PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2397, 7 December 1870, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Tins Day. At the meeting of the Council to-day, Mr Brown presented a petition from Patrick Barry, lately a constable in the Otago Police Force, praying for enquiry into the circumstances attending his dismisva'. Mr Brown moved that it be referred to the Government. The Secretary for Land and Works pointed out the uselessness of the proceeding, as the Government had already considered the rep >rt of a commission of enquiry, and no action would bo taken to reverse the decision of the Commissioner of Police. The motion was carried, after some slight discussion. Amid much laughter, Captain Mackenzie gave notice of his intention to move the following amendment to the proposed reply to his Honor’s Message No. 8, received yesterday “ That this Council regrets as much as your Honor can do the present unhappy differences which exist between the Provincial Executive and his Honor the Superintendent of the Province. That this Council sincerely trusts that after the next general elections the opinions of the Superintendent and his Executive may be more in unison than they appear to be at the present time. That in the meantime, as it does not appear to be the intention of the General Government to delay the prosecution of nreliminary surveys of proposed lines of railway, and investigations relative to water supply on goldfields, notwithstanding the resolution of this House not to rc-oniincnd any of these works, this House fails to sec how the action already taken by it can in any way retard the successful carrying out of the Immigration and Public Works Act, 1870.”

Mr Shepherd asked leave to have the Standing Orders suspended, to enable him to propose a resolution expressive of the Council’s concurrence with his Honor that immediate action should be taken towards water supply on the goldfields, and recommending with that view the appointment of a Commission, consisting of qualified engineers and practical miners, to visit the goldfields, and report as to the best situations for the construction of reservoirs ; but there not being a sufficiency of members present, the motion could not bo put. The Government stated that provision for the purpose of making the necessary onqui-ies had been made.

Mr M.‘lndue moved that the Government he requested to ash his Honor to prorogue the Council forthwith. In the debate which followed Mr Fish made allusions to “ hole and corner meeting;,” “secret influences,” ami -'ci rlniii parlx.u” all having a tendency to damage the Government, and hinted at (he connection of the Opposition with them. To this Mr M'iudoc replied by instancing the meeting at the Shamrock Hotel, when “ a thousand sixpences a week ” were agreed to be subscribed for the purpose of returning certain members to the Provincial Council and Assembly. He followed with an onslaught on the Government, stating that he made the motion not out of disrespect to his Honor, but with a view of releasing the Government from the ignoble position they had made for themselves by pursuing a policy which he had no hesitation is saying was fraught with destruction to the well-being of the Province. Then Mr Held lost his temper, and charged the party to which the last speaker belonged with having used means to battle the successful carrying put of the administration of affairs of the Province — means he should “blush to mention,” and 'which were of the most “ contemptible kind.” The free tight which took place was brought to a conclusion by Mr Caklcr, who had also been attacked by the Secretary for Land and Works, stating in bis defence, that he had no connection with the party alluded to. Ho considered the Government had led the House into a disgraceful position in regard to Southland, and expressed his opinion that the conduct of lyrsipess Iprd been of such a character as to bring provincial institutions into contempt, and the most hitter satire that could be passed on it. Mr M'Dermid was on the point of asking leave to move a motion in Mr Driver’s name

on the s ibject of the San Francisco service, when bis Honor was announced. The fol- I lowing is the prorogation speech “ Mh Speaker, and Gentlemen or the Provincial Council, — “ On behalf of the Governor, I on the 29th day' of November last assented to the Roads Ordinance (Southland) Repeal Ordinance, 1870. 1 now assent to the following Ordinances passed by you, viz.Jetties and Wharves Ordinance, IS7O ; the Dunedin Athcmeum and Mechanics’ Institute Ordinance, 1870 ; Education Ordinance (Southland) Repeal Ordinance, 1870 : Incensed Theatres Ordinance (Southland) Repeal Ordinance, 1870 ; Auction Ordinance, 1802 (Southland), Repeal Ordinance, 1870 ; Licensed Hawkers Ordinance (Southland) Repeal Ordinance, 1870 ; Otago Hoads Ordinance,. 1865, Amendment Ordinance, 1870 ; Otago Municipal Corporations Ordinance Extension Ordinance, 1870; Otago Municipal Corporations Ordinance, 1865, Amendment Ordinance, 1870 ; Otago Representation Ordinance (No. 2), 1870; Appropriation

jrainance (i\o. , j-ueeusmy vim- | nance (Southland) Repeal Ordinance, 18*0. “The following Bills I have reserved for the signification of the Governor's pleasure thereon:—Port Chalmers Reserves Management Ordinance, 1870, Southern Trunk Railway Guarantee Interest Ordinance Amendment Ordinance, 1870, Invercargill Park Reserves Management and Leasing Ordinance, 1870. Race Course Reserves Leasing Ordinance, 1870. “Gentlemen, — “ Among other important questions which you have had under discussion, has been that of public departmental retrenchment. My own individual views upon this fjuestion are, that the most likely mode of effecting such retrenchment is to make the Superintendent the direct political head, and responsible for the efficient administration of every department of the Government—not that he should act irrespective of the advice of the Executive Council, excepting in matters of detail; but that the functions of the members of the Executive should be those of advisers

only—not of administrators called upon to devote tlieir whole time to the duties of their office. Of course, to some extent the Provincial Treasurer, who must sign all cheques issued by the Government, and who must keep himself acquainted with the state of the public accounts, would require to devote a certain amount of time to ihc duties of his office, and he ought to be remunerated accordingly. In case of the other members of the Government, they should only be required to attend meetings of the Executive Council, for which they should be paid by fees and travelling expenses. “ L am persuaded that in the matter of government it will be found that the more we can adopt the principle of direct action, the more are we likely to secure economy, efficiency, and promptitude, and that the whole of the administrative functions of the Government can he satisfactorily fulfilled by the Superintendent, who devotes his whole time to the duties of the office. “Gentlemen, I feel the less delicacy in expressing my views upon this subject, inasmuch as both the present Superintendent and Executive arc approaching the termination of their official existence —and therefore what I have said cannot have any personal hearing -the whole question is one which it will he for the next Council to determine. “ I hj ive only further to express my conviction that there can be no extensive departmental retrenchment under our present system of government, ami so long as we have io keep up two distinct sets of officials under the General and Provincial Governments. What we ought to arrive at is not so much reduction of salaries as amalgamation of offices, with which view the practical con'rol of both services ought to a great extent to be placed under the Superintendent of the Province—appointed by and responsible to the taxpayer. “ Gentlemen, before parting, perhaps I may be permitted to say a few words upon she question of the constitutional position of the Superintendent—a position which, I fear, is; very much misapprehended, both in this Council and throughout the country. I think it right that it should be known that the Superintendent is constitutioiially as much an integral part of the Provincial Government as is the Provincial Ccuneilitself—that his powers arc co-ordinate with those of the Council—and that although his hands are tied by au anomalous system of responsible Government which was never coutouplated by, and is unknown to the Constitution Act—lie is at the same time responsible to the people—and as the custodian of-the public interests he has deemed it his, duty to address the Council on his own behalf, -when he has felt that the public interests were at stake. “ Gentlemen, I regret very much that my views ns to what is best for the interests of the Province have not met with your concurrence. Under all the circumstances of the case, I feel my position to be a difficult and a delicate one. On the one hand, I have responsible- advisers who appear to possess the confidence of the majority of the Provincial Council—by whose advice lam bound to act. On the other band, a-* I forewarned you last year, the result of that advice has been to bring the Province to the very verge of a dead lock.

“ The Pro vine; :1 C.onnvil. a* it appears to mo, without a due .souse of the couseqitenecs determined last year upon a course of action which has virtually deprived the Province of land revenue for upwards of 12 months, the result of which is that it is very questionable whether it may not be necessary to terminate for a time at least our subsidies to Eoad Boards and all expe diture on the public works throughout the Province—and now having so far interrupted the receipt of land revenue apparently equally regardless of consequences, it is proposed to stay the initiation of those public works which alone can remove the stagnation under which the Province labors, and which if they are not initiated at once, must lead to a state of absolute collapse— placing the Province in the rear instead of in the van of New Zealand.

“ Personally, I assure you it would bo vastly more pleasant for mo to be at one with the Provincial Council; hut when I see so clearly the results which must inevitably flow from a persistence in the action which the Council have adopted, 1 fed bound to oast aside all consideration of personal feeling, and to warn both you and the country that the results of that action must bo financial embanxusment, and a state of stagnation such as the Province has never yet experienced. As it is, there has been within the last six months a most serious falling pH’ in the revenue for Customs—attributable, [ believe, indirectly in no small degree to j;he stoppage of land sales. “ Gentlemen, believing as 1 do that there is throughout the country ao earnest desire

for the immediate commencement of these public works, which, in addition to developing the resources of the Province, will offer abundant employment of labor for years to come, and feeling that it will so far mitigate the evils of delay, I propose that the question shall be at once referred to the people themselves, with which view 1 shall apply for an immediate dissolution—a step which I venture to hope will have your concurrence. “ Gentlemen, thanking you for your attendance, I now declare this Council prorogued, and it stands prorogued accord-