136

ation of the Customs Revenue already arising,
under Colonial Ordinances. In the absence of
any special enactment by the Assembly the
surplus of Her Majesty's Customs Revenue
would not be payable into the several Pro-
vincial Treasuries, but would remain to the
credit of the General Government. It is pro-
posed for the consideration of the House, that,
subject to the charges necessary for the main-
tenance of the Civil Establishments, the
surplus of the present Customs Revenue
should be divided amongst the various Pro-
vinces in the proportion prescribed by the
Constitution Act in respect of the Revenues
to be raised under the provisions of an Act of
the Assembly. And the Bill for appropriating
the Public Revenues has been framed with a
view to carry that object into effect. With
respect to the ultimate distribution of the
surplus Land Revenues it may be a question
deserving consideration whether it would not
be more generally satisfactory to the Colonists,
that a separate account of the Land Revenue
should be kept for each Province, and that
as far as may be practicable the ultimate sum
to be paid into each Provincial Treasury,
should be determined by the amount of the
Land Revenue actually received and expended
within each Province in the course of the
preceding year.

During the short period which appears to
remain at the disposal of the Council, it can
hardly be expected that the Assembly should
exercise the power granted to them by the
Constitution Act of regulating the disposal and
management of the Waste Lands of the Crown.

Believing that the maintenance of uni-
formity in the mode of disposing of the Public
Lands, is not of essential importance, and in-
deed that no general system can be equally
adapted, or can long remain suited to the
various and varying conditions of a country
like New Zealand; the Officer administering
the Government, suggested for the considera-
tion of the Assembly, in his opening address,
whether it might not be expedient for the
Assembly to delegate to the Provincial Legis-
latures, the power of making laws for regu-
lating the sale, letting, disposal, and occu-
pation of the Waste Lands of the Crown. And
he would have been prepared at once to sub-
mit to the Assembly, a Bill to carry that object
into effect. It may well deserve consideration,
however, whether any Act to be passed by the
Assembly, to authorise the Provincial Councils
to legislate on this subject, should not, in order
to secure to the general government an effi-
cient controlling power, contain a provision
that no Ordinance to be passed by any Pro-
vincial Council relating to the Lands of the
Crown should come into actual operation
until it shall have received the Governor's
assent.

Looking to the magnitude of the interests
at stake, it may also be a wise precaution to
enact, that the power of regulating the disposal
and management of the Waste Lands of any
Province shall not be exercised by the local
Legislature until there shall have been a new
election of its Members.

Until the Assembly shall legislate on the
subject, it will be competent for the Governor,
by virtue of the provisions of the Constitution
Act, to regulate the sale, letting, disposal, and
occupation of the Demesne Lands of the
Crown. Pending legislation by the Assembly,
and aided by the best information which local,
knowledge and experience can supply, the
Officer administering the Government will be
prepared, as occasion may require, to adapt the
existing general regulations to the particular
requirements of the various Provinces, and as
far as may be consistent with the interests of
the Colony at large, in conformity with the
wants and wishes of their several inhabitants.

Many of the subjects of the most pressing
importance, have already, for some time been
under the consideration of the Council.
Amongst the measures which will probably
engage their attention, with a view to imme-
diate legislation are, the Secondary
Punishment Bill, the Naturalization Bill,
the Dower Bill, the Nelson Trust Fund Bill.

With a general desire to work together, with
a view to promote the interests of the Colony,
the Assembly will be able, by a close attention
to the actual business of legislation, to turn
even a short session to profitable account; and
the officer administering the Government, has
to assure the Council, in conclusion, of his
earnest wish, cordially to co-operate with them
during the short period which may yet remain
at their disposal, in the endeavour to secure
for the people of New Zealand the greatest
possible measure of useful legislation.

R. H. WYNYARD,
Officer administering the Govt.
Government House, Auckland,
4th Sept., 1854.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland,
2nd September, 1854.

HIS Excellency the. Officer Administering
the Government directs it to be notified
for general information that the under men-
tioned gentlemen have this day resigned their
seats in the Executive Council.

THOMAS SPENCER FORSAITH, Esq.,
EDWARD JERNINGHAM WAKEFIELD, Esq.
WILLIAM THOMAS LOCKE TRAVERS, Esq.
JAMES MACANDREW, Esq,

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

Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland,
5th September, 1854:

HIS-Excellency the Officer Administering
the Government has been pleased to
direct that the following Despatch from
Her Majesty's principal Secretary of State
for the Colonies should be published for gene-
ral information.

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