GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NEW ZEALAND.

Taranaki Herald, Volume II, Issue 101, 5 July 1854, Page 2

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NEW ZEALAND.

House of Rltresentatives. Friday, June 2. The following notices of motion were given :—: — Mr. Mackay— For a Select committee to report on the present Duties of Customs levied in the Colony. Major Greenwood — For a return of the total number of Electors on the Electoral Roll entitled to vote for members of the Houso of Representatives of New Zealand, specifying the number registered for each Electoral District, on the completion of tho Electoral Roll for 1853. Mr. O'Brien — That a .Committee, consisting of Messrs. Monro, Fitzgerald, Hart, McAndrew, and Crompton be appointed to consider the best means of introducing the most complete system of Vaccination amongst the Natives ; and that such committee be empowered to take evidence on the subject. Mr. Hart — For the appointment of a Special Committee to enquire into the origin, nature, and extent, of the just claims, if any, of the New Zealand Company on, the colony of New Zealand. ■Respoksibije Government. On the motion of Mr. E. G. Wakefield, the House went into Committee, Mr. Porter in the chair. Mr. Wakefield commenced by saying that he had been told by members and others that his pioper business to-day, was to expound and explain something about which some of them knew absolutely nothing — to teach as a lecturer some unknown branch of political science. To those who asked what was meant by responsible government* he answered — government according to the principles and usages of the British constitution ; and in entering on the consideration of the application of this principle to the Government of the colony of New Zealand he might not improperly begin by reciting in a few words the A B C of the British system of Government, Having taken a succinct historical view of the origin and progress of the constitution in England, the hon. gentleman proceeded— The system may be described in a few words. The sovereign at his own free Mill and pleasure, chooses a certain number of persons to give him advice with respect to every use of his high authority , who are commonly, for tho sake of convenience, but not necessarily^ persons holding seats in the legislative houses. When the advice given by them [is unpalatable to the people as -represented in the House of Commons, the bad advisers ratire from office to make room for others who enjoy the popular confidence. Thus the sovereign escapes all rosponsibility and his office, being in no way elective, escapes all risk of suspension or disturbance. The advisers, the ministers, alone are responsible for everything. When they differ from the representatives of the people, instead of a conflict between the people and the sovereign, instead of angry passions and politiI cal strife, ending perhaps in revolution, some half-dozen gentlemen will walk out of a room, and another half-dozen walk in, peace is restored, and the people throw up their hats. Such is the opeiation of responsibility under the monarchial form of government. Being Englishmen they would prefer that form of government to any other. To a man they should object to direct responsibility by means of subjecting the Executive to election, and would erabract! tlu ,Mtem under which otv or more i<!si..l<iUH-> inwici a^ ciccicii, ami all cm-

cutive authority is invested in one nonelected head, himself irresponsible, whilst all responsibility rest 1 ) upon persons over whom the people, through their elected Representatives can exercise a sufficient and enduring influence. Arguing the applicability of this plan of responsible government to New Zealand, the hon gentleman proceeded to combat the Downing-street objection that, although well enough for England it was altogether unfitted for the colonies, by advancing the fact that it even now exists in every colony of England which enjoyo full repae6entation, and has a House of Representatives withont admixture of nominees, and which is occupied entirely or chiefly by people of the Biitish race ; and cited Canada, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. No longer then yesleiday he had read a notice o f the speech delivered by Sir Henry Barkly to the House of Assembly in Jamaica in which he states his intention to establish responsible government withou delay, because he is instructed to do so,, and because he regards this as one of the principal means whereby the disorders of the colony may be remedied. Her Majesty's Colonial Secretary the Duke of New* castle had declared in ihe House of Lords that the Government looked to the establishment of ministerial responsibility as promising means of restoring peace in tha colony. The House of Assembly at Jamaica was already in some measure composed of Negros, and the majority was soon likely to bo of that body, and he doubted the propriety of the measure ; but if the Negroes of Jamaica were fitted to exercise responsible government, surely the Gover« nor of this colony must that the colonists of New Zealand are not less fit. He then pointed out the difficulties which must beset the business of legislation where the representative body is deprived of all proper means of communication with the head of the Government, stating that he would be content, until perfect responsible government could be established, if two persons having seats in that house should be charged to explain and carry through the policy of the Government j and to conduct the business of the government when the session shall be over ; but, with the understanding that their tenure of office, as his Excellency's advisers, shall depend on the House' 3 approbation of their policy and conduct.— To such persons, so presented, he would tender all possible support. In relation to the difficulties that might be started to the adoption of the responsible system the hon. gentleman said— Let us suppose that his Excellency should in 'some way inform us that as an Englishman he has no objection to the principle of the resolution before the House, that as an observer of political evonts he sees what is the natural indispensable condition of representative government, and that he is ready to give effect to bis opinions , but that he finds difficulties in his way arising from the fact that ho now meets for the first timo a body o f men who arc for tho most part strangers to him; nnd that ho is ready to do his part if we do ours by presenting to him tho men capable of carrying on hu Government ; men, that is, of judgment and prudence, enjoying the confidence of tit is house, and willing to undertake thedutiesand rcinon" sibilitics of office ; if such a call were made on us, the Governor would put himself completely in tho right, and we should be put completely in th° wrong if we were unable to respond to the call. We should lose tho benefits wo aic Becking, by showing wo are not fit to enjoy them, His Excel" lency by convening the House had known his sense of the creditable manucr which the people have performed their duty as electors ; and also that he is not without confidence in tho members of the House of Representatives. Tho hon. Gentleman than went into a lengthened itatement in relation to the opinion that an act of Parliament would be required to establish Responsible Government and cited Lord Durham who when arguing the necessity of adoptlu; the responsible system in Carmtiu expressly declared that an act of Parliament if. not required, and that the change may be ncoomplislvd by a lew words in a dispatch. Having recommended 'oigiMiKW ot uli r.ait diffyjcnces the hon. Goatle-i

man urged on hi« deliberate opinion, that when a «et of persons who havo long served the public aro removed after becoming unfit tci gnin a living for themselves they ought to be provided for by tho public. Justice no less than policy demanded that proper provision should be made for office- holdem who may be removed by the operation of a constitutional system 1 and in concluding eaid— >Our business I think, la to bring tho question before His Excellency, in such a form and mannor that be must either comply with our wish.orstand in the unenviablo position of having consciously ditap' pointed the expectations and frustrated thcdelibor* ato wishes of the psoplo'o Ucpreoentativeo. This courieseemß dciirablu with a view to home, where there may be parsons jealous of tho high reputation which our new Governor is likely to acquire and, thcroforo willing to carp and cave! at a great performance, by him. Thereforol shall bo gladific sponsiblo gevernmr-nt bo prcDaed upon him by uo 'niuac of being originated by him. The Hon, Member then moved tho resolution the subjtanco of which wo gave in last weok's Herald. Mr. Carletan seconded the motion. Mr, Me Andrew naid, the Interest which the constituency ho represented took in this question demanded that ho fhould not glvo a silent vote. He conld havo desired that tho honourable movar should havo followed up his propositiou with a practical delineation as to the manner in which ihe principle assorted could be carried into effect. He fully appreciated the difficulty of tho position in which Hia Excellency tho Officer administering tlm Government was placed, as well as the motives which had prompted the honourable mover ill framing his motion ; at the same timo it was uselesß to shut his eyes to the fnct that unless tho Executive Government wns identified to the fullest extent with— and responsible to the fullest extent to that house — their meuting was nothing more than a so« lemn farre. Without such an Kxcutive the bu3ineis of tho country must come to a dead lock. < There were mcnßUics of vital importance which no private member could originate and carry out, and which would require the whole time, energy, nnd influence of the Executive Government. It had beon surmised that llicrcworo not gentlemen in that house qualified or prepared to conduct the Govern* ment. If such wore the case the people of New Zealand were not prepared for free institutions, and the Constitution had been conferred too soon. He felt assured that thii was not the case ; and that there were men in that house as well quulifled to oomposo an Executive as any out of it. It had been said they were unknown to each other, and that a Ministry could not be formed having the confidence of tho Housn; in other words that an Executive nominated by Sir George Grey, and irresponsible to tho House, would bo preferable to one ohosen from the representatives of the people, and directly responsible to the house. He decidedly preferred the lattor and won Id support tho resolution, Mr. Weld was prepared to Rive his earnest consideration to almost nuy lino' of policy havlug some consistency, some design. Any honourablo member opposing this motion would feel it his duty to propone some efficient substitute for responsible Government. He knew of no other intide of setting the whcela in motion. Representative Government without so much responsibility a» would on.sure unity of action, was, to borrow forcible wordß, a mockery and ft delusion. It was bis opinion that Responsible Government afforded our only liopa of an efficient and strong oontral powen He trusted that nil would stand together and do their duty to i their countryi Ho fell sure that the houso would j assumo a firm, decidod, yet respectful attitude ; and expressed a confident hope that the Officer nd» ministering the Government would by selecting amongtt those who had the confidonce of the house place the future Government of this couutry on a I sccuro and lasting foundation, (cheers) Mr. Uevans said ho thongbt the honourablo membor for the Hutt wub ontitied to tho thanks of the house for tho convenient manner in which ho had placed his motiou in their hands for discussion. For his own part he found no difficulty in arriving at a conclusion on the subject before them. He believed that representative institutions would be of j no benefit to Iho country tinloss accompanied by responsible government— >ono part of tho muchin* cry however baautifully constructed would be oso« lesa without the other. Ho oontondcl that nothing would more tent! to relieve His Excellency from embsrraismont and facilitate tho notion of his Government, than tho adoption of this principle, Never was thoro a chamber placed in such anomalous circumstances for carrying on busincas rs that houso. Canada had boon referred to, but there tho case was not bo bad, for members of Government had ex-officio eeata la the hougc; still they had sought for responsibility and took tho Mine road to attain it which had been recommended to tins hou6c, tho only road open to an Englishman to sccuro for his country those institutions which arc her glory and safety, (cheers) Mr. O'Neill had come down to the house with a mind not made up on this question, and had listened with tho greatest attention to the Honorabie mover, and from tho explanation given was rather disposed to offur no opposition to the plan proposed. Ho had doubted whether tho machinery of a responsible Government could be got into motion in the absence of a second great party ; and that to introduce it, and bo at tho tender mercy of ono set of men might poeeibly place' us in a worse posi« tiou than we were in before free institutions were introduced. If members feel convinced that there are materials for two or more complete parties, it would perhaps bo as woll to give tho project a fair trial ; and suppoaing the material found he bolieved this form of government would afford a great amount of security against misiulo. Thirteen yeara of misrule Here quite enough, and it was now to- he hoped that tho days of secrecy nnd error havo expired. Hodisscntod from the views of the mover that old servants of the Government should havo a pension— they had feathered llmr nests— for ton 1 or twelve years pwt they hud boon rccciviug- onor- I

innus jahrien— ho wnfl disposed to give responsible government ft fair irml, Mr, J.ee said lip would support (lie motion, but expressed lm d«.sire that tlic honorable movnr should inform the homo how the executive wni to be nppointed, nnd wlietbor the appointment would invoivo n re-election, Mr. Wakefiold explained by stilting what bad been done in Canada on the cMabli»hini< of rciponsiblp Government, Sir Clmrles Bugot havini? found hii Executive in v minorny in the House of Awmbly aeiit for one Or two meuibjrs of tho majority nnd charged them to form a Government, They recommended a new Executive Council re« taininjr somp of tho old members, nud making new ap|)oiiitineiiia to some of the highest offices. All wus dono without question or difficulty, anil tho machine winch bad stopped moved on again, the Government hiving a large majority in the representative body— the aamo thing might happen here— the appointment* would not accessary involve a reelection of the members, Mr, Forstiih regretted thnt honourable members had encumbered the question with romnrks which more propeil) belong to the abstract principle of responsible government than to tho practicability and expediency of its introduction. On the abstract qußntion thore could bo no difference of opinion, but it did not follow because the British Conslitu. fion in tho bent and the mo»t perfect that it is thcrcfoie in (ill respects adapted to every depiu- ; dency of the Empire. I run the risk of being conoidcred an enemy to progress and reform J hut no personal considerations shall deter me from express- ; ing my conscientious oonviotionn. I hold its introduction to be legal ly impracticable, though on this point I will not uponk dogmatically. There are members of the legal profession in the house, and they will know what weight to ntlaoh to tb.ii part ' of the argument. (Tho honourable pjentlemsu then ; referred to and rcail pnssngea from despatches of Eatl Grey and Sir George Grey to prove that it was intended that the Executive should be permanent and responsible only to the Crown) His Excellency j had avowedly taken a great responsibility upon himself in calling the houso together, and it would bo an ungrateful return if they were to mako this j demand upon him occupying at ho does the poiitif a of a " locum tonens," and not that of permanent Governor There was another point which had been overlooked— the righto of the natives— how would they bo affected ?— Would they', be ■»- tiifled with an arrangement which would tranofer those powers from the handi of the Queen to those of a party J Ho maintained that the principle of responsible Government could not with satety to the Interests of all clones be introduced without an alteration of some of the provisions of the Constitution, and must otherwise curtail, if not citing* uish, tho political privilege! of some daises of the community. Tho honourable Gentleman concluded by moving the following amendment, which was seconded pro forma by Mr. Sewell— That this home, being deoply convinced of the magnitude of the question of Ministerial Responsibility, and of the necessity that any steps in connexion with it should be taken calmly, deliberately and only after all the members shall have had full time for the due consideration of tho subject in all its bearings is ofj opinion that its first proceeding should be the appointment of a Select Committee I to coniidor and report upon the expediency of tho ' adoption of the principle referrod to, in tltogovorn- , ment of the colony, and the time and mode in j which, if such adoption should bo deemed expedient, it may be brought into operation bo as most effectually to attain tho object and guard tho interests and promote tho wolfaro of both races, and all classes, of Her Majesty's subjectß in Now Zea« land. Thnt it bo an instruction to this Comuiki tee to report at the earliest day that may be found consistent with the fitting discharge of its dutios ; but that in tho mean time the house will feel bound to proceed with those measures of practical and immediate utility which may appear best ca'« eulated to moot tlic present requirements of the colony.

The arrival of the Gazelle on tho 29th ultimo brought us the missing files of the Auckland papers. The "Marmora" from Sydney to Auckland had arrived at the last named port on the 18th of May with news fiom England to the Bth of March. Actual hostilities had not commenced but soldiers were being shipped off with all speed to the east of Europe. The command of the troops had been conferred on Lord Raglan better known as Lord Fitzroy Somer- . set ; and there remained no probability ' that the Emperor Nicholas would accede to the proposition of the allied powers. It is said that Russia will derive no .assistance from Austria or Ptussia, the former power having signified its intention to join the Western Alliance, but wishes to defer taking the actual step until the last moment. Most of tho steamers belonging to the , Companies have been chartered byGovernment for war purposes, and, some delay 1 must necessarily take place in the opera- , tions of the various lines. The reply of the Emperor Nicholas to the letter of the French Emperor was, according to the " St. Petersburg Journal" in the following terms. " If His Imperial Majesty extend his hand to me as I extend mine, I ara ready to forget the mortification 1 have experien1 ced hard though it be. < " Tben, and then only, can. I discuss the

subject treated of in Ills letter: and may perhaps arrive at an understanding. Let the French fleet prevent the Turks from transporting reinforcements to the theatro of war, and let the Turks send a Plenepotentiary to negotiate, whom I will recieve as befits his character. " The conditions already made known to the conference at Vienna are the sole base on which I will consent to treat." The British Minister at Athens ha 9 informed the Greek Government that England will interfere if necessary to restore order in the insurgent districts. The Austrian Government also had sent to the 11 Correspondonz" a communique in which the Greek outbreak is unequivocally condemned as dangerous to the interests of Europe. This article is regarded as a decided removal from the side of Russia,