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Mr. Gilfillan moved that the following Members be appointed a Select Committee to prepare a Reply to the Address of His Honor the Superintendent, and to present the same at to-morrow’s sitting—Mr. Clarke, Mr. Newman, Mr. Boylan, Mr. Macky, Mr. Williamson, Mr. Dignan, and Mr. Gilfillan.

Agreed to.

Mr. Busby gave notice that, at the next meeting of Council, he would move that a Select Committee, composed of the following Members, be appointed to prepare a Petition to the Queen and both Houses of Parliament praying that the Northern Province of New Zealand may be constituted a separate Colony, with a Governor or Lieutenant-Governor, responsible only to Her Majesty and the Parliament of England, through Her Majesty’s constitutional adviser, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, viz., Mr. Boylan, Mr. Macky, Mr. Bain, Mr. Hill, and Mr. Busby.

Mr. Gilfillan gave notice that, on Thursday, the 20th instant, he would move for leave to bring in a Bill for the Interpretation of the Acts of this Council, with a view to the shortening the language to be used therein.

Mr. Boylan gave notice that on Thursday, the 20th instant, he would move that the following Members be appointed a Committee to report upon the Sewerage and Drainage of the City, viz., Mr. Williamson, Mr. Derrom, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Dignan, Mr. O’Neill, Mr. Clarke.

Mr. Brennan gave notice that on Thursday the 20th instant, he would move that the following Members be appointed a Committee to report upon the state of the Roads and relative works necessary to the interests of the interior, at the next meeting of Council, viz., Mr. Taylor, Mr. Lewis, Mr. Dilworth, Mr. Hill, Mr. Dignan, Mr. Powditch, and Mr. Brennan.

Mr. J. O’Neill gave notice that at the next meeting of the Council he would move that a Committee, consisting of the following members be appointed, a Committee, to prepare a Petition to the Commons House of Parliament, praying that the Revenue of this Province may be released from the payment of any portion of the New Zealand Company’s Debt, viz. Mr. Porter, Mr. Busby, Mr. Connell, Mr. Mitchell, and Mr. J. O’Neill.

Mr. Porter gave notice that at the next meeting of Council he would move that the following members be appointed a Committee to enquire and report upon the means of procuring better accommodation for the discharging of vessels, and of giving protection to the small craft in the Port of Auckland, viz. Mr. Boylan, Mr. Connell, Mr. Macky, Mr. Derrom, Mr. Powditch, Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Porter.

Mr. Clarke gave notice that he would propose at the next meeting of Council that the meeting of Council be uniformly commenced by prayer.

Mr. O’Brien gave notice that he would move at the next sitting of the Council that a Clerk to the Council be appointed.

On a motion of Mr. Newman it was resolved that Mr. O’Brien’s notice should take precedence of the other notices at the next sitting of Council.

Council adjourned at half-past three o’clock, until three o’clock on Thursday the 20th instant.

THURSDAY, 20TH OCTOBER, 1853.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

In the absence of a clerk, the Speaker read the minutes of the last Council, which were confirmed. The Speaker informed the Council that the standing Rules and Orders as adopted had been submitted to the Superintendent, from whom he had received the following communication on the subjects:—

Superintendent’s Office, Auckland,
20th October, 1853.

Sir,—I have the honour to request that you will call the attention of the Council to the 26th and 27th clauses of the New Constitution Act—the former clause requiring that the “Rules and Orders” shall provide the manner in which drafts of Laws or Ordinances, transmitted by the Superintendent, shall be taken into consideration; and the latter clause, making a similar provision as to the amendments made by the Superintendent in Bills presented to him by the Council.

It appears to me, and I would suggest to the Council, that it would be desirable that additions to the “Rules and Orders,” to meet the requirements of the Act, should be made before I signify my approval.

I have the honour to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
R. H. WYNYARD,
Superintendent.

To the Speaker of the Provincial Council.

Mr. Connell moved that the Standing Committee, as recommended by the report of the Committee on Standing Orders and Rules, be appointed to consist of the members of that Committee, and that it be an instruction to them to report in the first instance on such Rules and Regulations as are required by the 26th and 27th clauses of the Act of Parliament, and that in the meantime his Honor the Superintendent be requested to confirm the Rules already proposed, and Council might then proceed to business.

Agreed to.

A copy of the foregoing resolution having been forwarded to his Honor the Superintendent, the Rules were confirmed upon the understanding that the 26th and 27th clauses of the Act be carried into effect.

Mr. Gilfillan brought up the report from the Committee appointed to prepare a reply to the address of His Honor the Superintendent on the opening of Council. Report read and adopted and ordered to be presented to His Honor.

REPLY TO ADDRESS.

To His Honor Robert Henry Wynyard, Esq., C.B., Superintendent of the Province of Auckland.

May it Please Your Honor,

We, the Members of the Provincial Council of Auckland, in Council assembled, beg leave