The ministry 1 was short handed, at legist when compared with other ministries, for they found, that tlic minister ■ who had undertaken the 'colonial secretaryship' had nlso undertaken the .duties of tho native minister (Mr. Fox, " Hear.") 'The development of llxe Middle Island had been, promised by the Colonial Secretary in his • opening speech in forming a i new Ministry,. and from the present condi^ign of aiTaira theroinho believed' it would be .admitted by all that some mo.a3ure of rcforpi was necessary. The amond mont'of thehon. member for Bi;uoe was> simply a compromise; but he was quite} satisfied the hon. member, by, introducing such, an amendment, did, not truly represent a , Middle Island con stituency. .They had r been told an agitation had been got up for tho.romoval of the. heat of Government to Wellington j aud also an agita tion for the seat of Goverqmoait to be removod to ,tho Middle Island. Tho -Middle Island had ;urgent need, of, a different Government, from, what'it, at present enjoyed,. , Its, resources had been very much., ,neglected, aud ho was gl.ul, therefore, to sec, Govornmeut repognised the necessity of some reform. Tlie 6ch,eme proposed was only a measure of ,a r tompqraj^f nature, and not calculated to create any organic change. 'Ho must say that he.,wns f jin favour of the motjoij, and. would, vote against the araend. ment( j^. ; , J^r. SAUKDEKS>thought the last speaker had failed to prove tlipt the appointment of a.lieut.r would bo fori r the benefit of the whole country ,{ TJ>ere were many things be consi dered before deciding to adopt, the proposition of the institution of ,a, deputy governor. ,And oue was the great expense whicn would be en tailed on the country. (Notion, member could be unaware of the expense, of the present system of government, and the establishment of a deputy governor w oulcl very muclx increase it. He considered the whole country would be much benefited were ,the seat , of government removed. ''But it would be for the House to say where' it should be situate. One thing he was strongly opposed to ; and that was the con tinuance ot the meeting of the Assembly in the northern ( part of the colony ; for by tills* means ' southern portion Twas inadequately represented. 