PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2215, 13 June 1870, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

This Day. At the sitting to-day Mr Sliand gave notice of his intention to bring in a Bill to repeal the Immigration Ordinance. —Mr Ashcroft called attention to the manner in which Mr Shepherd’s resolution in regard to Boycs’s run had been carried ; but was told in effect by the Speaker that it served him and those who sided with him right, they should have befn in their places. Message No. 10 was received, transmitting Supplementary Estimates No. 2. The estimates were consklere 1, and passed as follows Commissioner of Grown Lands L 101) ; timber approaches to the West Taieri bridge, L2OOO ; Civil Service Commission, L 290. The Load Boards Bill, the Roads Diversion Ordinance, and the Appropriation Bill, wore passe I through all its stages. Mr Haughton’s motion that the select committoe’s report on the Wakatip portion he referred to the Government, was carried. His Honor entered the chamber at .'3 o’clock, and delivered the following address - Mu. SPEAKER AND GENTLEMEN OF THE Provincial Council, — The business of the session having now come to a termination, I have to express my earnest hope that the important deliberations in which you have been engaged may he productive of those benefits to the Province at large which I am sure is the desire of us all.

I have also to assure you that it shall he my endeavor to give effect so far as practicable to the various resolutions which you have transmitted to me. With respect to many of the sums which at your request have been placed upon the Supplementary Estimates, it will of course be obvious that unless the receipts for the year should turn out to be in excess of the estimated revenue, such sums can only be expended to the extent to -which the expenditure under the main estimates is likely to fall short of the amount voted.' On behalf of the Governor I have as sented to the following If 11s passed by yon, viz., Cemeteries Management Ordinance, 187U; Management of Rivers Ordinance, 1870 ; Thistle Prevention Ordinance, 1802, Repeal Ordinance, 1870; High School Ground Ordinance, 1870 ; Hospitals Ordinance, 1870 ; the Dunedin and Port Chalmers Hallway Agreement Validation Ordinance, 1870; Otago Representation Ordinance, 1870; Licensed Theatres Ordinance, 1870; Impounding Ordinance Amendment (Tdiuaucc, 1870; Appropriation Ordinance, 1870; The Road Boards Ordinance, 1870 ; Taieii Ferry Land Sale Ordinance, 1870. The following hills are reserved for the signification of the Governor’s pleasure thereon District Roads Cqmpulsory Land Taking Ordinance, 1870; Oamaru Pace Course Reserve Management Ordinance, 1870 ; Lawrence Athenaeum and Mechanics’ Institute Reserves Leasing Ordinance, 1870 ; Dunedin and Port Chalmers Railway Land Compulsory Taking Act, 1870 ; Tokomwiriro School Reserve and Glebe Land Sales Ordinance, 1870 ; Roads Diversion Ordinance, 1870. Gentlemen—As tin’s is probably the last occasion on which I shall have the honor of addressing you, perhaps: I may he permitted to say a few words of my own individual views with regard to a question,- which sooner or later must be grappled with— one which deeply affects our future position 1 allude to one present style or system of Government. Gentlemen—The conviction has long forced itself upon my mind that our present system of Government, both Colonial and Provincial, is unnecessarily costly and complex—there is far too ipuch of state about it. The fact that amidst all its depression, Otago has actually contributed to the General Government during the past year L 137,000, not one farthing of which has been expended within the Province—must, I think, speak for itself—as showing that some change is alsolately imperative in this direction. As regards the system that has grown up among ourselves, ft appears to me to be, fo a great extent, incompatible with a political organisation, so limited in its sphere of action as a New Zealand Provincial Government, must necessarily be under existing circumstances, Gentlemen, as a general rule, I think it will be found that divided responsibility is not conducive to eliicicut and economical administration. Gentlemen—l feel persuaded, could we see our -way to exercise the important functions which have Jieeu conferred upon us as a Province—without the formality of Parliamentary Government, “ with its outs and its ins,” and its ministcral crises—that instead of circumlocution, we should have direct action, and the public service would be conducted with more vigor and at les i cost. I think that this might be effected without substantially diminishing that responsibility of the Executive to the Legislature, of which the latter is naturally and properly so tenacious. Gentlemen, I shall not trespass upon your patience further than to express my earnest Rope that, if any change does take place in or}’ .system of Government, it may he for the better and not for the werse—change not forced upon us from without, but which shall spontaneously emanate from the intelligent convictions of the p ople throughout the Province. Gentlemen, I now declare this Council prorogued, and its stands prorogued accordingly. J, Macandrew, Bupc}luteudeut. June 13, 1870,