REASONS AGAINST A DISSOLUTION.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 185, 27 May 1873, Page 5

REASONS AGAINST A DISSOLUTION.

In the memorial forwarded to the Acting Governor by a majority of the Council, praying his Excellency to refrain from dissolving the Council, the following reasons were given why a dissolution should not be granted :

1. That there is a majority in the Council sufficient to carry on the business of the country, there being, not including the Speaker, twenty-seven members out of a total number of forty-six willing to act together in all matters of general policy. 2. That in no Council is it probable that a greater proportion of members agree to act together as one paity. 3. That no proposals ever submitted to the Council by His Honor the Superintendent have been refused consideration by the Council. 4. That it would be at variance with the principles of responsible Government for the to force on the Council an Executive that does not possess its confidence. 5. That while censuring the Executive, as the l ouncil did by adopting Mr Keid's amendment, it was vindicating its constitutional position, and should the Council be deprived of this power, its existence is an absurdity and an anomaly. G. That the expense to the country of an election would be great, and your memorialists believe perfectly useless, as tbe parties would not be materially changed by an appeal to the country. 7. That there are various pressing matters of public interest recpiiring speedy action on the part of the Council, the delay of which would entail considerable injury on the Province, such as opening land for settle_ment, providing buildings for schoo s, &o. 8. That there is no quesdon of policy whatever to.submit to the country, except indeed it be considered a question, whether the powers granted by the Constitution Act, and the various Provincial Ordinances; are to be set aside by the dictatorial action of a .Superintendent. 9. That if the.Superintendent of a Province is to'be allowed to choose his advisers from feelings of personal likes or dislikes, the system of responsible government, which has hitherto worked well in this Province, will cease to exist. 10. That an election at the present time would be most inopportune, as many members of the Council are members of the General Assembly, which will very soon meet. 11. That no supplies whatever have been voted ly the Council, and unless the business of the country be carried on in violation of the provisions of the Provincial Audit Ac s, great loss must necessarily result to the Province. 12. That there has already been paid, under special order, upwards of £19,000 during the past twelve months, for which no appropriation has yet been made. 13. That the financial year of the Province ended on the 31st March, 1873, but provision was made by the Appropriation Ordinance for an expenditure at the same rate for two months longer, and this time ends on the 31st May, 1873. 14. That the settlement of the country has already been delayed by the provisions of the Wasie L>nds Act of J872 relating to the disposal of laud on deferred payments not being taken advantage of, and the dissolution of the Council will necessitate a further needless delay. 13. Taat your memorialists have at all times oeen ready to carry on the business of the country, but they decline to be forced to submit to an Executive conducting the ' business of the country which has not their

confluence. IG. That your memorialists respectfully submit that, were the request of his Honor the Superintendent complied with, a most dangerous pre edeut would be established, as an Executive m whom the Council has no confidence would be allowed to remain in power ; and whenever .1 Superintendent could not yet an Executive according to hi-, own Hiving, a dissolution would have 1o take place, notwithstanding that the Council did not concur with him in revuesiiuj; it. 17. That, the present Executive, notwithstanding taut it h,ts nor had the, confidence ot the Council, has held office for six months, and if a dissolution be granted, will hold office for some months longer.

The memorial was signed by twenty-nine Councillors, two of whom—Messrs Menzies and Hickey—had voted against Mr Reid's want of confidence motion. The signatures are given below :

J. A. U. Menzies,m.l.c. Matthew Holmes, m.l.c. B. Mallensteiu, xr.H it. J. W. i'houuon, mh.r. b. H. Mervyn, m ii.r. J. (J. Brown, m'h.r. Donald Keid, m.ii.k. J. B. bradshaw, m.h.r. C4eo. Lmnsden "Win. Wood George W. il. Uutten

Alex. Mollisoa D. Heiiilerdoa

J P. Armstrong A. limes

John A!•lvomsio C. Hickey J. Allan lieo. Duncan

K. iMoaC H. Clark 1). H utcheson Jaiiu-s (i recti

John Smith G. M. Webster - ■James Shand t iVm. iiarr.

J. L, Gihios