(111)

sent from the principle on which the Marriage Bill,
now before your honourable Council, is framed; viz.,
That there exists a Religious Establishment in this
colony.

3. They therefore pray that any Bill relating to the
   celebration of Marriage in this colony, that may be
   adopted by your Excellency in Council, may be framed
   on the principle of an 'Order in Council,' given by
   her Majesty the Queen, in September, 1838, for the
   regulation of Marriages in the West India Colonies,
   and securing to all Christian denominations their just
   rights, as follows:-" It shall be lawful for any Mi-
   nister of the Christian Religion, ordained or otherwise
   set apart to the Ministry of the Christian Religion,
   according to the usage of the persuasion to which he
   may belong, to publish banns, &c. &c &c." to which
   document we beg to refer your honourable Council,
   And your Petitioners will ever pray, &c.,
   (Signed)
   THOS. BUDDLE, Wesleyan Minister, and Others.

Unto His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand,
and the Members of the Legislative Council, now
Assembled.

This Memorial of the undersigned, Matthew
Whytlaw, Merchant, residing in Auckland-most
respectfully sheweth:-

That your Memorialist has observed with surprise
and concern, that a Bill has been introduced to the
Council, for regulating the law of Marriage in New
Zealand; in which the principle is laid down, that one
denomination of Christians should enjoy superior pri-
vileges to others, with reference to solemnizing the
rite of Marriage; by which, not only Ministers of the
Free Church of Scotland, of which your Memorialist
is a member, who may reside in this colony, but those
of other denominations than the United Churches of
England and Ireland, will be deprived of the priveleges
they enjoy in other colonies, as well as in Great Bri-
tain.

That as marriage involves in it not merely civil but
religious obligations, which will be seriously affected
by the said Bill, if passed into a law-your Memo-
rialist humbly contends, that to legislate in any way
with reference to the latter, belongs exclusively to the
Church of Christ: and that this principle has been
fully recognised in the bill recently introduced to Par-
liament, to "Amend the Law of Scotland affecting
the constitution of Marriage," (where it is declared
that registration according to the provisions of an Act
passed in the same session of Parliament, "shall, of
itself, constitute marriage," -leaving the religious rites
and ceremonies to be performed according to the prac-
tices of the Christian Churches of "every sect or per-
suasion, by whatever name or denomination known."

That your Memorialist is aware that a very large
portion of the community are opposed to the principle
of the said Bill, and that if time were given, would ex-
press dissent from it.

May it therefore, please your Excellency and the
honourable Council, not to pass the said Bill into law,
and your Memorialist shall ever pray,
(Signed)
MATTHEW WHYTLAW.

The Colonial Secretary moved the order of
the day for the third reading of the 'Slaughter-
house bill.'

Bill read a third time and passed.

The Attorney General moved the order of
the day for the second reading of the Marriage
bill.

Bill read a second time, and on the motion
of the Attorney General, Council went into
committee on the said bill.

On the reading of the first clause, commit-
tee adjourned until Saturday, the 4th instant.

On the motion of the Attorney General,
Council went into committee on the 'Im-
pounding Bill.' Schedules read and agreed
to, and the report brought up and adopted.

Council adjourned at 4 o'clock, until 2
o'clock on Saturday, the 4th instant.

GODFREY J. THOMAS,
Clerk of Council.

Colonial Secretary's Office,
Auckland, 16th September, 1847.

HIS Excellency the Governor has been
pleased to appoint

MR. JAMES ELLIOTT,
to be Clerk to the Magistrates at Auckland,
from the 1st instant

By His Excellency's command,
ANDREW SINCLAIR,
Colonial Secretary.

NOTICE OF ASSIGNMENT OF AN
INSOLVENT'S ESTATE.

NOTICE is hereby given, that by an In-
denture of Assignment dated the 30th
day of July, in the Year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty seven, be-
tween Robert Tod, late of Nelson, in the Co-
lony of New Zealand, but at present residing
in the City of Sydney, in the Colony of New
South Wales, Gentleman: of the first part,
Clark Irving, of Sydney, aforesaid Accountant
(Trustee for the purposes thereinafter men-
tioned:) of the second part, and the several
persons who had by themselves or their agents
executed the said Indentures being the Cre-
ditors of the said Robert Tod: of the third
part, the said Robert Tod did grant, bargain,
sell, release, and confirm, assign, transfer, and
set over unto the said Clark Irving his Heirs,
Executors, Administrators and Assigns, all
the Real and Personal Estate and Effects
whatsoever and wheresoever of him the said
Robert Tod for the benefit of all the Creditors
of the said Robert Tod, and that the said In-
denture was executed by the above named
Parties thereto of the first and second parts
respectively in the presence of, and attested
by Stuart Alexander Donaldson, of the City
of Sydney aforesaid, Esquire, one of Her Ma-
jesty's Justices of the Peace, and that the
same Indenture is now lying at the office of
Mr. William Spain, No. 308, Pitt Street, Syd-
ney, aforesaid for inspection and execution.

Dated this tenth day of August, in the Year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
forty seven.

ROBERT TOD,
CLARK IRVING.

Signed by the said Robert Tod and Clark
Irving in the presence of

STUART A. DONALDSON, J. P.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN,

THAT all Partnership concerns between us
the Undersigned, at Auckland, in the
Trade or Business of Masons and Builders,
were dissolved by mutual consent, on and
from the 5th day of April, 1847.

As witness our hands the } W. GREENWOOD,
30th day of August, 1847. } CHAS. LOWSON.

Auckland:-Printed by JOHN WILLIAMSON, for the
New Zealand Government.