DESPATCH FROM SIR JOHN PAKINGTON TO GOVERNOR SIR GEORGE GREY

Downing Street, 16th July, 1852. Sir, — I have now to transmit to you the Act to grant a Representative Constitution to the Colony of New Zealand, which has received the Royal Assent. 2. When the seals of this Department were committed to me in the early part of the session of Parliament which has just terminated, I found the heads of a Bill for the same purpose already in preparation under the- directions of my predecessor, Earl Grey, and on full con sideration of the subject, her Majesty's Govern ment did not hesitate to adopt the general out lines of the measure thus originated, which ap pearedtothemcalculated to fulfil the expectations of the people of New Zealand, and to confer on them Constitutional rights in a form the most adapted to their peculiar circumstances. 3. The intentions with which that measure was framed were explained by my predecessor in a draft Despatch intended to accompany it : that draft has been printed for Parliament with a view to the discussions on this Bill : and I fully adopt the views set forth in the first 13 paragraphs of that d/aft, explaining the general purposes of the Bill, and the relation in which the Central Legislature will stand to the Pro vincial Councils : the only difference which it is necessary to note being that her Majesty's Go vernment have thought it advisable to add New Plymouth to the number of separate Provinces. 4. It has appeared, however, to her Majesty's Government that the almost necessary effect of this subdivision into six Provinces,when effected, will be to supersede the present division into two Provinces, and along with it, the existing two Lieutenant Governorships. The commis sion and instructions issued to you under the present Act will be framed with a view to this change. I do not offer, any opinion whether the present system has worked in a satisfactory manner ; but it was in its nature temporary only, and New Zealand will, as far as I am able to judge, be better governed in future/ under a single head, with tlu^^^tance of lx^al officers in the several se^^^^^^mly. /This change will, JitaljeveJl^^^^^^HJMyiminishing,

r Spectator and cooks strait guardian..
