Native and European races. Upou the whole, I with great confidence recommend the Council at least to sanction the trial of this experiment fora period of twelve months. I believe that it will be successful, and that at an extremely small coat an advantage will be conferred up>n tlm Province, the full benefits of which it is at pioent difficult to fore see. Ainong&t the items of Miscellaneous expenditure

borne upon the E-Uin.ileg, there «i« Wo te I nni particuhily anxious to diicct th* <ittenti< n of tl-j Council. The fir«l of tlicsc is a cliai^o oi Xl I' < for the maintenance of schools, which iimoui'l is, i-t.ul' 1 / speaking, beyond the contiol of tins Council, b i/i^ the estimated proportion of one twrntn th oi tin: revenue, which amount is, under the drc. Hon. of She Governor and Executive Council, u"wli< Mo lo lly: purposes of education. It n.n, hoveve , »^« i .l »-.>"■■ i>> include 1 this amount imon ilio E-ain^ '?"". i i O"'T n -' the Council might h>p in wit, it iiTur-pi- r ■> ■"> -nit 'ss I to dispose of the wh >lo lcvcnim or f<ic Co <':u , f' m i "• think the Council wi'l feol vvilh imp. lli.it i.i ,' cr.ur.ti" such as thin, where th« prcar ma,i d llr vili<e in li<ib't<mts are jur.t «?mcii»mnr irom isi it" <>T h.ihai ii f > , one of Ihe lirst and most imp»it»nt duties of n Govern - ment is to furnif.li the most amj io and cVi lent moan s of education which it Uin in power io,.ff id, Jndc"«i, the sum of ahout £1200, which isboiwo ni on thr estimates for this piupose, is nierrifciflj' m Jii'.y inadiquate to attain the objects ro'iiciiiplalcd ; but 3 tru t that from the land fund, nnd fn>«>> other aoui I*1 '* ' available for this purpose, mlditional bums niiiy b<; obtained wh'ch will enable the Government largely hi assist the efFoi ts for the cdicmlinn of thf nuttve mc( , which are now being made with so much zeal; devotion, itii'i success. The other amount borne upon the Mibcellanrou ; Estimates to which I am anxious paitieularlv to dire<( your attention, is the proposed amouiit of fclOO'l .ii the annual contribution of thin Province Cor the put - pose of lnaiutnninjj n steam < ommunicalion between certain pnits in New Zealand, Should the proposed vote pa<n the Council, tin CJr, Yernment are prepared to kui lender (or the saniP object the sum of about £18 '0 per annum, al jitesen', devoted to the maintenance of the Government Oi i$ , and advertisements shall at once be issued lor tendei 1 ? for the conveyance of mails by Steam vessels bt-tncLMt vurious ports in New Zea'and, the Government Mmpljr re uinng coutracls to be fntcred into for the dclivuy ot the muils by a steamer of a tonnage agreed on «t Jluspecified ports on certain days, it bring left to tin; owner* of the vessel or vessels to make such uiuuigemenis for the transport of pnssengers and gooda a<« they may think proper. 1 tmst the Couucil \/i!I lend j me their aid in cunyitig out Ihi3 plan which I believe vrillmoie rapidly promote thedevelopcment oTlhe ici source* of Nt-w Zonland und the piosperity and welfare of its inhabitants than almost arty other proceeding which could be adopted. In fact I think that the establishment of an efficient steam communication of the nature I have dtsenbed will be the commencement r I a new era in thin colony from which the lapid rite oi many of its settlements would be dated. To the amount of the Miscellaneous Estimates wilr require lo {he added fiuch sums as the Council nmv think fit to award to Mr. J. b. I'olack io,- h\n losivn >n Kororareka which aio rcc< mmentledby (lie u v 'H";u v of State to the consideration of the Council. Vtu n , papers connected with this subject huvo hy mj diicc tionsbeen laid upon the tabh , and s.h<wli' tho C^i<-..' require any fuither infotmalion the uu'tici can> il llk_, desire it, be referied to the Coumutttt 1 . Plans and Estimates for the erection of a Wharf i-r Commtrcial Bay have been laid upon th(J '.able; =— Isy tl 2 kind permission of Lieut. -Colonel BoHon, ll>use plans and estimates have been completed by f'O <»rdnanc« Department,— l need not point mi* to the f 'on noil toe Ricat advantages and facilities wh'u-h wi.uld be alloidei to the commerce of this poit, by thy Ciccljon «>f u commodious Wharf in Comm°rpi-il ciuy it may be !.ufu ■ cient to slate that the subject has lorn; occupied tinanxious attentid'u of the Government, tlut vano 1--plans have been prepared and coniideicd, and thnt oi all these plans, that are now submitted to the Council (and vvhjitb is only a pnrlion of a very extensive, plan) I has appealed to combine, more than all othcrn, eificienoy, convenience, and economy, — ycl die estimated expence of constructing a wharf in Commercial B<xv upon this incomplete plan amounts to no less a sum • ban nearly nine thousand pounds. It would however be possible, by deferring to a hit' r period the filling m of a portion of the land lecovpral ftom the seii, ti avoid for the|present the payment ota consiilnablc portion of the estimated cost of thn wo k. flJoreovcr, by the sale of the land so recovered horn the 6ca, Government would probably ultimately icalize u. sum nearly sufficient to repay the cost of the wlnrvcs,—nevertheless it would l>e requisite in the fiist instance to incur a very large amount of expense. I think, however, that the advi'iitngei which would result to the commerce of Auckland by the erection of. the-c wharves would be so very greati that they wouKi justily the expenditure of a vi ly hrgo amount of iiio* ney. I therefore recommend the bubjact to Sh ) eJily considerution of the Council, who mi^ht (i^ r ha t )s a lupt a resolution to the. erTect, tint if tho GoveinmciiL should find it possible to conirnenco the woiln, nm) that the sums available Irom rhe Itunl fund m.d ottiur nources should prove inadequate to thu cut, then Unl if the Executive Government applied any poitiun ol i the revenue of the Province to Iho saiMU j)urpoic, the Council would approve nnd iali^ u'cii a piocLcdm^ i on the part of the Governments The Council will obsc>'«"; that (iit foal *;j!i.pr^iJ expenditure for the year 1800 — 0) is £l-> l.'O J i. sd. whilst the total Revenue <irnouut c io oniy «;23,if) leaving a deficiency ofX'ii^U -is. 6\i. whiclt will I- ■ supplied from the Parliamentary Giant should an. necessity exist for having rccouise to tliosc luudi., I Ui. should the revenue continue to improve ao if lu.hiiherto done, there can be no dou'it ti.at, in the 1850 — 51, it will amply biifibo to dot. ..7 a. I thj charges which are borne upon tlm (.strnato. The Coloniil Treasurer (?av« notice that on Saluiday next he would move the first reading of the Appropriation Bill ; and also that he would on the same day present a petition from seveiai denominations 01 Christians, praying for a modification of the 'MarruißeOrdinance ; and that he would move for all dcspare,he« on the subject of the said Ordinance that hid beeu received by the Governor from the Secntaiy of State. Mr. Merriman gave notice that on Saturduy next he would move for the following returns :— 1. Return of the estimated rece.iptn and expenditure of the Colony for the current ye<u- ; and a similar 0110 since the last return was published, in 18 iG, to the present lime. 2. Returns of expenses incurred at the Pcnsioneru villages since their formation, 3. Return of the expenses of the Victoiia, brig, ami Albert, schooner, siuce 1817, and how they have becu employed. 4. Returns from the Resident Magistiatc's Couit^ at Auckland and Howicic, showing the nutnbei of :.unimonses issued, and how disposed oi'. 5. Return of the number of Parkhurst boys inUoduced into this colony, and what became of them. Mr. Barstow gave notice that, on Saluiday next, he. would move for a return of all monies due by or owini* to the Government of New Zealand at the cxpiiation o>. the year 1848 — 9, shewing on what account and by whom any liabilities may have been incurred ; also the debtor and cieditoi account oi the land (und at thu tame time Council adjourned until two o'clock OU SatuuLi)