NEW PLYMOUTH.

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 281, 11 July 1855, Page 5

NEW PLYMOUTH.

(From, the " Taranaki Herald," June 20.)

A. Circular from the Colonial. Secretary, (bled the 25th of May, has been received by the Members of the General Assembly by the last Overland Mail from Auckland, of which the following is a copy :— (Circular) Colonial Secretary's Office. Auckland, 25th May, 1855. Sir, —By command of his Excellency the Officer Administering the Government, I have the honor to inform you that Mr. C;irkeek, the Collector of Customs at Wellington, has been instructed to make arrangements for the conveyance of yourself and other members of the General Assembly from the Southern Provinces to Auckland, for the approaching Session on the stii of July next. Some uncertainty exists as to the means of conveyance that m;ty be available for that purpose in consequence of the proprietors of the "Nelson" steamer, having declined to renew the contract for continuing Steam communication between the several Provinces'of the Colony, and should the Collectors of Customs at Wellington fail to procure the required means of conveyance in due time, or should any other obstacle arise to prevent Members of the General Assembly reaching Auckland at the time appointed, 1 have to inform you that His Excellency will be prepared to prorogue the Assembly for such time as may be sufficient to enable the distant Members to be present at the opening of the Session. Mr. Cavkeek has been directed to inform you of the arrangements alluded to so soon as they are completed. As His Excellency conceives that it maybe convenient to'members' to be informed of the course which His Excellency proposes to pursue on the opening of the Assembly, I have the honor to state that his Excellency's wish that Responsible Government should be established at the earliest convenient time, and, with that view, he will cause to be laid before the Assembly a Bill of the nature required by the despatch from the Secretary of Slate on the subject, dated Bth December, 1854, a copy of which is annexed. The only other business, a* it appears to His Excellency, that it will be requisite lot the Assembly at once to deal with, will be to make ...jyemporarv provision (probably by the renewal ■*oi the present appropriations for a limited period) for the Public Service till a Responsible ' Ministry shall have had time to take upon themselves the Government of the country, and be enabled to meet the Assembly after sufficient time shall have been afforded for the requisite preparation. Having disposed'of these measures it is not his Excellency's present intention to propose any other; and in. order to afford the electors an opportunity of choosing- members,

with a view to the new form of Government, His Excellency is of opinion that the dissolution of the Assembly ought to take place immediately afterwards. Should this however, on further considerations, not be deemed advisable, it still appears to. His Excellency indispensable that the Assembly should be prorogued for some months, in order that the Responsible; Ministry may be afforded sufficient time to make themselves acquainted with the affairs of the colony, and to prepare such measures as they may deem necessary to propose to the Assembly. I have the honor to be, &c, Andeew Sinclair, Colonial Secretary. More than two months have elapsed since the receipt of the despatch of Sir G. Grey referred to in the above communication ; yet it appears that even now some uncertainty exists as to the when and how the members are to reach Auckland, although the Session of the Assembly is appointed for the sth proximo. Nor is this the only certainty desiderated. The Circular is a rare specimen of the ambidextrous, a string of uncertainties that reserves latitude for any amount of double dealing. Sir G. Grey's despatch which the circular refers to, after stating the consent of the Imperial Government to the introduction of the Responsible piineiple into the Government of New Zealand in the terms given in a former issue of. the Herald, notifies to Colonel Wynyard some difficulties which had occurred to the Government as to. other measures suggested in his despatches, and which are reserved for the new Governor, and then reverting to the immediate and pressing object of the communication — the questioii of Responsible Govern menu—says, " I am very desirous to avoid uifnecessary delay, and have no hesitation in authorising you (o act in' person on my present instructions." It appears to be His Excellency'sintention— if indeed anything is to be gathered .from the circular to call the Assembly together—in the first place to pass the Pension bill for the officers of the present Executive (the only measure indicated in the despatch from the 'Imperial Government as being necessary to the institution of a Responsible Executive); and in addition to make provision for the public service for sbuie months tq come, in the shape of a new appropriation bill, preparatory to a dissolution of the Assembly, or a lengthened prorogation. One or other course being considered necessary for the purposes of preparation ; or for any other purpose that may arise in the chapter of accidents to be turned to .account in the creation of further delays'an'd disappointment. Anything but a straightforward and rational obedience to the Imperial instructions seems contemplated, and any juggle that may tend to defeat their spirit seems likely to be adopted. The members are to be called from their homes and occupations to Auckland for these objects, and are to be sent home i xh mediately after to encounter the turmoil of a new election ; or to be again called back, after the lapse of a few months, at cost to the country and great inconvenience to themselves. ' If a dissolution is considered necessary, why is it not determined at once ? If not, what should prevent the immediate induction of a system sanctioned without reserve by the Imperial authority, and with but one precedent condition of providing for the present serv avis of the Crown ? It is scarcely problematical that the intention of all this mystification is to deter members from proceeding to AucHmd, but we trust that the members of all the constituencies will unite as one man in lhie~del'eriin nation to be present at the opening of the coming session that, should any attempt be intended to procrastinate or defeat the full benefiis of the concession made by the Crown to their reasonable demand?, the interests of the colony may be protected by those who have had the honor and credit of asserting these rights in our first parliament. We trust that nothing will be permitted to prevent any of our own members from ■ being present, since a resignation of their trust now would leave the interests of the province only partially represented. The Wellington Independent of the 7th of July, after commenting on the downfall of the Wynyard-Wake/ield policy, makes the following remarks on the calling together of the General Assembly. " Now what is to be done next? The summons for the Assembly is for the sth of July. The uespaLuli which causes its necessity was

received by GoL Wynyard before the 18th Aprilj for the extract was published in the Government Gazette of that date. The summons is dated the 25th May, and it reaches Wellington on the 30th June. Proof perhaps of the fitness, of Auckland as the place of Session. But what will he the result? Before the necessary means of conveyance can be provided , and the members can reach Auckland, two months from this date must elapse—further proof of the same fact. By that time Col. Browne ought to be in the colony—he was to sail early in May. Why then, take the unnecessary step, of summoning the Assembly before his arrival. If the Southern Representatives should obey the summons, we can see but little good to come of it. On the other hand, it they stay away, and the Governor should be able to muster a quorum, much evil will come of it. On the whole we think that a united protest from the southern members calling on the Governor to dissolve the Assembly would be the better course. Bue there must be union, and there is but little Hint for communication between the several settlements. " One thing1 we hope they will be agreed upon when they do meet, and tbat is, before they vote the pensions to the retiring officials, they will insist on full and satisfactory accounts of their stewardships. Even if responsibility should be withheld a ypar or two, it were better than to permit these obstructives to get off with pensions when they deserve something very different. In the meantime the Assembly has the purse-strings, and can cut down if necessary the Government to the tare civil list; and we do not believe that the Home Government would insist upon th? pensions if it appears that the conduct of the parties disentitles them to such an indulgence."