PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2585, 31 May 1871, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

This Day. The preliminary business was the bringing up the report of the Committee on Standing Orders by the Speaker. The Chairman of Comini tecs explained the nature of ihe proposed alterations The principal of them followed the practice of the House of Representatives in setting apart two days of the week—viz,, Wednesdays an I Fridays—on which Government business should take precedence. It was proposed that copies of certain petitions should be forwarded to the Government, for the obvious reason that the Government, being acquainted with the facts of the ca c, would be in a position to give all the necessary information in regard to it; thus allowing of the earliest possible investigation of the matter. Another alteration ■which had been madr on his (Mr Thomson’s) suggestion was, that when toe Conned was in committee a few minutes before the hour of adjournment at 5 30 pm., the Speaker should take the chair. The reason was that according to the old Standing Orders, when the committee was discussing a question a few minutes before 5.30 p m , the Chairman of Committees could not report progress on the motion or subject-matter of discussion, which lapsed in consequence. Besides, under the proposed alteration, further opportunity w'ould be afforded of giving notices of questions, &c, After some discussion the report was adopted. The Provincial Secretary laid a number of papers on the table. The Feovincial micretary explained that, in accordance with the intimation given on Monday evening, the Government had treated the adverse vote on the question of adjournment on that day as expressive of want of confidence in them, and felt themselves bound to resign their seats. It might occur to lion, members that an unnecessary delay had occurred, in that the resignations had not been sent in until this morning. He would simply state that it was necessary to de’ay them, in order to complete some little Executive routine, which would have been thrown into contusion had it not been attended to. He was led to think that in no case would inconvenience result, as the hon. member opposite had no doubt been able to complete his arrangements, and a Government would be formed without delay which would meet with die full confidence and support of the House, be should be glad to move the adjournment of the House, but, before doing so, perhaps the hon.'nu mber opposite would say what time would be required to enable him to complete Jus arrangements. He supposed ho might say until seven o’clock this evening—(laughter) ; he said so because it had b en reported that things w r ere so far arranged, that immediate'y on the resignations of the Executive being accepted, a new Government would be tornr-d. However, be would move the adjournment of the House till 2 p.m, the next day. Mr Reid seconded the motion, and stated that for the information of the House he might say that His Honor the Superintendent had done him the honor of requesting him to put himself in communication with him, and desired him to undertake the formation of an Executive. That bad occurred only ten minutes before the meeting of the Council, and he might observe that the arrangements were not in so forward a state as Mr Cargill anticipated. Owing to the intimation given by the organ of the present Government, the evening paper, that it was not intended to follow the usual practice on such occasions, he had not given any consideration to the matter; and as he also heard it rumored that the Government did not intend to accept the vote of Monday evening as a vote of want of confidence, he requested so tie little time to be given to him to confer with those who had acted with him in order that he might form an Executive. He therefore asked that he might be allowed to give an answer to the Superintendent to-morrow He did not take upon himself to say he was in a positimi to form an Executive, but he wished to explain that he hoped one would be formed from among those members who voted with him aud those who held views in common with them, as he believed they were returned by their constituencies for the purpose of carrying them out. Mr E. B. Cargill wished simply to say there was no ground for the statement that the Government intended to depart from the statement made, that the vote of Monday evening would bo accepted as one of confidence or no confidence. There had been no hesitation on the part of the Government, and the delay in tendering their resignation had been simply for the convenience of public business. lie intended no reflection whatever upon the hon. gentlemen opposite (Mr Held) in saying that he supposed he was prepared to name a new ExecutiveThe House then adjourned.

The royal marriage was celebrated at Melbourne by the hoisting of flags and the ringing of church bells,