§ MR. C. BULLERrose to put a question to the First Lord of the Treasury, of which he had given notice on Friday. Some time since the right hon. Baronet had been pleased to say that he would give ample notice of the intentions of Government with respect to New Zealand; and he would now perhaps fully acquit him (Mr. C. Buller) of exceeding the limits of his duty when he asked whether it was the intention of Ministers, in the present Session, to bring forward any measure for the government of New Zealand?
§ SIR R. PEELreplied, that since the subject had been mentioned formerly, his right hon. Friend the Secretary for the Colonies had given a good deal of consideration to the subject. His difficulty in giving a positive answer was now materially diminished by the contents of the recent accounts from New Zealand. On the last occasion he had not been able to give any pledge, because the British troops were then in chase of the enemy; but now there was good reason to hope that the authority of the British Crown had been established. Under these altered circumstances, he had no hesitation in stating his opinion that it would be highly desirable, in the course of the present Session, to bring forward a legislative measure for the government of New Zealand. As to the particular character of the measure, he abstained from giving any opinion. Whether it should be an enacting or an enabling measure, he would not say; but it was the intention of Ministers to introduce some legislative measure before the expiration of the Session.