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been declared extinguished there has been a disposition to resuscitate these associations, and to call upon the Government to carry out the resolutions passed in 1866.

I feel bound by the duty I owe to the whole Province, unhesitatingly to record my opinion that under the altered circumstances both of the Colony and this Province, it is utterly impossible to carry out the scheme of the small farm association on the conditions then specified—that to attempt to give effect to the resolutions passed in 1866 will inevitably involve the Province in greater financial embarrassments than those from which it is just emerging, and will for ever prevent the resumption of public works and immigration. And you will inflict this deadly blow without even the prospect of any compensating advantage; for by the proposed scheme you do not increase the population, but simply at a ruinous sacrifice transfer the existing population from one locality to another. You do not increase the revenue for the number of consumers of dutiable articles will remain precisely the same. You, in short, simply give away a valuable estate without any adequate consideration whatever, or rather you entail heavy pecuniary liabilities on the Province.

If on the other hand you manage this estate, which now comprises some five hundred thousand acres, with ordinary wisdom and prudence; if you sell these lands at their fair market price, you may calculate upon having within a very short time a large population settled upon them, and the Province may confidently rely upon receiving from the sales a revenue for many years amply sufficient to carry on public works and to resume immigration. It would, I think, be well for you to consider whether it would not be advisable to set aside a portion of these 500,000 acres for sale in England, say at £2 an acre to any company or association who would undertake to form a special settlement. But in making these remarks I am free to admit that the members of the Hutt small farm association who have not withdrawn their money, should, on paying up the balance of their purchase money be entitled to select their land at £1 an acre, and I have already authorised them to select a block of 5000 acres, which will more than fully satisfy their claims. I will only add that in considering the settlement of these districts, it ought not to be forgotten that the three blocks of Awahou, Upper Manawatu and Rangitikei have already cost the province at least £65,000.

I have not deemed it necessary to submit to you fresh estimates, for, as I have already observed, the financial condition of the Province will not be materially altered until the Rangitikei Block has been placed in the market, by which time I hope to have returned. I shall therefore ask you to continue the existing Appropriation Act for some eight months beyond the termination of our financial year, including in the Act some supplementary estimates rendered necessary by the proposed additions to the survey staff, and by other charges.

The purport of the other bills proposed to be introduced for your consideration is as follows:—

The Bill for the Union of the Highway Districts of Karori and Makara has been prepared in consequence of the difficulties which have arisen in the maintenance of the principal line of road through those districts. With a view to facilitate the object contemplated by this union, it has been deemed desirable by some of the parties interested, that I should also submit for your consideration a Bill for erecting a toll-gate at some convenient place on the main line of road from Wellington to Karori.

The Bill for amending the Wanganui Bridge Act gives legal effect to the conditions under which the General Government have consented to advance the sum of £15,000 to enable the contract for erecting the bridge to be carried out.

The Toll-gate Bill for the Wanganui District extends to the portion of the Province south of that river, a means of collecting revenue for the repairs of the main line of road, such as has for years been in operation adjacent to the town of Wellington.

The Volunteer Free-grant Amendment Bill simply precludes the holders of certificates from selecting in the Manawatu Block. The fact that so large a portion as 20 per cent of the proceeds of the land in this block has to be paid to the General Government in liquidation of the loan raised for its purchase, must be deemed a sufficient reason for this exclusion; more particularly in the present limited condition of the provincial revenue.

The Bill amending the Sheep Inspectors’ Act gives power to the Executive to vary the districts created under the original Act, as from time to time may be found convenient.

I shall, now that you have elected your Speaker, submit to you by message proposals for carrying on the Government during my absence—proposals which will not, I anticipate, entail any increase of expenditure, as the salary of the Superintendent will be available for the payment of the officers appointed to administer the Government.

While it is no doubt desirable that I should proceed with Mr Bell to England by the December mail, still, if you find it impossible to get through the business now submitted to you, or if you desire to bring forward other measures which you deem of importance, the Government will not in any way object—for my own part, I am quite willing to place myself entirely in your hands.

I. E. FEATHERSTON,
Superintendent,
Wellington, 22nd Nov., 1869.

Printed under the authority of the Government of the Province of Wellington, by Thomas McKenzie, Printer for the time being to such Government.