The Lyttelton Times

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 310, 20 October 1855, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times

Saturday, Oct. 20. A Special Committee was appointed by the Provincial Council to prepare an address to His Excellency Colonel Gore Browne on the occasion of his expected visit to this Province. A difference of opinion occurred among the members ofthe Committee as to whether the address should be merely one of welcome, or whether it should touch upon political questions of immediate importance. The Committee applied to the Council for instructions, when a debate ensued upon the advisability of alluding to the necessity of a removal of the seat of Government from Auckland to a more central position. There was no difference of opinion in the Council as to the \irgent importance of such removal ; but a few of the members thought that it would be impolitic to moot the question in the address : chiefly on the grounds that it would create a hostility against the South in the minds of the members of the Assembly for the Province of Auckland.

It was argued on the other hand that the time had come when the question had become one of vital importance—-one which could be evaded no longer without serious detriment to the South ;—that if the seat of Government remained at Auckland we should virtually be disfranchised, as_"Otago is already; that Auckland already knew that the question must come to an issue, and that already the press of that Province had begun to insist upon the indefeasible divine right of Auckland to be the seat of the General Government. It is true that the extravagance of their expressed opinion savours very much of a consciousness of a bad cause ; but at the same time it shows that they are fully aware of the determination of the Southern members to insist upon the justice of their demand, and that Auckland is as determined to oppose any alteration to the uttermost. ; The manner in which the Auckland members attempted during the last session to deal with the question of Representation, shows us with what unscrupulous zeal they are prepared to press any claim which they conceive may be conducive to the interests of their own Province. Auckland has no sympathy and never had any,.with the interests of New Zealand as a Colony. We are very glad that the Council determined that the present opportunity should hot be lost, of pressing upon His Excellency the necessity which exists for a change ofthe seat of Government, to prevent the disfranchisement of the Southern Provinces of the Colony. On Wednesday next we propose to enquire more fully into the question of Auckland's " rights" to be the seat of Government.

The "Harry," from Wellington, arrived here yesterday afternoon, but has brought no mail. The mail, it appears, was put on board the " Mary," which left Wellington the same day. No later European news had been received at Wellington. The elections for the Provincial Council of Wellington had terminated in favour of the Government candidates, Mr. Woodward having been returned for the town of Wellington by a majority of 27 over Mr. King ; and Mr. Renall, for the Hutt, —his opponent, Mr.E. J. Wakefield, polling 81 votes only. The "Independent" states that without the support of the Government party, "Mr. Woodward would not have had a shadow of a chance against his opponent."