The Taranaki Herald. " Open to All—Influenced by None." NEW PLYMOUTH, JULY 12,' 1854.

Taranaki Herald, Volume II, Issue 102, 12 July 1854, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. " Open to All—lnfluenced by None." NEW PLYMOUTH, JULY 12,' 1854.

We are informed that tho Nelson on leaving Auckland, signalled a vessel entering that port, which proved to be the Galatea from Sydney, and which, in reply to the question "What news ?" answeied, " War has been dfccluied."

Tub Nelson arrived here about mid-day on Monday from Auckland, having left that port on the Bth instant. During the early part of last week her arrival here from Nelson wan looked for daily ; and we now learn that «ever« weather prevented her making either New Plymouth or Mahukau, and that she went round the North Cape to Auckland where she arrived on the Ist instant, The Nelson has brought our files of the Auckland papers to the 7th instant, and we find a mass of the proceedings of the two Houses that it will occupy two of our issues to place before our readers in the most concise form, and of which we can only at present give but a short summary. From the shipping intelligence by these advices we learn that the Egmont had arrived from England on the 25th ult. The Nelson brings her mail for this place. We observed last week that there was a considerable quantity of cargo wailing the arrival of the Nelson on her way to jAuckland; and her non-arrival here, on her passage to that port, caused much disappointment ; we have, however, been assured on reliable authority that every effort was mnde : by Captain Manin to make both New Ply- ! mouth and Manukau on the passage, but that the state of the weather on the coast j was such as to compel him to run by both places. A subscription has been entered into for presenting to His Excellency the Officer administering the Government, a piece of Plate fit for the table of a Governor on state occasions, as a Testimonial of the sentiments of the settlers of New Zealand, with regard to the introduction of Constitutional Government by his Excellency, to be railed the " Wynyakd Teotimonui,"-— on which, together with all the subscribers' names, will be engraved the following inscription : ' Tho undersigned, settlers of the Provinces of, Auckland, New Plymouth, Wellington. Nelson, Canterbury, and Otago,— -desirous o[ placing upon record in the family of Colonol Wynyard an expression ot thoir deep oblignt:ons ro His Excel loncy, f.s tho Officer temporarily administering tho Govornment of New Zealand (luring tho absence of Governor Sir George Grey, for having, us noon m possible, railed into notion the (impended Constitution of General Government for 1 tho Colony, and Mill more, for having without delay cStablMied real Constitutional Government, by means of Miniato rial Responsibility, nt a tiroo and under ciicumstances of great cmbarrasment to himsolf and dim Rcr to tho country— rcspcatfully pray that His Excellency may bo pleased to accept thin lasting tostitnonlnl of their sentiments. Monday, Juno 12th, 1854. A copy of the proposal of the Committee of Management appointed to accomplish this object has been transmitted pretty generally to the members of the Provincial Government here, and in the grateful ebullition of the moment our Auckland correspondents earnestly request it 3 promotion in New Plymouth. It is an ungracious taak to damp such feeling, but we cannot help saying that the present moment appears to us anythiiijj but apDropriate for such a testimonial, and that however well meant this demonstration/is altogether premature ; that it altogether wauls graceful occasion ; and is now unseemly alike, with the position which the Donor nnd the recipients of the public benefit it is proposed to commemorate should occupy as their respective relations. We have already unii'Servedly expressed our admiration of his Excellency's policy, honestly deprecating all recollection of the past ; and desire now to be rightly construed whilst saying in relation to this proposition that all the surrounding circumstances considered it would be difficult to say which side would suffer most by its consummation.

We resume our notice of the Returns published in the Provincial Guzcttc of the I Oth ultimo. The abstract of the returns of the Officers • of the General, ' Government enumerates I nineteen appointments — four of the nine- ; teen are justices of the peace, not in the receipt of any salary — the remaining fourteen receive salaries to the amount of £1271 ss. That of the Officers of the Provincial Government — fourteen appointments and a total of £1203 — tho two amounting to , £2474 ss. I The returns of population, agriculture, and stock for the past year we have no preI sent means of comparing with bygone 1 years. Tho European settlers in the Pro1 vince arc«tated at 1031 males and 054 females, the whole — with an almost infinitesimal exception — located within 56 square miles, the extent of the land already acquired from the natives and brought under the Provincial Government. Within this space the native population is stated as being 200— viz., 160 males, and 40 females. The unacquired land m the Province of

New Plymouth is estimated at 3350 square miles, and the native population at 2400 males and 600 females. Recent purchases have connected the previously acquired land into one compact block. The Buildings erected are computed to be worth £3?,176, and the value of the carts and implements employed in agriculture, &c, at £3929. The land in cultivation is protected by 99 1 6 chains of fencing. The number of acres in cultivation is estimated at 6101, consisting of— 524 wheat, 467 oats, 43 barley, 7 maize, 268 potatoes, 88 turnips, 1 19 garden, and 4582 pasture.- The number of acres held, but not cultivated, are 8353. The following is an average of the quantity of produce to every acre cultivated — wheat 17 bushels, oats 31, barley 14, potatoes 7§ tons, hay 1$ ton, turnips lfi£ tons. The return of stock 'in the settlement gives 11,674 sheep, 169 horses, 1810 cattle, 52 goats, and 1707 pigs. There are three water mills, respectively of 17, 15, and 13 horse power, for the manufacture of flour, and one steam saw mill of 16 horse power. The return of schools is of a less satisfactory character, the whole number being five ! private establishments and the Grey Instij tution ; the total number of children receiving education out of an European population of 2000 souls does not exceed 180 — some of whom are of the native race. The Gaol return shows ten commitments for misdemeanor ; four for felony ; one as lunatic ; and three for offences against military law — making a total of 18, seventeen of whom were discharged during the year, and one in gaol at the close of the year. Four of the prisoners were Maories, and the lemainder Europeans. In to day's issue will be found a return of the attendance of the Members of the Provincial Council during the first session, taken from the Provincial Government Gazelle, June 10.

The lost arrivals from Auckland brought the intelligence that the principle of Ministerial responsibility had been conceded, and that Mr. Fitzgerald, a member of the house of Representatives and Superintendent of Canterbury had been entrusted with tho formation of an Executive. Since then, that gentleman and Messrs. Sewell and Weld, also members of the house of Representatives, have been sworn in Members of the ' Executive Council, and Mr. Dilltm Bell, a member of the Legislative Council, had also been added to the Executive Council. On Thursday the 15th ultimo, Mr. Fitzgerald made his ministerial statement, which embraces questions of great importance, and which will of course come up for separate consideration, as they are introduced. Already, four Bills) have been introduced, (1) For establishing certain offices of the Executive Government of'the Colony of New Zealand, and for altering certain provisions of the Constitution Act in reference to the Civil List. This bill recites the Constitution Act, and in relation to the sum of £4700 mentioned in the schedule to that act, enacts — firstly, that that sum shall cease to be payable — secondly, that there shall be for the Colony, a Colonial Secretary, At-torney-General, Colonial Treasurer, Solici-tor-General, Auditor-General, and a Secretary for Native Affairs— thirdly, empawers the Governor on behalf of her Majesty to appoint to the said offices ; and remove at Ins discretion all or any of them, except the Auditor-General, who can only be removed by an address of either house — fourthly, appointments are to be notified in the Government Gazette—fifthly, in lieu of the sum of £4700 another sum not yet filled in to the bill as provision for the matters referred to in the schedule which besides enumerating the offices before mentioned, co f tains retiring pensions for the present Colonial Secretary, Attorney-General, and Colonial Treasurer. (2) A bill for declaring certain portions of the Revenue of the Colony of New Zealand to be raised under an Act of the General Assembly, and certain other portions of such Revenue raised within each Province of the said colony, to be revenue of such Province. Enacts, first, that all revenue in respect of Customs, Post Office, and Supreme Court, and all other revenue arising within the colony, except as therein provided, shall be consolidated and be Her Majesty's revenue, and shall be subject to the provisions of the Imperial Act — secondly, all duties, rates, fines and penalties payable by vittue of any provincial Ordinance shall be deemed provincial revenue, and be liable to he appropriated by the Superintendent and Provincial Council — thirdly, all duties, fines, &c. under Spirituous Liquors ordinances, Auctioneer, ltaupo Houses,

Slaughtering Cattle and Impounding Ordinances, named in the schedule, shall also be deemed Provincial Revenue — fourthly, Governor may by proclamation appropriate all or any part of the Ue.venue arising within any province, except such as may be payable in respect of the Customs, Post Office and Supreme Court, and the same be appropriated by the Superintendent and the Provincial Council — fifthly, Provincial Treasurer empowered to recover such revenue, &c. — seventhly, relates to the recovery of securities — eighthly, all ordinances repugnant repealed. (3) A Bill for regulating the management of certain Lands reserved for public purposes in the several Provinces of New Zealand — recites that it is expedient to establish local management of all lands reserved for purposes of public utility ; and enacts — sec. 1., that it shall be lawful for the Governor with the advice of His Executivo Council on behalf of Her Majesty to grant all lands as aforesaid to the Superintendent — secondly, all such grants tv- be sealed with the public seal of the colony and shall declare the purposes for which such lands shall be held -thirdly Superintendent to be body corporate in law and may sue and be sued— fourthly Superintendent to have full power to dispois of and manage any such lands — fifthly, management &c. to be conducted by the Superintendent with the advice of bis Executive Council if luch there be, until other provision U made by Provincial Ordinance,— sixthly, Nollunda to be granted shall be alienated by way of sale or mortgage or for any longer term than three yesri unless by Ordinance of Provincial Council nor except by deed sealed with the public 'seal—seYcnthly, purposes for which land held may be charged by Provincial Ordinance— eighthly, Full and true particulars of all transactions to be laid before Provincial Council—ninthly, renti to be paid to Treasurer of the Province, and appropriated under the direction of the Superintendent of Provincial Council— tenthly, The SuperintendonfaDd;Provin. cial Connci I may regulate management by Ordi> nance, &c. (4) A Bill for regulating the tale, letting, disposal, and occupations of the waite lands of the crown in New Zealand. Recites the Constitution aot and that by the said act amongst otlior thiugs the Governor wai authorised nod required out of the revenue arising from the waste Lands at the crown ; to pay all costs &c, of the management ire, thereof and certain other payments ; and declared such revenue after and subject to such charges might be appropriated by the General Assembly, and that subject Co the provisions of the said act it irai expedient to make provision fur the sale, letting, &c, of the said waste lands and for the collection of tho revenue arising therefrom; and enacts— (l) that it shall bo lawful for the Go- ' vernor, with the advice of his Executive Council to make and issue within each province of New Zea. land terms of purohaie and pasmrago and to execute grants, leases, and licenses, undor the public leal ol the colony, 8c provides that such terms shall be approved l>y the Supeiiuteudcnt and Provincial Council of such Piovince, and provided also that no such regulations shall permit the sale or dispo» sal of any such lands gratuitously or for less than Ss. per acre to be paid in full previous to the completion of such sale ; except in case of leases or licences for the purpose of pasturage only, for terms not exceeding 14 years, or a lease for the cutting of bush or timber for any term not exceeding one year — secondly, Superintendent to fix the daj on which such terms to have force by Proclamation not being less than ten clear days after the publication ot such Proclamation in the Gazette of the) province ; and all such terms, &c. shall bo laid before the General Asiembly, as soon as con. veniently can be, after the same shall have been made and Issued— thirdly, enactments not to affect or prejudice rights under valid contracts subsisting at the time of the passing of this act— fourthly. Land orders issued by the New Zealand Company or the Canterbury Association tor founding a »et» tlement in New Zealand, remaining unmtiafied, and all Government scrip issued under the Land Claimant's Ordinance deemed valid and subsisting contracts, and shall be satisfied according to the tenor of such land orders, and scrip respectively, anything herein contained notwithstanding—nfthly, regulations in operation in any Provinco shall be deemed valid until altered according to this act— sixthly, Governor may consti« tutc offices for the management, &c, of the wasta lands (including the survey of such lands) and appoint officers, &c, with tucii fees and salaries, &c, and vary the anmo ns he shall soo fit — seventhly, Governor mty dolegate management of WnSto lands of the Grown to Superintendents, and all powers by this act vested in the Governor in relation there* to, and also tho constituting offices and appointing officers and settling the salaries of the same, such, delegation to be in force until revoked by the Governor for the time being with the advice of his Executive Council under th« public seal— ninthly, powers so delegated to bo exercised under instructions fiom the Governor by and with the odvico of bis Executive Council, and such instructions the Superintendent shall be bouud to obey— tenthly, commissions and instruments of revocation must be published in the Gazette before effective— l lthly Grants, leases aud licenses exeoutcd by the Superintendent shall be sealed with the seal of such Province. These are tho more Important sections of (be bills which have been intioduced having a general influence on the business of tho colony. At present we are unable to give them more at length or to make any observations on them, but have thought it our duty to lay them before our readers..