The Southland Times. THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 1861.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 28, 4 August 1864, Page 2

The Southland Times. THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 1861.

■ ■ '- *- ■ ■!■ 1 ■ ■ ~ •* Bis ousted as our readers must by this time be about the misunderstanding His Honor "and the Provincial Council ori the subject^pf^ an. E^pcutiye Councils we think, now the business of the Session is, over, i that it may be useful, t, both for tbe people of Southland, andalsb c for those of the other Provinces, if we 8 give a' short resume of the quarrel. ..• Some ; who may not have takentthe trouble to ■" wade, through the wearisome columns of a Southland Provincial' Debate, may per- * haps be induced to-read -the story when - placed before them /in a condensed f form,; and, we say it with all due a respect, that .some of the members- of ,- Council/themselves may be' able from this t short account to know better what really r w~as the gist of the matter than they were 1, whilst sitting in , the House. Themem- ; bers of a New Zealand Provincial Council i are not generally very highly gifted, g ftther as regards eloquence or an aptitude for legislative business, but' in both I these respects we are reluctantly come pelled to admit that the Southland Provincial Council is very deficient. The t fight between His Honor and the Provincial Council began iri this wise. Elnowing from past experience that there might be a hitch in forming an Executive, ' the Superintendent, in his address, alluded ■* in touching terms to the difficulty. The 1 Provincial Council, in the reply, also men--3 tions the difficulty, and hints that His ; Honor " will see the necessity of at once r "appointing such a Council from the - " members who possess the confidence and I "support of the Provincial Council." The campaign was now opened. Mr. Tablton stated that on the following day he would " endeavor to prevail on His Honor to form " a new Executive. He moved a series bf resolutions relatingto the present depressed state of the Province, and recommending a certain line of action. We next come to one of those peculiar documents which Dr. Menzies is so well able to concoct. The Council are favored with a "message." He insinuates that the House will perceive that he is quite ready to form an Executive, and act with their advice. The Provincial Treasiirer wished for a discussion on the resolutions he had submitted, but the House preferred waiting till a new Executive had been formed. Mr. Peaeson then said behad been able to form one, with the co-operation ol other gentlemen ; they were quite ready to commence work so soon as His Honor had entered into a "compact", with them, that he would be guided by their advice. His Honor refused to comply with the terms oflered. A special agreement was necessary, because Mr. Peaeson was not quite sure whether His Honor had not the legal right to retain all the power in his own hands, and treat his Executive as he always had done, viz., — as a cipher. He said be would see His Honor again on the subject, and submit to him the opinion of the House. Before the adjournment, however, and after some more business had been transacted, and it had been discovered that the £45,000 advanced by the Greneral G-overnment, to give temporary rehef to the Province, was taking wings to itself in a very remarkable manner, Mr. Caldee moved— " That tbis Council having heard the explanations of those members who haye unsuccessfully endeavored; to form, an Executive, are of opinion that the spirit of the memorandum, submitted by them to His Honor the Superintendent, substan- * tially embodies .the views of this House with regard to the formation of an Executive." 'Mr. Howell seconded the resolution, which was carried without further discussion. We may remark in passing thai; seconding that resolution, and, at an earlier stage of the session saying he was sorry to hear Mi*. Wilson stating a" falsehood, appears to be about the extent of Mr. -Howell's legislative exertions. But, to continue. We have next a set 6£ resolutions by Mr. Chalmebs, to the effect that the Council were- alarmed at the determination of the Superintendent to govern/ without an Executive, or, at least, without an Executive which was more than a farce. 7 /There were four resolutions, but. the other three did not directly, bear on tbe question of the Executive. ■ The fate of those r'esblu-' was postponed in prder to see if -the Superintendent would change his mind^ and give in a little to the wishes ofthe Council. Mr. Pearson had an interview with the' Superintendent, but he resolutely, or rather, doggedly, maintained his position, referring to the proceedings of the last session^ *of<■ ■ Council. ■ .He asserted that lie always had taken the advice" of his Executivej and been guided by their -decisions '"in' all' , matters ih 11 which legislation .gives them a consulta- " tion power" and expressed a willingness to consult them on other matters where he might, if he'ehbge, .decide without; such, consultation. ~We all know that that is' not a correct statement of the case, nay, more, that it is in direct opposition to the !*truth. , Mr. Tablton, with that peculiar class of; eloquence for which he 'is ' so celebrated, - told the House that he did not see what the cause of of the/disagreement was. , And then Mr. '' Habvet made &'. speech, the fluency, of which was only equalled by the ■ strength of the langiiage,> which was 'many degrees over f proof. Mr. .Habjey,' :hbwever, tookj a sensible. .Tie^rOf/iHe/bitaell, lif he need

terms wl&fh wer^dt ;(^plsp|J|i|j^fthe manner pia 1 baet|sKe i^ntionji^is* goop He ' wasjf§f o§|upn. fSfat th^Q-enei^ ;Q:oYerninlni shoialcL T^|memt^i|(iaed |^ r^ovesJlijSul^i^eltllnt. JBporeth^ o^d||^ouri^it7^si?setl^^ Oaldeh^ ishould^lij^ng; forward" a motion embodying whafc'^he former speaker bad suggested.. At a subsequent sitting Mr. Caliieb read four resolutions relating to tbe above. ,The fourth of tbe list was the most important. 4. That, seeing tbe Superintendent refuses to act in accordance witb the wishes or advice of tbe Provincial Council, this House respectfully, but earnestly calls upon His Excellency the Governor, to dissolve tbe Council forthwith, or to take such steps as he shall think necessary to prevent the further ruin of the interests of the Province, as well a 9 for the protection of the credit ,of the « These resolutions^ were postponed, to allow Mr.' Peabson to bring forward one on the same'subject, which he did, asking His Honor if he had any financial scheme by which the Province might, be^ . ex- . tricated from, .. its '.. .difficulties., . It then ; came out that /the resolutions. ; which MX: '■ Tarlton submittSd in the earlier part V f the session were the r only ones* which His Honor wasprepared to submit. TMr.-PEAB- - .son's resolution was withdrawn, and Mr. Caldeb'sv were 'then ; discussed.- After , much talking they were passed, with tbe addition "That the Speaker be requested io 1 forward a copy of the above resolutions to the G-overnor." Mr. Tablton's were then discussed in committee and finally passed in the following form :— 7 . * y; "That tliis Council, is of opinion that all Provincial Loans, raised, under . the authority oi - Ordihanoes, . . wlucii. vhave ...received, or. . that, may t receive, tbe assent of His Excellency the governor, - • should receive v the Golbnial guarantee by Act of , * the- General Assembly. That the necessity for , such ■ action is urgent, and that the General Assembly should be ' summoned to meet at the earliest practical .time, in order to take, this matter into consideration. Thai the charges for interest aud Sinking Fund, on such loans asmay be obtained by any Province, should be retained by the General Government, from the Land and Custom's revenues of such Province as thoy arise. That the Superintendent bo 'requested to communicate with the Superintendents of the other Provinces, ih order to ascertaui- whether they will co-operate in beinging such views before , the General Legislature. That Mr. Speaker be requested to transmit copies ofthe abbve resolutions to the members of Assembly for the County of Wallace, requesting them' to support in the Assembly the views ombodied in these resolutions. That a memorial embddying the spirit of these resolutions be, presented to Hia Excellency the Governor."' * Mr. Chalmebs' original resolutions were then discussed, and passed with various alterations. Such is a very brief outline of the " great fight," between His Honor the Superintendent, and his Provincial Council ; and we are compelled to say that the whole proceedings, or a great part of them, were conducted in a most unsatisfactory manner. The matter rests, for the present, where it begun. The Superintendeat has come off, in a manner, victorious ; but the Provincial Council have the satisfaction of knowing ; that they brought forward an infinity of resolutions, aud still occupy the ground they took up at the beginning of tbe battle. We sincerely trust that we shall never have again to chronicle so useless a session.