The New-Zealander. AUCKLAND, SATURDAY, NOV. 15, 1862. THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

New Zealander, Volume XVIII, Issue 1742, 15 November 1862, Page 3

The New-Zealander.

AUCKLAND, SATURDAY, NOV. 15, 1862. THE SUPERINTENDENCY.

Be just and fear not; Let all the ends thou aim’st at, bo thy Country’s, Thy God’s, and Truth’s.

A gruat deal of ingenuity,, the sharp device of “ small uttorneyism,” has been employed to convoy to the mind of the Auckland constituency erroneous notions of the causes which have brought about a change of sentiment with regard to the late Superintendent in the minds of many of the members of the Provincial Council who were ranked in tlie opposition, and erroneous n >t!ons also with regard to the position in which Alr. Williamson now appears before the electors. Those persons who have read his address of resignation attentively know that the reasons for his retirement from ollice were, first, that the passing of the “Native Lamb Act” by the (lencral Assembly was in his (Mr. Williamson's) view necessarily fatal to the system of dealing with the waste lands for the promotion of immigration now in operation in this Province ; and secondly, that as the well-known antagonism which was exhibited by the Provincial Council towards himself rendered any harmonious or united action of the Council with him unlikely, there seemed no prospect that the opportunity which the legislation of the Assembly, in reference to the “ Auckland Waste Lauds Act, 1858,” olfered for providing a substitute, for the forty acre scheme of immigration could be taken advantage of and improved for the advancement of the interests of the Province. The public welfare seemed to require that this antagonism between the branches of the local Legislature should be brought to an end, and as there seemed then to be no other way of attaining that object than by “ going in ” for a dissolution, or by resigning the ollice of Superintendent, the latter course was preferred as being the one attended with least inconvenience or danger to the public interest.

It has probably escaped the notice, or the recollection, of many persons, that when it became evident that, as a matter of Native policy, a new system of dealing with Native land would be certainly established by law, Mr. Wii.mamson, in Ids place in the House of Representatives, exerted himself to have the “ Auckland Waste Land Act, 1858,” modified in some of its provisions so as to adapt it, as far as possible, to the change which was about to take place in the mode of acquiring land for settlement. “The Auckland "Waste Lands Act Amendment Act, IsG'i” was accordingly introduced and passed, and it now only awaits “the “ signification of Her Majesty’s pleasure thereon” to be brought into practical elfect. There can be no doubt, wc think, that the Act will be assented to.

d'his Act contains many useful and important provisions. J t provides, in the li 'st instance, for the reduction of the period of residence for fortyacre land order holders from fine years to three years; it provides for the redress of the grievances of which many of the first naval and military settlers have complained, by placing them upon equal terms with their comrades who have obtained land orders more recently, and it frees them from the hard conditions of residence and expenditure in improvements which the terms of “the Wurr.vivmi Land Regulations” Imposed. Hut the most important feature In the new Act is undoubtedly the provision which it makes for the introduction of immigrants. Wo cannot better convey to our readers an idea of this new scheme than by quoting the following sections of the Act:—-

7. And whereas it is desirable to make further provision in addition to the provisions of the “ Auckland Waste Lands Act ISPS” for encouragement of Immigration from the United Kingdom and elsewhere (other than the Australian Colonics). Be it therefore enacted that every Immigrant who shall receive from the Immigration Board appointed as hereinafter provided. a certificate of approval of such Immigrant, shall be entitled to a land order, authorizing such Immigrant to 'select from any lands specially set apart tor Immigrants under this Act, after the following rate: — For each adult male, twenty acres of general country land, and one acre of town or village land. For each adult female, ten acres of general country land. For each child under the age of 21 years, one acre of general country land. And every such Immigrant shall be entitled to a Crown Grant for the land which he may have selected, upon compliance with the following conditions; — 1, The repayment to the Province of any sum or sums of money which may have been paid or agreed to he paid, or lent, or advanced by the Province for the passage money, or otherwise, at the request or on account of or to such Immigrant, at such times and subject to such conditions as may be prescribed in that behalf by the Snpcr-

intendent and Provincial Council of Auckland

2. The payment by such Immigrant to the Province, within ten years alter his arrival in the Colony, of the sum of £5 for the one acre of town or village land, and the sum of fc’2 for every acre of general land which he may he entitled to.

8. It shall he lawful for the Superintendent from ime to time to dclarc by Proclamation that a certain dock of Land therein described shall he set apart and reserved for Immigrants who may he willing to avail themselves of the provisions of this Act.

10. The Immigration Bound referred to in die 7th Section of this Act shall ho appointed by die Superintendent with the advice of the Fswnffee Council of the Brivire.

11. The Superintendent and Provincial Council of Auckland may make Regulations for the conduct of the proceedings of the Immigration Board referred to in the 7th Section of this Act, and for the Issue, Registration, and Transfer of Land Orders which may be issued under the 7th Section of this Act, and for prescribing the method and time of allotting or dividing the Lands which may be set apart under the Bth Section of this Act, and for prescribing conditions of occupation or otherwise, and'for any other purposes in furtherance of the objects of the 7th, Bth, and 9th Sections of this Act. Provided that such Regulations lie not repugnant to the provisions of this Act, and that such Regulations be reserved for the approval of the Governor.

The successful working of this scheme, as will be seen, depends upon the concurrence of the Superintendent and the Provincial Council. It may be worked most usefully, but not by any Superintendent or any Council between whom there existed so much antagonism as was displayed iu the last session of the Auckland Council. Is it necessary further to say that it was the assurance conveyed to Mr. Williamson that, in the future, no unreasonable opposition would be offered to him in the Council that induced him to think of resuming office, and to hope that he might continue, until the period of the existence of the present Council shall have expired, to be useful in promoting continued immigration to, and settlement in, this Province? Under no other circumstances could he have consented to a re-election ; and, as we have before said, these circumstances must be as gratifying to Mr. Williamson as they are honourable to the public spirit of the colonists who were able to sink party spirit and personal differences in their desire to replace in the post of Chief Magistrate one who has acquired knowledge of the duties of that office, and who has for six years diligently, conscientiously, laboriously, through good report and evil report, laboured to discharge those duties.