The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 628, 13 November 1858, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times.

Saturday, November 13. The report of this week's proceedings in the Provincial Council chronicles one of those small storms which every now and then clear the legislative atmosphere and render it agreeable and invigorating to the constitutions of many of our Senators. The Provincial Government of course figured in the character of delinquent: its offence was a complicated one, made up of various ingredients j amongst which we may especially point out, Ist, a wish to shirk responsibility, and too manifest a feeling of general weakness^ and 2ndly, an indecent desire to act on its own judgment, and too great self-confidence. There was a pastoral question involved in the debate, and a constitutional question, and a personal question, but above all a constitutional question —at least that was what cast the appearance of earnest conscientiousness over the declamation. The origin of the dispute was, so far as we can gather, as follows:—

On receiving the resignation of the la*e Inspector of Sheep, the Provincial Government adopted the means which had been adopted before in order to gather the opinions of the sheep-farmers as to the choice of a successor. A meeting of the sheep-farmers of the province was called by the Superintendent to recommend a fit person for the office. Before the day named by His Honor, some of the sheepfarmers convened a meeting of their own to prepare resolutions. All the members of the Government were present at this meetings anxious, as it appeared, to learn what the wishes of the stock-owners l-eally were. The Superintendent, on observing that the general feeling of the meeting was to decline recommending anyone, and finding that two inspectors were considered. necessary instead of one, at once acceded) to the desire expressed, and stated that on such a subject he considered the sheepi farmers themselves the best judges. His Honor's attendance was an act of courtesy which we do not think it will be wise .of him to repeat at future meetings of a like character. We scarcely think that he could have expected that he subjected himself to a personal attack, a lecture upon his duties generally, and some rather strongly worded advice to attend to the interests of the squatters more closely in future. After the . opinions expressed and the manner in which they were expressed, it is not to be wondered at that his Honor determined to use his own discretion in the matter of appointment. It appears that by law the appointment is vested in the Superintendent alone, while to the Superintendent and Executive Council is entrusted the framing of regulations, &c, &c. Now in ordinary cases, doubtless, his Honor would consult the Executive Council on the subject of an important appointment, but the Provincial Secretary stated to the Provincial Council that in this instance the Superintendent acted on his own judgment, and that under the circumstances of the case the Executive did not wish to claim any right to interfere. This was a matter between his Honor and the Executive. We wish to express no opinion upon the appointments made, but we must express our astonishment at the attack made upon his Honor's choice—before the gentlemen appointed had been tried—by some of the very gentlemen who gave up all claim to recommend any one to the office. Surely this is not right nor fair* When the subject was debated in the Council, the opposition to the Government was conducted by men differing very widely in principle. We must first, in their due place, take the "statesmen:" they, of course, argued the matter constitutionally j we have always held this class of politicians in great respect, although we cannot work ourselves up to their magnifying views; we shall have a still greater respect for them when they come down to the Council to ask with all due solemnity for the head of the 'Prime Minister.' Then there were the sheepfarmers: they were honestly "going in" for having their own way; that is intelligible and practical. Alas! Tityrus will not now always be quiet under his spreading beechtree: his pipe is put out: his sheep have got the scab, and have infected his temper. j School-boys in Canterbury must be hard put to it to beHew in Virgil, Then there were the skirmishers: from them came some of the. best directed shafts: one veteran scarred in many a former fray came out vi&ronaly for fche simple pur.pose of measuring eworda with an old opponent.

What wonder titat men who agree bo little upon other "subjects as the opponents of the Government; oh.Wednesday night, felt rather glad that they were relieved from the responsibility "•op-seffe& i g \ t Now that they have said their say,' most of them probably think very little more of the matter j it any of them read this they will perhaps wonder that we have recurred to the subject; but then, what would have been said in some quarters if the 'Ly ttelton Times' had been so negligent as to overlook so important an event —an event which might (to indulge in our local slang) have even brought on "A Ministerial crisis!"