PROROGATION OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL

Cromwell Argus, Volume I, Issue 8, 29 December 1869, Page 5

PROROGATION OF THE PROVINCIAL COUNCIL

The following i.H tlio Hpcmoh dolivorod # by his Honor the Superintendent in pro- t . ro g,ting tlio Council on Wednesday last, tlnv,22,ud inst : — s Mr Speaker and Gentlemen of the Provincial t Council : 8 Having disposed of tlm special business of the t session, i°t now only remains for mo to thank t you for your attendance. 1: ‘ Although the results of the session, as respects j the placing in the market of land for settlement —the construction of the Southern trunk, bailway—and emigration—has not been such as 1 * could have desired, or might have anticipated, c lam at the same time fain to hope that the j session will not prove fruitless in other respects. Your various resolutions, respecting public reserves, re-union with Southland, water supply on goldfields, Mining surveyors’ report, &0., &c., shall have my best attention. *• On behalf "of the Governor I have this day t assented to “The Cattle Trespass Ordinance v Amendment Ordinance, 18G0,” “ University of Otago Ordinance Amendment Orilinauco, 186.1, “ Moeraki Land .Sale Ordinance, 186!),’ ‘ Appropriation Ordinance, No. -2, 1869-71). r The followng Bills I reserve for the sigmfi- i cation of the Governor s pleasure thereon, j “ Education .Reserves Management and Leasing . Ordinance (a o. 2), 1869,” “ Duneuin Reserves Management Ordinance, 1869." Gentlemen—l must sa>- tint although diver- r sity of opinion is the very life’s blood of free r institutions, there is at tlio same time a certain j unity of action which is highly essential in order % to the proper development of the resources of a .new country. Tome, it is a matter of deepest c regret that there does not appear to lie this < action of unity amongst us. I trust it may not , ho dec nc I out of place in me to express a hope ; that we may all become more alive to theresponsibility of our respective positions, am to the fact that we have committed to us the power, ( if we onl/ exercise it, of adding very largely 1 to - he sum of human happiness. i There is at our disposal a territory reple’e with all the elem nts of wealth and prosperity, capable of supporting in comfort a lirgo population, and the fault is mainly .at onr own door if the country does not progress more rapidly than I it is doing. Gentlemen, let each and all of us ( s rive to lie influenced less by party spirit, and ( more by culighteiie I patriotism, and depend t u on it this country will very soon present a d il'erenfc aspect. . ' There is only one other matter which reepnres spocal allusion from mo, viz., the proposal to dissolve this Council, This proposal is based, on various grounds. Eirst, “ the present crisis in the affairs of the province;” second, “the number of important changes proposed at the present time third, “with a view of enabling the various constituencies to express an opinion 1 upon the alterations ma le in the land laws by the Otago Hundreds Regulation Act;’ and fourth, “tlio proposed re-union with Southland.” As regards the first reason which is uiged, lam I not aware that there is at present any peculiar cri*is in the allairs of the province, which calls j for a dissolution excepting it bo tlio Impending dead lock, which is likely to result from not immediately placing land in the market for settle- 1 ment. This crisis, however, it seems to me, may ho averted by much more simple and effective means than a dissolution of the Council. As to the important changes said to he proposed at the present time, I am not aware of them. With respect to the third reason urged, (t " a/fording to tho constituencies an i opportunity of cxpressmj-~Ttri- a’yiiim upon Otago Hundreds Regulation Act, it appears to me that this matter has been already so far disposed of, inasmuch as that, as respects the principle of the Bill, you have concurred with the representatives of tho province in the General Assembly ; and 1 believe there is very little doubt that the proposed amendments will he assented to by the Assembly without any further manifestation of public opinion. Moreover, it appears to me that the constituencies will be in much hotter position to express an opinion as to this measure, after having seen its practical working. With this view, it is very desirable that the Bill should he put into operation at once, so as to afford the constituencies ample time to judge of its merits before they are called upon to elect representatives to the Colonial Patliament. It should lie borne in mind that it is not by a dissolution of tho Provincial Council that the constituencies can give practical effect to their views upon this question, hut by a dissolution of the General Assembly, which dissolution, by the effluxion of time, takes place next year. As regards the fourth reason, viz., the prn--1 posed re-union with Southland, I would remind you that this question has been before tho conn- * try for the past two years and a half ; it was one r of the leading questions propounded by me as a candidate for the Superintendency, and one whicdi met with almost universal acceptance ; 1 and I have no doubt the resolution which you ‘ have passed on the subject fully represents the I mind of the country. Under all the circnmf stances of the case, therefore, lam unable to sec that there is any good ground for a dissolution now, or any great practical end likely to bo gained from it, the more especially, seeing that II the Council has only another session before it c will he dissolved by effluxion of time. i- Gentlemen —I now declare this Council to ho d prorogued, arid it stands prorogued accordingly, i- J, Macasdrf-w, Superintendent.