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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5455, 20 September 1878, Page 2

When the Triennial Bill was before the House of Representatives a few days ago on motion for second reading, the adjournment of the House was moved, which would have shelved the Bill. On division the votes were equal, and Mr. Speaker, on giving his casting vote, took occasion to express his opinion against the Bill in the abstract ; but he added that the experience of years in this colony had led him to the conclusion that Ministers bad been deprived of their constitutional right .to a dissolution, and as this Bill might relieve them to some extent, ho would give his vote agaiust the adjournment, in order that the Bill might have a chance of passing. These remarkable words of course imputed to the Governors of the colony a refusal of constitutional rights which had been demanded of them, and were felt by-a large number of members to be exceedingly out of place coming as they did from the Speaker's chair. On the renewal of the debate on Wednesday evening, Mr. Fox, who had not previously spoken, said that “ as regards the abstract merits of the Bill as between fivo years and three he had no very strong opinion. V, however, it could bo shown in the light' of experience of past years that any Ministry had ever been deprived of its constitutional right to a dissolution, and that this Bill might to some extent remedy that evil, be might be inclined to vote for it. But his experience in past years satisfied him that no such circumstance had ever occurred. On two occasions only since the Constitution was bestowed had dissolutions been asked for. In both they had been refused, and in his opinion, in both the Governors who had refused them had done so with strict regard to constitutional rights, to common sense, and to the merits of tiro cases. Xu order to give expression t > his opinion to that effect ho should vote against the Bill.” We understand that Mr. Fox was not the only member who resented the charges against the Governors of Now Zealand implied in Sir Wm. Fltzherhert’a utterances. Several other members are said to have retrained from 'voting for the Bill, or voted'agaiust it, as a.

tacit assertion of the impropriety of the Speaker’s-?-remarks: -and their disagreement with the ' implied, imputation on Governors Bowen andNormanby. • j