LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Wellington Independent, Volume I, Issue 15, 21 May 1845, Page 2

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

Saturday, March 22, 1845.

Militia Bill read a first time, and ordered to be engrossed and read, a second time, or. the 25th.

Tuesday, March 25.

The Colonial Secretary moved the third reading of the Militia Bill. Mr. Donnelly presented a memorial against the Bill. \ t prayed that the bill be not passed, because compulsory on all to bear arms without respect to persuasion or tenets; it would be injurious to the colony in admitting that it must be governed by force. After a brief discussion, the Governor moved that the memorial be printed and entered on the minutes. The Governor then moved that a dispatch to him from Lord Stanley be read, dated llth March, 1844. It acknowledged the receipt of a memorial from the inhabitants of Nelson, relative to the Wairau Massacre, and praying for military protection; and in reply Lord Stanley observed that the Government will not accede unless the people form themselves into a militia ; and in another communication of the same day, Captain Fitzroy is recommended to lay a bill before the Legislative Council for the purpose—which he. did on March 22nd, 1845 —after enormous mischief had arisen from delay. Lord Stanley's dispatch is dated llth March, 1844— and the Bay of Islands settlement ivas reduced to ashes on the llth March, 1845. His Excellency seized the opportunity of showing for the thousandth time that the New Zea-> land Company, is his monomania, as completely as it was of poor Captain Hobson. It is amusing to find a man in the habit of indignantly taking to task the Members of Council, when they display any ignorance of facts, so utterly reckless himself about them. He accuses the Company of having sold ths Hutt in England. Will his Excellency say when and where 1 Tuesday, March 27.