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

The Governor made a statement to the effect that there was a letter in the Post-office, for Messrs. Watford and Smith, late of the Bay of Islands, believed to contain invoice of 100 barrels of powder, destined for the use of the natives, A discussion arose as to the propriety of openhig'the letter, and his Excellency terminatecLit by stating it to be his intention to submit a resolution at the next meeting as to the propriety of the course to be pursued in certain cases.

His Excellency then moved further consideration of the estimates.

On the motion for the sum of £3,723 for Magistrates and Police, Mr. Heale, observed, that the small settlements were source of great expense and direct inconvenience to the Government. The larger settlements were taxed to support the smaller, and it was now obvious they could not be protected but inadequately by the Government, who had yet the responsibility. He should therefore move, that the estimates for Magistrates and Police at Russell, Akaroa, Hokianga, and Petre, be altogether expunged. The Governor observed, that with regard to Akaroa, it had been contemplated to withdraw the Police establishment; but it had become such a resort for whalers, and more especially for the French, of/which nation there were many settlers, that it was deemed advisable to continue the services of Mr. Robinson, who had given much satisfaction to the Home Government, when it was thought some time since, the trench intended to form a settlement there. Mr. Heale withdrew his motion. The Attornyy-General observed, that if Russell was(entirely expunged from the estimates, I it would be prejudging the question, whether it should be reinstated by the Government The Governor said, that the Bay o f Islands would be blockaded continually by sea and a strong milii ary post established; but that perhaps for twelve months at least there would bend settlers whatever.

The sum of £100 for contingencies was-then agreed to.

On the motion of £380 for Afcaroa, Mr. Whittaker observed, that there were only 166 persons, from Akaroa to Stewart's Island, including the 60 residents at the former place; he therefore should move that it be struck out. The Attorney-General said, that Akaroa was quite a distinct settlement, on account of it* po meal importance. The English Government will support it on account of what had occurred there with the French. of ,J ihre o e riginal sum was agreed to b y a ma j° rit y On the grant for Hokianga being proposed, i was agreed that the original sura be struck Sf the / £68 under thehea * of contmgences, for a P.lot and crew be granted. ihe sum of £180 for Petre was then moved. \inS\ » l observed > that t0 have a Police Magistrate at such a place was direct encouragement to settlers to go there, who otherwise would come nearer to the capita!. There were S;frV 3 °, people there ' He should move tnat it be struck out. hiJh h vn?M ei T° r Sta^ d ?, that Petre was on the ami h,fl betWee, i Welli ngton and Taranaki, tendrit Co Tr the " so « «f the bad charad ters dnven out from those places. thesumT/Tr^r 1116 C °. ,onial Secretary, that ca c s S rn°agfe 6 e 8 d to C ° ntl^encies be B&^V^T te tUen V ° ted fW M6^

Auckland £;380 Wellington 683 Nelson 580 New Plymouth 570 The total estimate for Magistrates and Police * a3 then agreed to, at the sum of £3,009. The Governor moved the following resolution —"Resolved, that, in extreme cases of necessity, the Governor in Executive Council should be legally authorised (if he be not already so empowered) to open and examine any letter, nacket. or other document, which may be in any post office in New Zealand, and which there may be grounds for believing to contain treasonable matter. On the motion for the sum of £310 for Registry of Deed, . Mr. Heale observed that it was to his utter astonishment that this office was proposed with such salary. There had been combined the office of Sheriff (for which the person holding the sitnation had to find security for £1,000,) the Commissioner of the Court of Requests, and police magistrate, for which the salary was to be £200; .and here was an office purely mechanical, the chief duty of which was to look at the clock to mark the time of receipt of deeds, and for which the enormous sum of £300 per annum was to be paid. He should move that the whole item be struck out. The Governor would ask the honorable member how property was to be registered and transferred if the office was abolished. Mr. Whitaker entirely agreed with the remarks of his friend Mr. Heale on the anomaly between the three offices with £200 per annum, and this, with but little duty, at £300 per annum. He thought an addition to the salary of the Registrar of the Supreme Court, to provide a clerk when necessary, or a specific sum to be charged for a clerk, the better plan: and he should propose that the sum of £50 be added to the salary of the Registrar of the Supreme Court on the reconsideration of the item for Judicial Establishment.

The motion that for Registry of Deeds the sum of £310 be struck out was then agreed to. The grant for Colonial Treasury was then reconsidered.

The Governor said that, since the grant had heen originally passed, he had deeply considered, and thought he had done wrong in reducing the salary of the Colonial Treasurer the sum of £ 100. He then read the 13th article of the Royal instructions, by which he is enjoined neither to increase nor diminish the salary of any Goverment officer whose salary has been fixed by the Home Government, without first obtaining the sanction of her Majesty. He therefore had brought this item again under the consideration of the Council, and he now proposed that the sum of £95, which had been taken from the item of clerk to Attorney-Gene-ral, and appropriated to a junior clerk in the office of the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Leech, jun., should be divided between him and the junior clerk in the Colonial Treasury, Mr. Churton; and that the sum of £130, which had been previously passed under that department for clerk and contingencies, should be otherwise applied, namely, the sum of £30 for contingencies; and the sum of £100 to be added to the salary of Colonial Treasurer, making the sum of £630 for him. The total amount of £1,090 would remain the same as before.

Mr. Donnelly questioned the utility of passing an Appropriation Bill if the Council had not the power of controlling salaries that were to be paid from the colonial funds. Mr, Heale mored that the sum of £530, as at first proposed and passed, should be the salary of the Colonial Treasurer. The Judicial Establishment it was agreed to allow the sum of £2,66<J. The alteration under this item being the sum of £50 additional to the salary of the Registrar of the Supreme Court, with £10 for contingencies, in consequence of the duties of Registrar of Deeds being combined with this office.

The Governor then moved the reconsideration ot the vote for the Survey Department, He proposed the same course should be adopted towards the Surveyor-General as had been pursued in the case of the Colonial Treasurer, and that the original sum of £630 for his salary be allowed. H e further proposed to strike out the 2f" ne surveyor £200, and from contingencies -i j- ' mak,n g altogether £300; and thus, by adding £100 to (he £530, the whole item would be reduced to £1,400. r - Heal remarked, that formerly they were told that the instructions from Home were not to be considered: now, they are declared to be Peremptory. He still retained his opinion on tieuselessness of the Survey Department to tue present extent, and should move that the sum be reduced to £300. The Governor said that there was much to be aone m the Survey Department. A state of things existed in the colony that never was Contemplated. He had received instructiozis from Home to exchange the land, and to settle the land claims as soon as possible. He had distinct authority for such measures; and the consequence of such steps was the complete extmction of the land fund.

The Attorney-General thought that the non orncial members were right, and that the officia members were also right, each, in thecours , they pursued. The Local Government mus carry out the instructions of the Home Govern 1 ment; and the Secretary of State had, in recen aespatches, strongly urged that the land claims* snoiud be wholly and speedily settled. In 1840, jne instructions were that the claims were to oe Heard gradually, in 1845, despatches were received that land claims were to be settled immediately. In 1840, the expense of the surveywas not to exceed one-fifth of the Land sill ' i ln 184 - 5, tlie survey was still required to settle the claims, according to the instructions out there was no land fund. * He Governor said that even now large surveys p cfe S ol, ]g on under, contract. The land from cl dp ? Ko( *ney to Mauranghi had come into possession of Government, and was now being surveyed; for there were applications for occupation licensee for depasturing flocks und herds. Urned by the officials. I he amount of £1,41)0 instead of £1,600 for ourvey Department was then agreed to. Biaerd grant f ° r Public W ° rks Was then recon "

In Ihe Harbour Establishment, on revision r Mi.--"" Li »»-«-.- ---# Mr. Whitaker then proposed the further consideration of the Department of Aborigines and observed that as (according to the Royal instructions which had been read bj hi Excellency in reference to the salaries of the Colonial Treasurer and Surveyor-General) the Governor could neither increase nor diminish the salary of any public officer that had been appointed by AJF On,e Governm ent, he thought the sum of £500 per annum, which had been appropriated to the Chief Protector, should be reduced to the original sum of £400. He was quite aware that the sum of £100 which had Seen added was instead of an allowance to natives; but he objected to the manner of passing the £500 as salary, only, without any remark as to the object for which the £100 was given He t T^f^\ sh ? uld Propose that the original sum of £400 be the salary, and that the Protector receive a further sum of £100 as commuted allowance for natives.

The Governor had no objection to the alteration, which must therefore be extended to the bub-protector, of the salary being distinct from their commuted allowances.

The total amount of £24,565 was then agreed to be inserted in the first clause of the Appropriation Bill. rr