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Monday, Sepptembee 4th, 1854, (5 p.m.) The House met pursuant to adjournment. The Speaker took the Chair. Mr. Fitzgerald, according to notice, moved No. 1 on this day s Notice Paper.—Carried. Mr. Carleton, according to notice, moved for leave to bring in "a Bill for appointing a Commissioner to examine certain claims to grants of land in the Colony of New Zealand, and to make awards thereon."—Leave given. On motion of Mr. Carleton Bill read a first time, ordered to be printed, and the second reading' ordered to stand an order of the day for Thursday next. A message from His Excellency the Officer administering the Government announced. His Excellency's Private Secretary introduced, who delivered the following Messages, which were read by Mr. Speaker. Message, No. 5. The Officer administering the Government transmits to the House of Representatives the Financial Statement, and the Estimates referred to in his Message, No. 4. It. H. Wynyard, Officer administering the Government. Government House, Auckland, September 4th, 1854. In presenting a statement of the financial position of the Colony, it is necessary to refer to the recepts of the period subsequent to the 30th of December, 1853, and to the amount of expenditure maintained in carrying on the many important branches of the public service. I have accordingly directed a comprehensive statement of the whole of the receipts and Expenditure, of the Colony, for the period alluded to, to be prepared ; and it will be laid on the table of the House as soon as printed. Although the prosperity of the Colony is such that we might confidently trust on the increase of its revenues. I have not thought it advisable, in preparing the Estimates, to tussumc any increase of the ordinary revenue, over that estimated, for the year ending the 30th of September, 1854. It will be seen from the annexed statement—which for all practical purposes may be taken to be correct—that the estimated public balance, in hand on the 31st July last, was as follows :— At Auckland £35,671 Wellington 18,000 Canterbury 31,000 Nelson 600 Amounting altogether to £85,271 Deducting from this Balance the "Deposits unavailable," the New Zealand Company's Fourth, and the Loans to be repaid out of the first receipts of the Land Fund at Wellington, there remains the sum of £50,000 available for the Current Expenses of the Government. The net Revenue for the year, after deducting the costs of collection, is estimated at £146,315, and the Expenditure, exclusive of the costs of collection, at £37,329, —leaving a balance of receipts over expenditure of £108,986. If to this balance on the year now estimated for, be added the available balance on hand on the 31st of July last, there will be a total sum of £159,067 unappropriated. Out of the unappropriated Balance of £159,067 it will, however, be necessary to set aside a considerable sum for future land purchases ; but I have not included any sum for this purpose in the Estimates, as I wish to take the recommendation of the House as to the amount. During the last twelve months large sums of money on this account have been disbursed ; but the late increase of the Land Deposits at Auckland has enabled the Government to complete the purchases without disarranging the finances of the Colony. I need not dwell on the benefits which arise to the country from the extension of the Public Demesne. Nothing indeed could have justified the Government, if it had overlooked the pressing necesssty of extinguishing the native title to large tracts of lands in the vicinity of our settlements. Altogether the sums expended on this service during the last year amount to about £40,000. Five million acres of native lands at Otago have been purchased tor £2,600. At Wellington about two million acres have been purchased at an expence of about £24,000, of which sum £18,000 have already been paid to the natives, and the liquid-