SOUTHLAND.

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 1981, 10 September 1869, Page 2

SOUTHLAND.

The political affairs of the Province of Southland have assumed the position of a dead lock, the history of which is thus told by the Southlvnd Times : Sometime ago, on a question connected with the Oreti Railway contract, a difference of opinion arose between the Superintendent and his advisers. Ultimately, the misunderstanding became so serious that His Honor put his prerogative into effect, and dismissed the Executive. He subsequently called to his council two gentlemen who had formerly held office, but one of whom had been ousted by the vote of the Council at a previous sitting. To have called the Council together at the earliest possible moment after the change in the Executive occurred, would probably have been the wisest, as certainly it was the most course, for His Honor to ha^ r followed. Instead of this, however, through various -circumstances, the Council was not called for some considerable time, while in the interim a voluminous correspondence between His Honor and his late Executive was laid before the public in the columns of the local journals. His Honor also sought and obtained a seat at the Council table, to be able personally to defend his coucluct when the question should come before that body. At last the Council met, and as a matter of course, the dispute between the Superintendent and his late advisers was one of the first subjects brought up for consideration. The subject was introduced by Mr Calder, one of the dismissed advisers, in a motion characterising the action of the Superintendent as unwarrantable and unconstitutional. After a very lengthy debate, this motion was carried, with only two dissentient voices—the then Executive. The Government accepted the vote as one of want of confidence, consequently His Honor and his advisers tendered their resignations. Of course the Governor’s acceptance was necessary to render the resignation of the Superiu ten deucy an accomplished fact, and this was not at once accorded, being withheld for reasons not yet publicly known. In the interim His Honor has seen fit to take a different view of the situation, and has just inti mated to the Council that he has withdrawn his resignation altogether. While waiting the intimation of his Excellency’s pleasure on this matter, the Council took up and discussed at great length the question of the reannexation of Southland to Otago, so far, at least, as the appointment of Commissioners to consider the basis of union. A motion of Mr Johnston’s to this effect was carried by a large majority. It was, however, clearly understood the motion was purely tentative, and did not commit members supporting it to the question of annexa--tion itself. A large number of the members were rather in fa l or of appealing to the General Government, and a motion to that effect was also carried, and forwarded to Wellington, to which, it is said, a favorable reply has been received. In the meantime, his Honor’s resumption of office also reinstates his Executive, who will probably administer the affairs of the Province until a now Council is elected. A dissolution of the Council—being the only practicable way out of the difficulty—will, no doubt, be carried into effect immediately the report of the Annexation Commissioners has been placed before the present House. Pending the preparation of that report, his Honor has unexpectedly prorogued the Council. The message as read to the House was a proclamation by his Honor the Superintendent that the Council stand prorogued. The Council then assumed the character of au open meeting, of which the Speaker was elected chairman. The discussion occupied some length, but the members expressed no surprise at the step which his Honor the Superintendent had taken, but announced that they had been aware such a course was about to he pursued. A resolution