DIEU ET MON DROIT
HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE
SUPPLEMENT
TO THE
NEW ZEALAND
GOVERNMENT GAZETTE,
OF WEDNESDAY, 13th APRIL, 1842.
Published by Authority.

VOL. II.] AUCKLAND, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 1842. [No. 15

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
LAND CLAIMS.

(Continued from the Supplement to the Gazette of April 6.)

His Excellency then said, that the preamble
was carried in their favour, but as the three hon.
gentlemen who were not members of the Ex-
ecutive Council had voted against the govern-
ment, he should not proceed with the bill.

The Colonial Secretary then moved-That the
further consideration of the bill be adjourned
sine die.

Mr. Earp seconded the motion, which was
carried unanimously.

The Attorney-General then rose and said, I
quite concur in the policy of the government in
declining to carry this bill against the almost
unanimous feeling of the Land Claimants, and the
opposition of the un-official members of the
Council. No law can be advantageous, by being
brought into operation against the feelings of the
community at large; and, I do not hesitate to
admit that this measure would fail in its object,
opposed by almost all the parties most nearly con-
cerned in it. As the measure brought under the
consideration of the Council for the settlement of
this question has gained, for the government,
nothing but unpopularity, I am anxious to avow
my own share in it. I believe that, from first to
last, all the members of the government have been
unanimously of opinion that, if carried into opera-
tion with the concurrence of the land claimants,
it was calculated, in a high degree, to promote
their interests. But, if there is one member of

the government who has taken a greater share
than another, in originating, devising, and endea-
vouring to carry the measure, it is myself. If,
therefore, any member of the government deserves,
on that account, more odium or more unpopularity
than another, I am the man. I entertain a con-
fident expectation, however, that no long time will
elapse before the more right-minded of its opponents
will regret having in the warmth of their feelings in-
dulged suspicions and imputed motives deroga-
tory to the character of the official Members of
the Council; and, will be first to admit that the
measure was proposed for their own benefit, and
that, in scornfully rejecting that measure, they
will discover, when too late, they have taken a step
ever to be regretted, but never to be repaired.

Mr. Porter could not possibly understand the
last observation of the honorable member. It
seemed to imply that the colonists were not capa-
ble of judging with regard to their own affairs.

Mr. Earp observed that the feelings of the
colonists with regard to this measure hereafter,
so far from partaking of regret, would be subject
of congratulation, on the certainty that a measure
had been defeated deeply injurious to their inter-
ests.

The Attorney-General observed that he would
be the last man in that Council to hold out any
thing like a threat, or to cast any reflections on
the colonists, but what he intended to convey
was, that either from misapprehension, or misre-
presentatation, the colonists were taking a course
which could not conduce to their own permanent
prosperity.