§ Lord John Russell moved for leave to bring in a bill for the future government of New South Wales. He proposed, that instead of the 361 present Legislative Council which was appointed by the Crown, that there should be a council of thirty-six members; that twenty-four of these members should be popularly elected, and that the other twelve should be appointed as at present by the authority of the Governor. He proposed that the plan should continue for ten years, for as the colony increased in wealth and population, the colonists would expect institutions similar to those of the North American possessions and the other colonies of Great Britain. He proposed a franchise of 10l. arising either from a house or a certain amount of property or land. The council would have all the powers that at present belonged to the Government council. There was also a proposal that the sales of land should take place only by authority of the Crown, and that the management of those lands should rest entirely with the Crown. He would not then enter in to the various provisions of the bill. As the colony was increasing in wealth and population, the present plan of transportation would be finally discontinued; and in a short time from the increasing number of emigrants, it would lose the character of a penal settlement. It was not, however, proposed to extend this measure to Van Diemen's Land.
§ Leave given.