General Assembly of New Zealand.

New Zealand Herald, 24 November 1863, Page 4

General Assembly of New Zealand.

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

iirONIUV, 2311 V S BIT. The Speaker took the chair at two o'clock, five members being present. The lion. Mr. Meiuics asked, What steps the General Government propose to fake with the view of determining the best route for a trunk line of electric telegraph from Cook's toFoveauv Straits, and having the same construct -d at the earliest time. The lion. Mr. Whitaker replied that no arrangements had yet been made to determine the best route for a trunk line. It would be for the government further to consider the matter, and if the lion, member would ask his question at a future time he would be in a position to answer it. The lion. Mr. Menzies then asked, Whether tho General Government propose to fake any action with the view of having lighthouses creeted along the coast j at the various places where they are now urgently re- ' quired. " I

The lion. Mr. Whitaker replied that the whole subject ha 1 been referred to the Chief Marine Hoard. The part the government had to do was to supply money and the Hoard had the sole power to say where light-houses should be erected. A Message was received from the House of Representatives intimating that they had passed the Hill to amend the Religious and Charitable Trusts Act with amendments, to which they requested the concurrence of the Council, and also that they had agreed to the amendments of the Council ill the Bill to enable Superintendents of Provinces to hold lands as corporate bodies, the enquiry into Wrecks Bill, the Bill to rnnciid the Colonial Defence Act, IN(>2, the Xew Zealand Settlement Bill, and the Suppression of Rebellion Bill. The House also transmitted the Bill for the purpose of raising a C'.').000,000 loan. The Loan Pill was read a first time and the second reading made an order oft he ihiy •for to-morrow. The Rvligious and Charitable Trusts l!ill as amended was also ordered for second reading to-morrow.

ui-aiiu n. >1.1 -.||. s The ho.i. Mr. Whitaker obtained leave to bring in !l 13:1! to enable the Governor to grant to the Superintendent of the Province of Auckland the Government House and Grounds. Toe object of the Bill was state,l to be the carrying out of an arrangement made between the General Government and the Superintendent of Auckland to the ctfccl that the Government House, Arc., should be banded over to the Province for the sum of C2.">,rt;)(), the money to be used for the erection of a new Government House iu the domain. The lion. Mr. Sew,-!! having been satisfied that the Bill had no connection with the seat of Government, and need not involve a discission of the question. Leave was given to introduce the measure. Leave was granted to lion. Mr. Whitaker to bring in a Bill to enable the Superintendent of Wellington to purchase a certain piece of land lvar the City of Wellington as a site for the eivet'on of a Patent. Slip. Tile Commencement of Acts Repeal Bill was read a )'r.-t time and the second reading ordered for to-i lorrow. an 1 the NeNon College Trusts Act Amendment Bill was read a second t me, considered in Committee without amendment ; third reading tomorrow. Mr. Sewe'.l postponed his motion for the production of.papers conn , te i with Native ma'ters till Friday, and aided to it as follows Copies of all papers and documents referring to the withdrawal by the Waikato clii f- from the arrangements proposed by them to the Governor at the Nifiiruawnhia meeting i:i January last, namely, that the Maori king should j be the head of a Native Council, and that he should ! sen 1 the laws his council made for the Governor's - assent. 1 he Council a Ijourued at three o'clock.