HC Deb 06 August 1857 vol 147 cc1145-6

Order for Second Reading read.

MR. A. SMITH

explained that the Bill was intended to enable the New Zealand Company, for the sum of £200,000, as guaranteed in the previous Bill, to give discharges in full of all their claims on the land of New Zealand. The New Zealand Company had not originated this Bill, and they gave up the claim of £268,000 under its provisions. He would take that opportunity of making some few remarks on the speech of the right hon. Baronet (Sir J. Graham) with regard to the previous Bill—

SIR JOHN TRELAWNY

said, he rose to order. The hon. Member ought not to refer to a previous debate.

MR. SPEAKER

said, that reference to a previous debate of the present Session was certainly irregular.

MR. A. SMITH

said, that in that case he should simply move the second reading of the Bill.

Motion made and Question proposed, "That the Bill be now read a second time."

SIR JOHN TRELAWNY

said, he would be very unwilling to offer a factious opposition. His only object had been to relieve the British Exchequer from such burdens as that imposed by the Bill which had just been agreed to; and, as this Bill was merely ancillary to the former one, and moreover it did not affect the constitution of the Government, he should not throw any obstacle in its way.

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, that as the object of the Bill was to enable the New Zealand Company to take the smaller sum of £200,000, instead of the larger one of £268,000, there could be no question as to its policy.

SIR HENRY WILLOUGHBY

said, that the £268,000 represented money advanced? Had we lost that sum? [The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER: Yes.] He considered that this was very hard. It should be a warning to future Secretaries to the Colonies, not to mix themselves up with such transactions. He should like very much to know how all the money had vanished?

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER

said, that unfortunately the explanation was a very simple one. By the Act 10 & 11 Vict., c. 112, the debts of the company were remitted to them if they closed within, a certain time, and the sum of £268,000 was allotted to the company upon the lands of the colony. It was to this that he referred when he said that the bargain was not a bad one for the company.

Bill read 2° and committed for this day.