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E—No. 3

TO NATIVE AFFAIRS. On the whole, therefore, I believe this Act to be the best compromise which can now be made, and I beg to recommend it to your favourable consideration, and earnestly to request that no time may be lost in acquainting me with your decision. I have, &c, T. Gore Browne. His Grace the Duke of Newcastle, ■ &c, &c, &c. P.S. —I thought it most important that an Act giving power to issue Crown Grants should be submitted to the Assembly, and forwarded for the signification of Her Majesty's pleasure, in order that the whole matter should be placed before your Grace at the same time. With that view I sent the Memorandum (marked 8) to my Advisers, but the session of the Assembly was too far advanced to admit of the introduction of such a measure before the dissolution. T. G. B.

Enclosure 1 In No. 4. (Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives, Session 1860, 140). Imperial Legislation on Native Affairs. —Mr. Fox moved, and the question was proposed, That this House has heard, wilh deep regret, that a Bill has been brought before the Imperial Parliament, with the object of instituting a system of Government in reference to the Native Affairs of this Colony, which entirely removes those Affairs from all control by the Legislature of the Colony ; and it regrets still more deeply that so important an alteration of the Constitution Act should have been proceeded with so far, without any communication whatever on the subject having been made to the Colonial Legislature, or to the Responsible Ministers of the Colony. That this House desires to repudiate, in the strongest possible manner, the allegations which have been made, that the Colonists entertain any but the most friendly feelings towards the Native Race, that they are in any way indifferent to their welfare and conservation, or that they entertain any such sentiments on the subject of the acquisition of the Native Lands as have been attributed to them. That this House believes that the solution of the present Native difficulties can only be looked for from the local deliberations of the General Assembly, and the local action of the Colonial Government, working in harmony with the Native Race, and in conformity, as far as possible, with their opinions and suggestions. That the co-operation of the Colonial Legislature cannot be expected, with any system of Native Administration imposed upon the Colony by the action of the Imperial Parliament, taken in entire ignorance of the fact on the part of the Colonial Legislature, and in opposition in many respects to its views. That a copy of the foregoing Resolutions be forwarded to His Excellency, with a request that he will immediately transmit them to Her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Colonies., A debate arose thereupon.

Enclosure 2 in No. 4. {Extract from the Journals of the House of Representatives, Session 1860, p. 174). Imperial Legislation on Native Affairs. —Mr. Fox, from the Committee appointed to confer ■with a Committee of the Legislative Council on the subject-matter of certain Resolutions referred to them on the 3rd instant, in reference to Legislation by the Imperial Parliament on Native Affairs, brought up a Report and the same was read as followeth :— The Joint Committee of the two Houses of the Assembly have met and considered the subject matter of the Resolutions proposed by the Honorable Member for Wanganui (Mr. Fox), and have agreed to make the following Report on the question referred to in the said Resolutions :— The Committee are of opinion that it is essential to the successful operation of any system which may be established for the better administration of Native Affairs, that it should have the cordial support of the Local Legislature, and that such co-operation cannot be expected towards any system of Native Administration imposed upon the Colony by the action of the Imperial Parliament, taken without reference to the views or to the local knowledge and experience of the Colonial Legislature. That in case the " New Zealand Land Bill," which has been introduced into the Imperial Parliament, shall become law, His Excellency the Governor be moved to defer bringing it into practical operation within the Colony, until Her Majesty's Government shall have had an opportunity of considering the provisions of a measure which the Committee suggest should be passed by the Assembly for establishing a Native Council on the basis of the following Resolutions :— That in lieu of the said " New Zealand Land Bill," Her Majesty's Government be moved to obtain an Act of the Imperial Parliament enabling the General Assembly of New Zealand to make laws to regulate the purchase, acquisition, or acceptance of lands of or belonging to the Natives, and to regulate the acceptance of any release or extinguishment of their rights in any such land,

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