Also, a copy of a Despatch from the
Lieutenant-Governor of New Ulster, accompanied with samples of Gold found
in that Province, and some drawings
connected with the subject.

The Colonial Secretary for New Munster gave notice that to-morrow he would
move the first reading of the "Appropriation Bill."

The Attorney General for New Munster gave notice that to-morrow he would
move the first reading of the "Canterbury Deeds Registration Bill."

His Excellency then adjourned the
Council at 20 minutes to 4 o'clock p. m.,
to Thursday the 23rd instant, at 3 o'clock.

THURSDAY, DEC. 23.

Present —
His Excellency the Governor-in-Chief
and the Members as on yesterday.

The Council met pursuant to adjournment.

The Rev. the Colonial Chaplain read
prayers.

The minutes of last meeting read and
confirmed.

The Colonial Secretary moved the
order of the day for the first reading of
"Appropriation Bill."

Motion was seconded by Colonel
M'Cleverty and agreed to.

Bill read a first time accordingly.

On the motion of the Attorney General, seconded by Capt. Smith, "the Canterbury Deeds Registration Bill" read first time.

His Excellency laid on the Table the
following despatch from the Right Hon.
the Minister for the Colonies, together
with an Act to grant a Representative
Constitution to the Colony of New Zealand.

Also papers relating to the Australian
Colonies.

No. 32.

Downing-street, 16th July, 1852.

Sir, I have now to transmit to you the
Act "to grant a Representative Constitution to the Colony of New Zealand,"
which has received the Royal Assent.

2. When the seals of this Department
   were committed to me in the early part
   of the Session of Parliament which has
   just terminated, I found the heads of a
   Bill for the same purpose already in preparation under the directions of my predecessor, Earl Grey, and on full consideration of the subject, her Majesty’s
   Government did not hesitate to adopt the
   general outlines of the measure thus originated, which appeared to them calculated
   to fulfil the expectations of the people of
   New Zealand, and to confer on them
   Constitutional rights in a form the most
   adapted to their peculiar circumstances.

3. The intentions with which that measure was framed were explained by my
   predecessor in a draft despatch intended
   to accompany it: that draft has been
   printed for Parliament with a view to the
   discussions on this Bill: and I fully adopt
   the views set forth in the first 13 paragraphs of that draft, explaining the general
   purposes of the Bill, and the relation in
   which the Central Legislature will stand
   to the Provincial Councils: the only
   difference which it is necessary to note
   being that her Majesty’s Government
   have thought it advisable to add New
   Plymouth to the number of separate
   Provinces.

4. It has appeared, however, to her
   Majesty’s Government that the almost
   necessary effect of this subdivision into
   six Provinces, when effected, will be to
   supersede the present division into two
   Provinces, and, along with it, the existing
   two Lieutenant Governorships. The
   commission and instructions issued to you
   under the present Act will be framed
   with a view to this change. I do not offer
   any opinion whether the present system
   has worked in a satisfactory manner;
   but it was in its nature temporary only,
   and New Zealand will, as far as I am
   able to judge, be better governed in future
   under a single head, with the assistance
   of local officers in the several settlements
   only. This change will, at all events,
   have the effect of diminishing, in some
   degree, the civil expenditure of the
   colony, a result which I am anxious to
   effect.

5. In the remaining portions of the
   Act there are some important differences
   from the scheme of the late government;
   and without entering into these in great
   detail I shall proceed to give some explanation of the measure in the shape
   which it has now assumed.

6. It has been thought advisable that
   the Provincial Councils should consist of
   a single Chamber, consisting wholly of
   elected members. They have been led
   to this conclusion by the comparatively
   unimportant nature of the functions of
   these Councils; which will be limited to
   local objects, such as would be considered
   here to be of a municipal character, rather