NEW ZEALAND
GOVERNMENT GAZETTE..

Published by Authority.

All Public Notifications which appear in this Gazette, with any Official
Signature thereunto annexed, are to be considered as Official Communications made
to those Persons to whom they may relate, and are to be obeyed accordingly.

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

VOL. II.] AUCKLAND, WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 27, 1854. [No. 30.

Colonial Secretary's Office, Auckland,
25th September, 1854.

HIS Excellency the Officer administering
for general information, of the following Re-
solutions of the two Houses of the Legislature,
concerning the prevalence of Intemperance
amongst the European and Native Inhabitants
of the Colony.

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

To His Excellency Lieut. Col. R. H. WYN-
YARD, C. B., the Officer administering the
Government of New Zealand, &c., &c., &c.

May it please your Excellency,

We, the Legislative Council of New Zea-
land, respectfully submit to your Excellency
a series of Resolutions passed by the Gouncil
on the 14th Inst., (concerning the prevalence
of intemperate habits among the Colonists and
Native Population.

And we earnestly pray that your Excel-
lency will be pleased to direct that these
Resolutions be published in the Government
Gazette for general information.

W. SWAINSON,
Speaker.

Legislative Council Chamber,
Auckland, 14th Sept., 1854.

RESOLUTIONS PASSED BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL,
14TH SEPTEMBER, 1854.

Whereas a Select Committee of the House of Re-
presentatives (on Secondary Punishments), have

that the vice of drunkenness is admitted to be the
main cause of crime in this colony; where the mi-
sery and temptations of poverty are hardly known;
and without desiring to travel too far out of the
limits of the enquiry referred to them, they can not
fail to express a hope that some Legislative Measure
may be adopted without delay, to arrest the pro-
gress of this principal incentive to crime;" and

Whereas it can not be denied that intemperance is a
prevalent vice amongst the Colonist Population of
New Zealand, and the unceasing cause of degra-
dation and ruin to individuals, and of misery to
families; and Whereas the vice of intemperance is
known to be extending among the Natives; and
whereas there can be no doubt, that in this country
the vice of intemperance is greatly promoted by the
facilities for its indulgence by both races, which are
afforded by the present state and administration of
the Law with regard to the trade in spirituous and
fermented drinks:

Therefore this Council is of opinion—First; That
the question of restrictions on the trade in spirituous
and fermented drinks is not one of political economy
alone to be viewed solely with reference to the prin-
ciples of Free Trade, and of taxation for Revenue;
but is also one of morals, which ought to be con-
sidered by the Legislature as affecting the people in
their social habits and general welfare, and likewise
as affecting the reputation of the Colony.

Secondly, This Council will be prepared at the
next Session of the General Assembly, to bestow its
most serious consideration on any Measure, having
for its object an alteration of the Law with regard to
the trade in Spirituous and Fermented Drinks, so as
to hinder effectually the spread of intemperance
throughout the Colony.