the colony that they will sincerely desire its
prosperity and welfare. They are also, generally speaking, an extremely religious
well conducted class of persons, and, as
owners of property, are required to make
themselves acquainted with a large class of
subjects which are seldom brought under
the notice of persons of their condition in
England. I think, therefore, the right of
giving a vote may with great safety be left
in their hands.

Having thus given an outline of the form
of Government which I recommend should
be ultimately introduced into these islands,
your Lordship will see that the measure
which I have now transmitted for her Majesty’s approval makes all the necessary preparations for the introduction of such a constitution.

Parliament has already constituted in New
Zealand a General Council composed of
persons to be nominated by her Majesty,
which possesses all the powers which I propose should be conferred upon the General
Assembly; whilst the ordinance, I have
now the honor to enclose, creates Provincial
Legislative Councils composed of persons to
be nominated by her Majesty, which Council
will possess all the powers which I propose should be eventually conferred upon the
Provincial Legislative Councils. In
point of fact, therefore, the merits of the
constitution which I propose should be ultimately introduced into New Zealand will,
in so far as the working of the several Legislative bodies is concerned, both for the
whole territory and for the several provinces,
be immediately tested by actual practice, and
any errors which may have been committed,
can be readily adjusted; whilst should her Majesty think proper ultimately
to confer upon New Zealand such a constitution as I have recommended, if the ordinance I have now transmitted is approved,
there will exist at the period of the introduction of Representative Institutions,

1st. A General Legislature for the whole
islands, which can adjust the details of the
whole constitution by aiding the Governor-in-Chief with their advice as to the proportionate number of representatives which
should be returned for each Province, and
there would also exist, in the 2nd place, in
each Province a Legislative body, who would
aid in dividing the Province into electoral
districts, in proportioning the number of
representatives to the several districts, in
determining the polling places, and in many
details which could not properly be adjusted without the intervention of some such
bodies.

Your Lordship will see from the foregoing observations that the plan now submitted for your approval embraces an attempt,

1stly. To provide an immediate effective
Government for New Zealand.

2ndly. To render that of such a form as
to test the merits of a complete Representative form of Government which it is proposed should ultimately replace it.

3rdly. To constitute a temporary Government which shall hereafter settle all the
details of that Representative Government
for which it is to be a mere preparation.

And that the form of Government which
will be actually in operation in New Zealand, and if her Majesty should approve the enclosed ordinance, and until such time as the
Queen’s pleasure is made known will be, a
General Council for the whole islands already constituted by Act of Parliament, composed of persons nominated by her Majesty’s
directions which possesses all those powers
of legislation which it is proposed to vest in
a General Assembly, and of a Provincial Legislative Council for each Province which
could be constituted by the enclosed Ordinance, composed also of persons to be summoned thereto by her Majesty which councils would possess all those powers of local
legislation which it is proposed finally to
vest in the Provincial Legislative Councils
to be created by the constitution recommended for your Lordship’s consideration.

The form of government therefore, now in
operation is the exact counterpart of that
which it is proposed finally to introduce, with
the exception that it is not at present composed partly of persons so nominated, and partly
of persons elected by the voters of the colony—and secondly with this difference, that
the General Council is composed of one
chamber instead of two.

But the present form of government presents these advantages, in reference to the
immediate state of the country: 1stly. The
members of the various legislative bodies
being nominated by her Majesty, the present
form of government can be brought into immediate effective operation throughout the whole
of New Zealand, without any regard to the
number of inhabitants in any one Province
or to its precise boundaries, and also without any reference as to whether it has or
has not been divided into electoral districts.

2ndly. The efficacy of the various general
laws which have been enacted by the General Council for the whole of the New Zealand islands will be tested by some years’ actual experience, and whilst this General
Council is in its present simple form, any
additions to or amendments in these laws,
which that experience may point out as necessary, can be made, so that when a Representative form of government is introduced no immediate necessity will exist for
summoning a General Assembly.

3rdly. The mode in which an attempt
has been made to apportion the powers of
the General Assembly and the Provincial
Legislative Councils, so as to meet the local
and general requirements of the country,
will also be tested by actual experience