No 51. Downing Street, 13th August, 1850.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 518, 2 April 1851, Page 4

No 51. Downing Street, 13th August, 1850.

Sir,— l. I have recived, and laid beforp (he Queen, your Despatch, No. 130, of the Ist of Octobei la^t. transmitting an Ordinance pnssed by youiself jind the Legislative Council of New Zealand, on the 23id of August, 1819, intituled "An Ordinance to regulatp the occupation of Waste Lands of the Crown in ilie I'rovirce of New Ulster ;" and I have received the Queen 1 * commands to signify to you that Her Majesty has been graeiouily pleased to confirm Bnd allow that Ordinance. You will communicate Her Majeity's decision to the inhabitants of New Zealand by a Proclamation, to be issued in the usual and most authentic manner. 2. Although 1 should not wish to dictate practical amendment* in a case in which I am disposed to defer in a great degree to your local knowledge and experience, there nre some provisions of the Acton which I think it right to make lome suggestions. 3. In the 12th Clause, which requires persons depasturing cattle on the Waste Lands of the Crown, to send in a return of such cattle in their posiession on the lit September in each year, and on which return the payments are to be calculated ; no precaution is taken against the subsequent depasturing on Crown Lands of cattle acquired after the Ist of September, or of cattle which at that da'e may have been depastured elsewhere. It appears to me, that without some regulation on thnt point, the Public Revenue might in mch cases be easily defrauJed, unless, tome peculiar circumstances should exist in the ense of New Zealand, of which 1 am not aware. 4. I further perceive, that by the 33rd Clause of the Act, the Wardens of the Hundreds are authorised to raise an Assessment not exceeding 5«. a head on j»reat cattle, »nd Is. on small. Such an ai^ssmint would appear to me to be very h'gh, if levied to id full extent ; but at the tame t me 1 do not attempt, at this distance, to expte*>s a confident opinion on such a point in opposition to the views of yourself and ol tl'e Legislative Council. You may probably have seen sufficient reason to feel sa'isfied that the power tliun given by the Act won'd not be abused, and I think it enough to draw your attention to the subject. 5. You exjT'BB jour opinion, that great benefits would result from legulaiions which would eutiust to officers elected by the inhabitant of a Hundred, the appropriation of that portion of the Land Revenue railed within such Hundred, which is applicable to the execution of Public: AVorks, such as roads, bridges, &c. 1 agree with you in the general principle of the measure which you propose ; and I cannot more clearly indicate to you my own views on this subject, than by referring you to tiiose which are expressed by tl c Committee of the Privy Council in their Report on the Ausltalian Conslitution. 1 enclose a copy of that Repoit, and it will explain to you the policy which I should desire to see adopted in New Zealand on this subject As it mijjht bu doubted, however, whe'her the .uopnaed faculty of dd.ilmg with part of the Land hules Revenue could be bestowed on the Hundreds

consistently with the Royal Instructions, I transmit to you uu nlditional Itoyal Instruction under the Royal Sipn Mannal and Signet, by which Her Majesty has beeu pleased to empower you to devolve upon the wardens or officers of the Hundred the expenditure of one -third of the gross proceeds of the revenue raised within the limits of that division. I hare, &c , &c, (Signed) Grey. GoTenior Sir Georjje Grey, K.C.B. &c, &c., &c.