THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT DECISION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 302, 31 October 1864, Page 6

THE SEAT OF GOVERNMENT DECISION.

By the courtesy of the honorable the Colonial Secretary we have been furnished with the followingreports from the Commissioners appointed to determine the site in Cook's Straits most suitable for the seat of Government-.. As we have betore siated, it will be seen that Wellington is the pliice chosen :—

Colonial Secretary's Oflice, Auckland, 17th October, 1564. nis Excellency tho Governor directs tho publicaticn'.of the uccc mpunyiiig Letter, with its enclosures, from the Commissioners appointed to report upon a site in Cook's .Straits for tho seat of Government. William Fox.

Government Buildings, Nelson, 3rd October, 1801. Sir, —Wo have the honor to transmit to your Excellency a report upon the site for the neat of Goyernn ent of New Jicalnnd, in ( onh's Strait ; a subject which was subtiiitted for our consideration in the Commission With .which your Excellency honoured us, on the 2!! th of July last. . " AVe have tlio honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servants, Fiiaxs. WvnviiY, Josl-:i>ii Docsnat, ltoKAt.il C. Gunn, Commissioners for selecting a site for the Scat of Government. _ His Kxcellency Sir Georgo Grey, K.C.8., &'c:, <V 0., sec.

l»y ]lis Kxcellcncy Sir Guorge Groy, Knight Commander of the Most Honorable Older of tlio ]iath, Oovoinov ftlid Colninaiitler-in-Uiicfin and omt lict Majesty's Colony of ISew sSu;,laiitl ni.tl ils Dependencies, and \ ice-Autini-.i! of the same, &0., &c., ifc'c. 'J'o the most honorable ,Toso\i}i iSocko'r, member of tho Legislative Council of the Colony of' New SWli Wales ; the honorable .Sir Francis Murphy, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of (he Colony of Victoria. ; and I,'onald Campbell Gunn, Esquire: Where mi*, on the thirtieth day of November, one thousand ei»lit hundred and eixty-lhiee, the honorable the LcgrixlnUvc CoUtteii of New Zealand in 1 ar!i<im. (it did ret oho I liftt the address hci-eiiftm- eel ibi'tli should be presented .Vo !ne, and (lie saViie was accortliijgly 'hat is to say : " Idav it -plea'pe your Kiceliency,— "We, 1 lie Legislative Council of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, desire respectfully to express lo your lCxeellcncy our strong conviction that the time has arrived when it bus' become imperatively necessary for the. good g'dVernment of the whole I olony, and ioV tin; nuiinUnancu of its unity, (bat the permanent position oj tho Beat of Government should now be settled. " M'e are of opinion flint the just claims and various necessities of all parts of the Colony require Unit the teat of Government should be placed in a central position, that, ia lo suv, somewhere on the shores of Cook's " Wo desire that, the actual site of the Capital should he submitted to some independent tribunal, by which the interests of the whole Colonv may be impartially considered, apart from those local claims which are sure (o be asserted by the several settlements of Cook's Straits in the discussion of a question so important lo their respective interests. "impressed with the conviction tint continued delay iu (lie settlement of this question will onlv t. nd lo keep alive those feelings of rivalry and jealousy between different parts of the Colony, -which seriously impede the action of Responsible Government, and which threaten at no distant period the dismemberment of Iho Colony, we respectfully but

enrni'Etly pray that your Kxcelloncy will cause no time to bo lost in giving effect to (ho foregoing .Resoluliuns in such manner as to your Excellency may seem expedient." And whereas 011 the twenty-fifth dny of November, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, the House of Representatives of New Zealand in Parliament assembled, did resolve that the address liereatter set forth should be presented to nu 1 , ;uid he name was accordingly presented, that is to suy :— "May it please your .Excellency, " We, the Commons of .New Zealand, in Parliament assembled, desire respectfully to express to your Kxeellenev our strong' conviction that the time has arrived when it has become imperatively necessary ft)r the good government of tho whole colonv, and for Hie maintenance of its unity, that the permanent position of the scat of Government should now be dually settled. " Wo are of opinion that the just claims and varied necessities of all parts of the" colony require that I lie seat of Government should be placed in a central position, that is to say, t-omewliero upon the' shores of Cook's Strait. "Wo desire that theactual site of the capital should be submitted to some independent tribunal, bv which the interests of the whole colony may be impartially considered apart from those local claiiijs which are sure to be asserted by

tlio several settlements of Cook's Straits in the dis- ' cussion of a qliestion so important to their respective interests. ...• ■ ■ , . , i - ; - "Such a tribunal woiild in our - opinion be best' formed by commissioners having no interest in or relation with any part of the colony, and whose high social and intellectual standing should guarantee a full enquiry and an impartial decision founded sole Iy . upon a consideration; of the advantage which ti.v.. different sites in Cook's Straits present for the administration of tlio Government of the whole colony. ... "Wo venture to think tliat the Governors of thfc neighbouring Cbioiiie s -would, if moved thereto by your Excellency, readily lend their aid in the selection of such Commissioners. "We therefore respectfully pray that your Excellency will be pleased to request their Excellencies tho: Governors of New South Wales, Victoria,' and Tasmania,, each to appoint one Commissioner, of' tlie. character and for the i>urpdsc herein referred to; and that your Excellency will be pleased to submit for tiie consideration. of tlie Commissioners so appointed, the question as to the best site for tho seat of Government within Cook's Striijitsj . •" ..... "impressed with, the conviction that "continued delay in tho settlement of this question will only tend to keep alive those feelings of rivalry and jealousy between diirerent parts of the Colony, which seriously impede the action of Responsible Government, and -which threaten, at no distant period, the dismemberment of the Colony, -we respectfully but earnestly pray that your Excellency will causc no time to be lost iu carrying into effect the measures now submitted." ■

And whereas their Excellencies the Governors of New isoullt Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania aforesaid, have, iii pursuance of the iiforestiid Resolutions, respectively appointed —the Honorable Joseph Docker, Member of the Legislative Council of New houtli Wales; the Honorable ..Sir Francis Murphy, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of tlie colony of Victoria; and Ronald Campbell*Gunn, Esq.; to be such Commissioners as aforesaid. And whereas it is expedient to confirm such appointment under the hand of tlie Governor and the seal of the said colony of New Zealand. Now know ye, that I, reposing special trust and confidence in jour knowledge, ability, and discretion, uud iu exercise of - all powers and authorities in-this behalf enabling me, do i>y these Presents constitute, appoint, and confirm you, the Bilid Honorable Joseph Dockcr, Honorable Sir Francis. Murphy, and Konald Campbell Giinn, Esquire, to lie tiie Commissioners described br referred to in the said resolutions, to have and to exorcise all the powers, privileges, and authorities, urid to discharge all the duties therein severally set forth. ~ Given under my hand, at the Government House, at Auckland, and issued under j the Seal of the Colony of New Zealand, (ii.s.) .this twenty-ninth day of July, in the year of Our Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty-four. G. Ghey. * By Ilis Excellency's command, Wiixuar Fox. Government Buildings, Nelson; October 23rd, 186-1.

Tito Commissioners, acting' under the above reg cited instrument, have agreed to the followin report; — In order to guarantee a full enquiry atld an impartial decision, founded solely UpoU a consideration of (lie advantages wliieh the diii'erent sites in Cook's Strait present for the udininistratioti of the Government of the whole eoioliy, the Commissioners determined to lay down a priuaiple t of. inquiry which should lie rigidly applicable in, the ekainihatibh of every site submitted to then - investigation. This principle comprised inquiries into —

Ist. The central position of the site. Its accessibility either by land or sea from the adjoining Provinces of New Zealand, from the various liritirh settlements in the Southern Hemisphere, and from .Europe and America, and also the existing and projected means of communication. ,

2nd. The Water capabilities; comprising—'character of the Hiirbbur ; the approaches j cepth of water; nature of anehoriig2 ground ; protection from prevailing winds; rse and fall of tides; currents, their direction and velocity ; dangers, whether hidden or visible.

3rd. Land capabilities comprising the extent of proposed site; nntural formation of the land ; water supply ; facilities for drainage and sewerage ; facilities for the construction of .wharves and piers ; the sanitary condition of tlio site and neighbourhood.

4th. The resources of the surrounding country, its extent and character; quantity of available land (whether alienated of unalienated) for pastoral or agricultural pursuits; its timber tor building purposes and fuel; othet* building mMeriiils • ininer.il products ; roads and facilities of communication with proposed capital.

stli. Capabilities of defence : from attack by land, from attack by sea.

(ith. jN'atural disadvantages : whether capable of removal from the appliances of Science ; whether beyond control or removal.

The Commissioners commcnceil, their .labours at Wellington; oh tjle sblithei4i coast o? the North Island. They collected till the infonnation that, could bo laid before them, on these several heads of enquiry, and tested the information, so obtained, by pei-sonal examination, wherever such a course was practicable. 'Die Commissioners theii proceeded along the South Coast to "Whlii)gnnui, and personally examined the harbor and the f-Urruuiiding country. 'I he Cokntmseioh&is tneii passed to the . opposite shore of the Strait, 7 and .directb'.l theii- attention to Pictou, in ; the Province of Marlborough, aud minutely examined Queen Charlotte's Ijoynd and tl>Q j or y Ohnnnel. I hoy then proceeded inland to Blenheim find (descending by the Wairau river) made a personal inspection of Port Underwood, represented to be the natural harbour of this distiicU-. They uleu examined the pastoral distritts lying to thte Sotith and East of the Wuiraii. Valley: . . , Leaving Pie.toh, the Comrhißsfotaera "examined carefully the l eloriis Sound', to the i'own of ILavelock, in the same Province, a iul from thencp proceeded through the French Pass to Nelson.

Tiny made a personal inspection of Blind Bay, with its various harbors, including Croixelleß on the liast Short), and Massacre jjav.aiitl AstVolnbH Koddstead tipoti the. AY est; a'hd vis'lei porcions of the interior of the country.

Having thus made themselves acquainted, as far was practicable, with the character, and capabilities of both .shores of Coot's Strait, the Commissioners liavo arrived ut the unanimous conehuoor. that.

NVKI.I.IKf.TOKv v'OKT IVICllOLSON", is the site Upoii the shores of Cook's Strait which presents the greatest advantages for the administration of the Government of the Colony. The Commissioners cannot conclude the important mission which has been entrusted to them, without recording their high sense of the valuable assistance afforded to them in pursuing their investigation, bv the authorities of the various Provinces, and also of the spirit ot candor and impartiality which has been displayed by the gentlemen furnishing the information they required. They are desirous also of placing on record their acknowledgment of the courtesy and personal kindness received by them in every district which thev visited. J FRANS. Muiu'HY, Jt'SKl'll DOCKEU, „ . . ~ Konald c. 0-UN2S-. — October IS.