AUCKLAND.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 618, 10 December 1863, Page 9 (Supplement)

AUCKLAND.

(from a correspondent.)

m , ■ 30th November, 1863; The session is waning to. its close, and business rather than discussion is the ord 3 r of the day. Since I last wrote you the greVt debate of the session has taken place, that on: Mr Fitzgerald's- motion for the removal of the Seat of Government to Wellington. Mr Fitzgerald moved the resolution in a very long speech, a considerable time was then wasted in technical discussion on points of order. Mr Cargill seconded; the resolution with very.few remarksindeed, m the course of his sp tf> c b, Mr Fitzgerald forgetting that, some of "the <Otago members were supporting him had ; pitched^right and left into Otagtf, leaving,' of course, thl; deduction that his Otago allies, were not faithful to; the- interests of iheir Provinae; Mr Stafford moved an amendment to the effect that it inopportune^n^ account of th native difficulties to discuss the subject this session. ; M^^^,at.. great length, treating, the subject in a" really masterlyTmanner^T-shbuid^ay.; his 4s'one 4the . best, speeches :-ot;.-.thV ; 3essibn... Mr Stafiord rarely goes .in for "oratorical display, but what he- says, is always .^ad..considered and to the purpose. - The debate continued until two o cloeic—when a division- showed that the Wellington party wa? just victorious by the votes of the four ■fifSi Ota R°™€mbers. The next day, a vote was forced through Committea: of Supply for the necessary government buildings".-; You will observe that I have spoken throughout of this as a question of .-removing --the seat of government; to, Wem.ngton aUhoughih^'resolution-'OHtsnsibly-'provided-'forw^^^^ commi sion to decide between the chances of Wellington, Nelson, and Picton. This is. however a mere pretence, which d-ceives no one but the stupid Nelson and Marlboroujjh.men, who have been fools enough to fe 1M% the-h^ d3M? f- th 3 Wellington schemers. With Mr Fox in the Ministry, and other. influen6eswhich the Wellington party' can b' ing to bear and from which no feelings of scruple will deter them. Wellington is certain to be the place selected, and' the JVelson and Picton members will find themselves soldi•"■ -•• .: ' -'■-.;■ '. .

But it is not to be supposed that Auckland will ; stand tamely by aud s?e its rights conspired against by at most some dozen or two dozen as unscrupulous doliticians as ever got up a similar organi- " sation. Tlie resolution has , bom ■ its own ," fruits m the shape of a monster. League , which is organising in Auckland, to co-operate with " Otago to procure the separation of the two Islands with the^seats of Government at Otago and ■ Auckland. No exertions will be spared in giving effict to this purpose, and you may confidently rely on its ;b mg brought about. The league will not confino itselt to its ultira,ate,obj.ecJ;,J)ut-there are many ques— tionsofan interim nature with -Hjhich it will deal ' boy instance, the Wellington.party have it ihoroughlv at heart to secure Wellington. as the terminus of ' the Panama-Route. Indeed the Wellington organisation:depends_jnainly._upon steam boat1 influences. The fact is openly stated and not denied, especially in connection with two at least of your members who are doing all-.th.ey can to procure an: amalgamation- : between thes fiourrshing',Wellington Company, arid ' r •the mperfetlv matured scheme; known as the V taso ;i Company. Wei), the Panama terminus is one of the '" r things it is hoped the Wellingtoniana will secure to bring grist to the allied steam; company. ■ However neither Auckland or Otago. will consent to this, and'" ; it is not unlikely your Otago steam speculative mem- ' bers may find the alliance unratified, and thj whole edifice they have been at &b much pains to erect fall about their ears. . ■

Truly you^have some bright geniuses amongst your - members. You will scarcely believe me when I tell you that Mr Oargill has bsen gulled into pacing a Land Act th° : veiy reverse of that whirh the Provincial Council intended. • That curihus farrago of re- ' gulations, which ..wed their existence to Mr Careill were laughed out of Court by the Jaw officers h^re' and Mr Cargill, who had charge of them, was given to understand that he must be contented with somet^Myery different. Accordingly, two bills were pro- ' posed, the^ first authorises the sale of land by open auction. So far so good, but into this same bill was ' sipped two; clauses which,do neither more nor less than, give tree selection for any land within hundreds. Asthe-upset price is fixed-.at one pound, you have, thus free selection at.a pound an acre. Fortunately ~ the power is taken tt> raise to two pounds, so that the Act^may prove most excellent and serviceable.^ lie tact-will, .however, remain' that your member who had charge tftha bill/was quite unconscious of its purport., Whilst he thought he was providing for sales by auction, he has made this the secondary principle to a right of free selection over hundreds ' ■without notice being .required of the day token the : said lands are oven to selection. It is the omission of tins provision in the fifth and sixth clauses that gives the tree selection. The ninth clause provides when: " any two applications are made on the same day the land shall be put up to auction; but the sth and 6th clauses omit to state that applications will only be received when, the land is declared open for sale * Consequently the applications may be in-ide at any time, and the fifth clau3e limits the powers of v refusal "or the Waste Lan l B>arJ. The Land Act "'' Dumber two provides for an improvement tax bat' ' Bllows the purchaser the option of paying ■ an extra pound per acre, and getting his Crowu grant at once free from the tixation restriction. The second part of this Act deals witli old purchasers under the Otago Land Regulations who have not': complied with the Improvement. Clause. Those can either pay 10s an acre and get their Crown grants, o< relinquish land to the same value, or submit to the satie terms as are imposed on new purchasers I understand writs of intrusion will be at once taken out.by the Crown against those old purchasers who soThltlev^in Wf th/ + im P^em Peat condHfons/" s° t^the* will b3 T ioived to submit to one or other ? Sn,?^l6B^ W A«*^»b« two gives thentv 1 should say, however, that this Act Eas not vet bSi?wa e soHou3e' m there is ™"*v&