✨ Government Reform Proposal




108

clined, that they will have made great pro-
gress in civilization, and that their jealousy
and suspicion of the Europeans will have
become extinct; and this is the more likely
to be the case, as by the period of time that
have indicated, there is every probability
that all disputes connected with the subject
of the lands of the natives will have been
satisfactorily and finally arranged.

As there is thus every apparent chance
that within such a short period of time the
measures which have hitherto been so sue-
cessful will have secured permanent pros-
perity and security to New Zealand, and as it
is clear that, when the country is in such a
state, and can defray its own expenses, the
European population will be very impatient
under the form of Government at present
in existence, I think it would be a wise and
prudent line of policy on behalf of Her Ma-
jesty's Government, at the same time that
they continue the exertions they have al-
ready made for the permanent settlement of
the country, to carry on concurrently with
these, modifications in the existing form of
Government which should gradually prepare
the way for a complete system of Represen-
tative Institutions, which might be brought
into full and complete operation at the time
that the operation of the Act of Parliament,
which suggests the Constitution of this col-
ony, expires. By pursuing this policy your
Lordship will, at the same time that you are
completely adjusting the affairs of the
country, be preparing a form of Government
which will afford every practicable guaran-
tee for the future maintenance of the state of
tranquillity and prosperity to which the
country will have been brought when it is
introduced; whilst, if fear, that without some
precautionary measures of this kind are
taken, that by some imprudent or hasty pro-
ceedings, all the good which has with so
much cost and trouble been effected, may at
a future period be speedily swept away.

The following is the outline of the form of
Government, which I would recommend
should be ultimately adopted for these Is-
lands:

1stly. I would recommend that one Ge-
neral Assembly should be constituted, to con-
sist of a Legislative Council composed of per-
sons summoned thereto by Her Majesty,
and of an Assembly to be composed of Re-
presentatives returned by the several Pro-
vinces into which New Zealand may be di-
vided, in such proportions as the European
population of each Province may bear to the
European population of the whole Islands,
in nearly as the several amounts of popu-
lation can be ascertained.

2dly. I would further recommend that a
Legislative Council consisting of one Cham-
ber should be constituted in each Province
into which New Zealand may be divided, to
be composed of persons summoned thereto
by Her Majesty, and of Representatives
elected thereto by the electors of each Pro-
vince, one-third of the whole Council being
elected by the inhabitants of the Province.
In this Chamber the Governor or Lieuten-
ant-Governor should not have a seat.

3rdly. I would recommend that those
towns or districts which desire to have Mu-
nicipal Corporations should have such In-
stitutions bestowed upon them, but that a
participation in the advantages of a Legis-
lative Council should in no way be made de-
pendent upon a town or district accepting a
Municipal Corporation; on the contrary.

4thly. I would recommend that the Ge-
neral Assembly for the New Zealand Islands
should possess in full all the powers of Leg-
islation which are usually conferred upon
such Assemblies, and that the Governor-in
Chief, or person acting in that capacity,
should have all the usual powers of giving
or withholding his assent to Bills passed by
the Assembly, &c., &c.

And I would further recommend that the
General Assembly should be empowered to
make laws, modifying or altering either the
Constitution or forms of Government; pro-
vided always, that such laws should not come into
operation until they had been laid before
Her Majesty in Council for the royal assent.

5thly. I would recommend that the Pro-
vincial Legislative Councils should possess
all the powers of Legislation that are con-
ferred upon such Assemblies by the Ordi-
nance herewith transmitted for Her Ma-
jesty's approval or disallowance. That is,
I would recommend that they should be al-
lowed to make and ordain all such laws as
they might judge expedient for the promo-
tion of good Government and order of the
Province with the following exceptions:

That it should not be competent for the
Provincial Legislative Councils to make any
laws repugnant to the laws of England, or
to any Ordinance made and enacted by the
Governor-in-Chief and General Assembly
of New Zealand, and that any law of a
Provincial Legislative Council which might
be repugnant to any law subsequently made
by the General Assembly should cease to
have any force or effect after the passing of
the latter law.

And that it should not be competent for
the Provincial Legislative Councils to make
or enact any law or Ordinance for any of
the following purposes:

  1. For the regulation of Duties of Cus-
    toms to be imposed on the importation or
    exportation of any goods at any Port or
    place in the said New Zealand Islands.

  2. For the establishment of a General
    Supreme Court to be a Court of Original
    Jurisdiction or appeal from any superior
    Courts of any separate Province.



Next Page →



Online Sources for this page:

VUW Te Waharoa PDF New Munster Gazette 1849, No 19





✨ LLM interpretation of page content

πŸ›οΈ Proposal for Government Reform in New Zealand

πŸ›οΈ Governance & Central Administration
Government reform, Legislative Councils, Municipal Corporations, Representative Institutions