*THE EARL OF ONSLOWasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) whether he could inform the House of the number of measures introduced by the Government of New Zealand which were rejected by the Legislative Council last Session; (2) upon how many occasions the Government suffered defeat on the divisions taken, and upon how many occasions those decisions would have been reversed if the Government had been reinforced by the votes of the 12 Legislative Councillors which the Governor had since been instructed by the Secretary of State to appoint on the 1696 advice of Ministers; and (3) whether he would lay upon the Table of the House, the Papers relating to those appointments? He said, if the noble Marquess was prepared to lay the Papers upon the Table, and would give the assurance that they contained full information upon the subject, he would not then press for a further answer.
§ *THE MARQUESS OF RIPONMy Lords, I will lay the Papers on the Table of the House, if the noble Lord will move for them, as an unopposed Return, and they will contain all the information at my disposal on the subject of this question.
Moved, "That there be laid upon time Table of the House copies or extracts of Papers relating to the New Zealand Legislature."—(The Earl of Onslow.)
§ Motion agreed to.
§ House adjourned at five minutes to Five o'clock, to Monday next, a quarter before Eleven o'clock.