✨ Despatch on Responsible Government
NEW ZEALAND
GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.
Published by Authority.
All Public Notifications which appear in this Gazette, with any Official Signature thereunto annexed, are to be considered as Official Communications made to those Persons to whom they may relate, and are to be obeyed accordingly.
By His Excellency's Command,
ANDREW SINCLAIR, Colonial Secretary.
VOL. III.] AUCKLAND, TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 1855. [No. 8.
Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland,
17th April, 1855.
HIS Excellency the Officer administering the Government has given directions for the publication, for general information, of the following extract from a Despatch received from the Secretary of State.
By His Excellency's command,
ANDREW SINCLAIR,
Colonial Secretary.
Downing-street,
8th December, 1855.
Sir,—
I have to acknowledge your Despatches of the numbers and dates specified in the margin, reporting the proceedings which have taken place in the General Assembly of New Zealand on the subject of the future Executive Government of the Colony.
As regards the most important portions of that subject I have taken the earliest opportunity of informing you that Her Majesty's Government have no objection whatever to offer to the establishment of the system known as "Responsible Government" in New Zealand. They have no reason to doubt that it will prove the best adapted for developing the interests as well as satisfying the wishes of the community. Nor have they any desire to propose terms or to lay down restrictions, on your assent to the measures which may be necessary for that object, except that of which the necessity appears to be fully recognized by the General Assembly, namely, the making provision for certain Officers who have accepted their offices on the equitable understanding of their permanence, and who may now be liable to removal. The only Officers mentioned in your Despatches as likely to fall within this category, are the Colonial Secretary, and Treasurer, and the Attorney General; nor am I myself aware of any others; but I do not wish to fetter your discretion, if farther consideration makes it in your opinion desirable to alter the list.
Should the arrangements made for this purpose be in your judgment satisfactory, you are authorised to admit at once the new holders of office under the Responsible System, reporting their names for confirmation in the usual manner. There will be no occasion, on this supposition, for a further reference to the Home Government, before the change is carried into effect.
But if the arrangements proposed should not meet with your approval, which I trust will not be the case, the appeal to the Home Government for ultimate decision will be unavoidable.
I have, &c., &c.
(Signed) G. GREY.
Auckland Provincial Gazette 1855, No 8
✨ LLM interpretation of page content
🏛️ Publication of Despatch regarding Responsible Government
🏛️ Governance & Central Administration17 April 1855
Responsible Government, Despatch, Colonial Secretary, Executive Government
- Andrew Sinclair, Colonial Secretary
- G. Grey