A SPECIAL SESSION.

Evening Star, Issue 3051, 28 November 1872, Page 4

A SPECIAL SESSION.

To the Editor. Siu,— ln your last night’s paper yon report proceedings of a deputation to his Honor the Superintendent, in which Mr (.Jeorge Duncan is reported to have said that I. was the only member of Council who had “positively refused to sign the memorial.” Now, Sir, as my motives in doing so cannot from the report he understood by my constituents, a very large number of whom are subscribers to your paper. I shall be glad if you would insert my letter, addressed to M essra Duncan and Hutcheson, the gentlemen forwarding the circular. To that letter I have nothing to add or subtract, except tiiis fact, that it is essiuned that the geut'emoii who have not replied hold the view that the Council should be called together now, which, on inquiry, I find is not the case, 'aa several have slated to me that they

hold with my views. Further, I may state that one gentleman who has signed the requisition has informed me that he believes in the view I have taken in the latter part of my letter.—l am, &c,, Ed. M'Gl asuan. Dunedin, November 27. Dunedin, 20th Nov, 1872. Dear Sirs,—l am in receipt of j your circular, enclosing memorial to Superintendent for signature. Whilst agreeing with you that the provisions of the new Land Act should be at once brought into operation, I fail to see that the Council are called upon to take immediate action, as indicated. I hold it is the duty of the present or any Executive to carry out the administration of the law promptly and wisely, and the Ordinance, if of any value, must show what duties are devolved upon the Executive. If these gentlemen do not carry out the provisions of tiie Ordinance, they must then be amenable to the Provincial Council. Ent my principal objection to calling the Council together at the present time is tiio fact that it will entail a considerable, and, as I deem it, an unnecessary expense to the Province, without equivalent advantages Last session the Conn* cil, whether judiciously or not I will not say, voted large sums for public works, far beyond the estimated revenue for the year, and until the revenue returns and expenditure are shown, I can see no necessity, at all events on the score of public works, of calling the Council together until the end of the financial year. At the same time I will be prepared to support a resolution having for its object the assembling of the Council together for business at an earlier date, and also fixing the termination of the financial year to a more convenient period, I may say, another reason weighing with me in not acquiescing in your proposal is the fact that is clearly apparent, viz., that a considerable amount of political ill-feeling seems at present existing in the minds of parties, which would be well to be allayed, and probably time would allow this feeling to tone down. I much fear calling tlje Council together at the present time would not have this effect; I rather fear the demon of discord would be roused, tending to be hurtful to the interests of the Province, and I presume this is not the object you have in view.—l am, &0,, Ed. M'Clash an. [Our reper'er was not informed of the deputation, and it was by the merest chance that we were represented at the interview. Thus it happened that we were only able to publish a portion of what occurred ; though, had we been informed that Mr M'Glashan’a letter had been used, we should have endeavored to have obtained a copy of it,—Ed. E.S.] _____