HC Deb 12 July 1858 vol 151 cc1347-8

Order for Committee read.

House in Committee.

Clause 1, fixes the boundaries of New Caledonia—on the south, the frontier of the United States; on the east, the watershed between the streams which flow into the Pacific and the Atlantic and Icy Oceans; on the north, the 55th parallel of north latitude; and on the west, the Pacific Ocean.

MR. CHRISTY moved an Amendment, making the eastern boundary "the main chain of the Rocky Mountains," and the northern boundary "Simpson's River, and the Finlay branch of the Peace River."

SIR BULWER LYTTON

said, he did not object to the Amendment.

MR. ROEBUCK

suggested that it would be desirable to comprise the whole of the British territory up to the Russian boundary.

Amendment agreed to.

MR. BERESFORD HOPE

said, he wished to draw attention to the name which had been assigned to the new colony. He considered New Caledonia an inappropriate designation, and would suggest Pacifica, or any other name which might have some natural connection, as in the case of the name assigned to Australia, with its geographical position.

MR. ROEBUCK

said, he wished to direct the attention of the right hon. Baronet to a proclamation of Governor Douglas, which, it appeared from the papers of that morning, had been issued to the gold-diggers, and expressed a wish to know whether any instructions had been sent out from the Colonial Office with respect to that document. So far as he (Mr. Roebuck) understood the Proclamation, it referred to the mainland, over which the Governor had no control.

SIR BULWER LYTTON

said, he had seen the Proclamation to which the hon. and learned Gentleman referred, and that it would appear to be formed upon a misconception of the rights of the Hudson's Bay Company, which did not justify blockade of Fraser's River. He thought, however, that great excuse should be made for Governor Douglas in the difficult position in which he was placed, while he could assure the hon. and learned Gentleman that the Proclamation would receive the serious consideration of the Government.

MR. CROSSLEY

said, he wanted to know whether the right hon. Baronet would not accede to the proposition of calling the territory with which the Bill proposed to deal by a more appropriate name than that of New Caledonia?

SIR BULWER LYTTON

said, several names had been suggested, but none had been very favourably received. The last proposition to call the territory Pacifica had not been received with enthusiasm. Respectful consideration would, however, be given to the subject, and possibly the name might be altered.

MR. ROEBUCK

recommended that the Indian name should be sought out and adopted in a translated shape.

MR. CHRISTY

said, he did not see so much objection to the name. The whole territory had received the name of New Albion from Drake 300 years ago.

Clause agreed to, as were also the remaining clauses.

MR. ROEBUCK

asked, whether it was intended to introduce any provision into the Bill securing to the colonists the benefits of English laws as far as they were applicable to the circumstances?

THE SOLICITOR GENERAL

said, the very fact of establishing the colony would carry by its own force all English laws that were applicable to the state of the colony. The Bill also provided that the Governor should have power to make laws suitable to the emergency, but it required that those laws should be submitted to Parliament as speedily as possible.

The House resumed.

Bill reported, as amended, to be considered To-morrow.

House adjourned at Two o'clock.