The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1874.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 113, 13 May 1874, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, MAY 13, 1874.

Tbe following resolution waa carried in the Council lust night by a majority of twelve to ei«ht : — " That in order to restore the efficiency of tho Neleon Provincial Council as a representative institution, it is tha opinion of this Council that 'The Executive Government Act, 1871,' under which certain members of this Council hold certain offices, should bo repealed, and other provisions mnde in lieu thereof." Tho passing of such a resolution by eo decided a majority appears at first sight to be a very important matter, and, to those who were not present at the debnte, or who will not take the trouble to read the reports of it, it will seem to betoken au immediate change in the form of the Provincial Government. But a perusal of the speeches will show th^fc no such result is likely to follow for the simple reason that there is no probability of a majority of the Council agreeing upon the "other provisions " to be made io lieu of thoae now in existence. The position of affairs at the present moment appears to us to be something of this kind. The province, through the absence of a main line of road connecting the eastern and western extremities is in anything but a flourishing condition. The revenue is small and altogether insufficient for anything more than the mere maintenance of roads and bridges, and the up keep of tbe necessary departments. The prospect is dispiriting, for, unless tbe proposed loan is obtained, there ib no likelihood whatever of an improvement in the state of affairs. Under these circumstances men's minds are unsettled and dissatisfied, and the consequence is.that a craving for a change of some kind is the dominant feeling. A drowning man, it is said, will snatch eagerly at n straw, whicb, if he were merrily and contentodly floating down on tho Btream, he would allow to puss him by unnoticed So, it occurred to us, in listening to last night's debate, were the members of the Council anxious to bring about some sort of change without clearly knowing what direction it should take; so, perhaps, will the people weleome the news tbat their representatives have decided in favor of "other provisions," indefinite aod unnecessary though the expression may be. That we are not speaking without book in laying down such a theory we will proceed to Bhow. The twelve members who voted for Mr Donne's resolution may be divided into three classes. Some supported it because they were of opinion that there should be no paid members of the Government holding seats in tho Council. This is tantamount to an expression of opinion that there should be no Executive at all, because it ie not likely that the pubiic are going to get their work done for nolhing. A second party took up the cry of responsible government, and they agreed to the resolution as being, in their opinion, tbe first step in that direction. The third motive by which members appeared to be influenced was a desire to reduce the numbers of the Executive. All these three propositions aro perfectly fair matters for discussion, and the opinions of those who advanced them, are one and all fully entitled to dne consideration, but it will at once be seen how great are the difficulties in tbe way of framing the " other provisions " that it has been decided shall be substituted for the Act now in force. It is as though the Council were to pass a resolution to the effect that the Provincial Hall Bhould be pulled down with a view to erecting a new one. All of them fancy they would like to see a hanJsomer and 31 ore convenient building than that in whicb they now meet; some complain of the acoustic properties, some find fault with its shape, and others are dissatisfied with its size, and so down it comes. But then there arises the question of rebuilding. No. 1 likes the Norman style of architecture, No. 2 thinks that nothing can equal the Gothic, and No 3 can see no merit in anything that is not Elizabethan. And day by day they meet over the ruins and each rejects tbe other's plans for reconstruction. Similar results will, we believe, attend any attempt to givo effect to Mr Donne's resolution.