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RESULTS OF THE SESSION.

(From the Southiand Thees7 A.ugust6.) .:• We have said .we i sincerely trust we shar never again liave Tfco ctobhicle so useless a .session-., as, that' of the .Southland I^fovin- "> cial Council, ;Miich^ has justy terminated/ In one' senseV however, it hias" accomplished , much, and, -we" propose Y to ? show in what ' , manner. The! question is asked — What has 4 ; the. Sputhlahd "P'rpyincial Council : .-done ? This may be^^ ahsweted-'^be^t .;by' asking ' another— What could it have; doheT , .conduct of affairs, 'preceding'the-summon- ; ihg of the Council, had been so Miserable, the efforts Jn^ , extricate the Province from its difii6ulties ; had so failed • " "and the .last I crowning folly of ihe "^shin : plasters "^had , rendered us socbihpletery the laughing- 1 , stock-. of New _. Zealand,., that, ; on the, Council' being.' sumnibhed,' 'eveiy one "anticipated 7 immediate . relief. , , 7 Had every mpmber : '.-.of ' "the i .Council been a ', very HERCuLEs^f^ily ecrual tp ; f-he u task| of r . 'cleansing these" i^geiah ist^les^we 5 doubt r whether they "could' have realised the ex- . pectatipns . formed -of them," simply bel cause those erpectaltions were 1 'unwarranted'by the possibilities,rmuchmore thie 1 probabilities, of success. - The -first duty of the 'Council was to endeavor to get the; J power entrusted to^ iand the responsibility' f fixed on, - a, body , of men amenable to - themselves, and - "whose actions they could i control. . Eainngtbis, their' oiily alternaT- } tive was to fix 'the 'responsibility on the . Superintendent, 'even -though they de- . spaired of cohtr piling his' action, tip to 1 the present, the system of divided re--i sponsibility has'^worked most injuriously i for the public interest. f While it was - evident that there ' ; was much blame i attachable to some one, 1 the drfficulty was i to find the individual on whom to. fix the f onus. During the course of the session - this was rendered doubly .apparent. The i Provincial Treasurer, who, to do him L justice, has throughout held tenaciously 3 to his salary, was one of the comt mittee which 'drew up ahdgave his entire - concurrence." to the reply to His Honor's s address. That reply states that fhie f Provincial Council, "while desirous of j expressing its sympathy with your Honor. 3 in the present embarrassed position /of the 1 Province, cannot but give utterance to its i grave regret at the reckless expenditure - on public works, which has led to it,— ar 3 expenditure incurred in the" ' face ! ol i impending financial difficulties of ho little l moment." Thus it would appear, 'thai * the Provincial Treasurer, while desirous , of retaining the loaves and fishes' of office: > was by no means so eager to share' any b blame for the actions of the past. Thougl] i it is perfectly true that the greater portiori b of our liabilities were contracted before f Mr. Tarlton's advent to power, it 'is . equally true that contracts were' entered f into long after. Up to, April, tenders l were called for, and yet7Mrl TarLtos 3 stated he found, on entering office, jthe [ Province hopelessly embarrassed. '7 'TFoi L this " reckless " expenditure, therefore, he - was surely in some' measure to blame. Whatever the situation of affairs wheh [ Mr. Tarlton and his celebrated Ministry > undertook office, it is evident enough they j did not possess sufficient financial ability , to extricate the Province. They : could l do no more than attempt "; the partu- ■ rition of that abortion, the "shin-plaster " ; scheme. But Mr. Tarlton repudiates ; having had any hand in the reckless expenditure. Who, then, is to blame for it ? Whose the -prolific brain which achieved a "shin plaster"? If the Provincial Council at its last session did nothing else, it fixed the responsibility for the next few months on the individual arrogating to himself all the powers and functions . of G-overnment. In doing this, it did' absolutely all that it was possible for it to accomplish under the circumstances. It tried its best to induce the Superintendent to work with it. Mr. Pearson/ to judge from the debates on the subject, spared no pains to explain to the Superintendent, that whether former legislation provided for it or not, the circumstances of the Province demanded that he should consent to part with his power and responsibility in favor of an Executive possessing the confidence of the Council and the public. He instanced to him the example of Mr. Harris, the Superintendent of Otago, whose strong good sense led him to adopt this course unsolicited, and who consequently, while in all probability enjoying quite as much power, is the most popular Superintendent in New Zealand; But Dr. Menzies, though stating his perfect willingness that his successor should be bound as tightly as ' the next Council might choose, declined for himself :: the mildest ligatures. The Council .having failed in obtaining a legitimate ' power, fixed the responsibility on. His Honor by the resolution of Mr. Harvey, declaring the present Provincial Trea--1 surership not a political appointment, and holding the Superintendent alone responsible for the conduct of affairsJ At the same time it declared by resolution that if His Honor wotdd 7 not work with them in their way, they .were prepared to work with, him provided always The took the entire responsibility 1 , and prayed him to send them down some financial/plan, to which they would, if it lay ih their power, give their assent/ His Hohor^ however, while, determined to keep the ■ power, shirked tRe responsibility.. In, his mes--sage,7Nb. .6, he -asked the Council/-, to devise some, plan.'; ; JSTow;, it is perfectly true that ' the Provincial Council having failed to 'obtain its : legitimate^ powers/ might have mcurred theresppnsi-" biHty of devising; some financial 'plan for ■meeting contingent liabilities; and handed ' it oyer to be worked By '^ a' Government ' in which it has ceased'to'have any confidence." But there^ were serious objections j to this. Eirst, it was 'absolutely necessary' for the successful operation of any plan \ that -the hien to : whom its development was i entrusted- * snould' possess' ithe "confidence' 7bf ■'■ the : CPimcil.' ; 'Se^bhdl^"that L these' ;ihen, ; 'being 7 responsible 7 to J-tHe Gbimcilj ; sliouldhave'the po^er of Carrying -into Effect ihe wisheisrpf f the 'Council, without' 2 rhierfkrence7bn ,ihe L jpart 1 oi 7: an individual °ov&r r^om7 it ■ .h^ np^pn*fcl^)l.7 Dr. MEN2iSrefus^J%cr^ce^)t axcjfaW^ai^

scheme of the- Cbuneil 7: on^ these^teians. Had the ' Co uicil nandedi over any /plan to be workedout oh his o^^vterma, it would simply have ibeens crasigningdit7^ truction. WhateveriDr.iME^zi^s';cffis*cial capacity may be,f>hevhas oiof; iueceMed in convincing -either the'jiGreheral^G-bvern-:ment,7.the -rßartks/rprvythe Newi -Zealand public^ that diesis a fEduLDEtor a G-h.cd-iSTOWE^A *'£The uG-eneral. FiGrPvemmeiit^lias lost all confidence; iinliMm ; for;;hot only has it entrusted to- its Sub-Treasurer the disbursement of the funds it has advanced, with strict injuncti ons; that he : ah'aU^atisfy :Ai?^e^aiS.'/t'o\fthe.inaturej'6f;a-caril*acf^be-fore-He pays; under, it/ no: matter who imay - sign the ivoucher :. authorising a payment, but .he is" requested, we Kunderstand; to furniste the! General riGovei^eiifc-with a list of. -all .the'outstandm^Habilitie^of the Province !7 .This is the'crowmngVevidence of a total loss of confidence ori*thepart of the ; G-eneral -.■• G-overament;7*'lt-vwill not ask the Superintendent ito furnish such a list, lest it should* be again -deceived £;> for it is evident . enough that, when the £45,000 was .''.--" advanfeed, the G-eneral Government ;. was n6t7*made thoroughly aware- of the piitstanding iKab'ilitiesTof the Province. ' AsTtoie^atrusinngTanyiplan to the -Provincial' Treasurer (Mt^-Tasltok), tthe-thingds too absurd!' V His in the'imanagerial room pfit anyr:6£ s the Banks,* f i ■ tOB discuss iithe a t best! i financial scheme^ would' be its own; death-warrant. WeT-never came 7 across cany 6ne7-who so strongly exemplified^the i :old fable ofe the ass in the ;Mpns!s nskmiv^ lf f Mt^;Tablton" could :dhly: be 'muzzled, or7btherwise;-pre-vented from -talking, -there ■ might sb'e a chance of his; obtaining a. -ceftaih amount ;of .respect ;v7but alas! he^will ;openc his <mputhy and then?-— we aE know *#hatifhappened ;in*the'>fable.K We canf imagine ?him, on receipt oftoew^U ;that i another idra'ft bf the home;agentrihad]aarivedi exclaiming helplessly^ ; . with Domistte •Sam^soST—Prodi*girOus!!! 1 1 To? have eritrustedraiiyJplan to His- Honor ; and'cHso^easurerj would ■have beenuiTmore? ;,than'u the al Council was justified in domg^-andrfiw-hat is worse,-- would haverbeen^utterly inseless, ■ and indeed.' -ruinous.: i ■. ; Had the 7 Council devised? a- remedy,; handed it overito be carried-, into £ execution* by the men we {have- described',dt would have; ended in failure, and the last -hope? bf ; the-PrOTOnce been destroyed, i: The Couheiljquhjustly blamed now for .dbrng I'would1 ' would have then been as unjustly blamed for incompetency; in' devising ''a, remedy which depended: for its success Vientir'elyV on the men entrusted: with the duty ; of; carrying it into execution. f.^ have rnade^ one" other sacrifice.; Dr. Menzies; in! his' sixth message, displayed the usual ■- amount c; of '■fencing, i. wHe referred to. certain :; resolutions* regarding the conduct of passed rait the beginning: of last Session pf 7the Council, to which he; assented 7at7 the< time,/ and i still •'• conceivedvliimselfi bound'^ibut he utterly: ignored^the.^Pjovinciali Council's Ordinance 7passedi7at tlimend off ithat Session — passed;? ibecau.se 7the&; Council found, during that Session, that its, previous resolutions A- were hot binding. 7 TlnV Ordinance Dr. 7 Menzies, taking • advantage of his delegated' powers, disallowed ; in other words, declaredithat the public should not be%overhedas-they desired;. -by the.;expressioS ofiitheirj will through their represe : ntatives,?vibut in accordance with -the will of the Superintendent. This- action alone proclaimed the utter uselessness bf £ anu-iExecutive Government as based oh the resolutions referred to in His:Honor -s message'; *Np. 6, forhis Executive had agreed to andadopted in rthe Council (the. Ordinance iwhieh the Superintendent disallowed, 1 without'-we are bound to believe, troubhhgThimself to ask their advice =■ or. ; consents 1,/Fhe 'Provincial Council at this session^ failing -all'- other means, might have f waived- its; -legitimate claims, and consented to*an7Executive on the old principle—^rthat. of being: consulted or hot, as-His Honor chose jto read any particular Act bearing on the subject. Had it doneCso, .would the desired object have been -gained P o- > We noiv The Executive, occupying! ! an /exactly similar position . to ■ that -ibfe the last^-the> ? mere puppets, of; an arbitrary-^d- incompetent man---would: not ihave*] restored dence, and in all .probability^ immediately after the Council was prorogued, would have been 7 obliged . to resign, on finding their : advice xnot.-^kpd Or- taken. Unless^ indeed, they iwere as tenacious of office as Mr. Taelton, ml which case^they would have proved -as utterly useless for the protection- of theiipublie ? -interests. Taking everytlnngninto': consideration) we conceive the: .course-; Tpursued-vby-the Council tot hayei-beennthe: correct^ One. It fixed the -responsibility where the power was arrogated It showed its desire for retrenchment by demandinofresh estimates. It -protected' the ipublic as far as it could from 1 a recurrence to past recklessness by passing' an ew Appropriation Ordinance, and' 'it appealed to the only judgment-seat left — the General G-overnment — for protection for the people against a despotism^ which, under the , present - anomalous' form of fovernment, it is powerless itself to resist, t has been* asserted that during the session there was no^organization, each member bringing forward his own financial resolutions," which' might *have l been amalgamated into one set. The absence of an Executive is a sufficient ' 'answer to the first objection. The Council ; was unanimous enough in concurring •> with the stipulations required* by^MrrPjEkESO2T before he would consent to '-acVept office as a member of - the' Executive. • In appealing to the General Government; > in .repudiating the 'system '-of v divided responsibility ; in all matters of moment it was unanimous enough. Where there was no Executive, it cannot be wondered at that in minor matters each thought himself at liberty to act,for himself. - As to the, other sets of resolutions, they could not well have been amalgamated. Mr. Caideb's were < addressed -to the Governor, praying . his assistance t6 r 'get rid of the incubus -in the shape of the Superintendent; iwhichf-was prostrating .. the , r energies of- - the 'Province. '•* - Mr. CHAiMEEakjesolutiom'^were^-adareßsed to the Superintendent himself, and

ikbvigh the —pfbieists ■' co^ained j -M : - -theiri 1 we somewhat .siii^^^ those Itt^Mr. Cald^ wasi .;jeiy dj^^ protesting," request the Superintendent to -Bend. I j4pwn., i > l eßtijQmteß,• s^and offer ihe co-operation of the Councilrin-r any *' prudent \ measure^ ■* he may dense jfor, * liquidating tKe7debts"o£^ and a suggestion is thjpyqi out fp^rrpndeijing - lesa>b.urdensome tprtlie'creditbM ■/vli^^^ or rather laßititurnedontaftera great^deal of circumlocution; His, r Honor's, are of an 0 entirely *'aifi^in^ :; cha*acter, and] in their e^tirefy^^" wild, rfchat/: fortunately^ 4 1-hejCp^ciL'would not^adopt them ; jbut' v*-pickiftgi*oiit-»frbm them what little y a8 < uiieM'and'pl'actical, passe"d"that portion^ A >and7cori'sigtiea*the remamder'to-the Iwaste basket. Ttiey j appealed to the General Assembly (for & guarantee for past and future ,lpp^,JaM,/ instead ; pf iprotest|Lng against tlie mismanagement of our affairs by ourselves? -virtually threw the entirb blame -bi-buf- position-^st ! 6n ffie-^eneral Government* ' r *fof --not J the £120,000 and *&25;000 loans, and secondly, on ..Ibhe. r Stock Elxchange-for T not r nego--;tiatmg-ihe loans* which had 'already been sanctioned;- 'w-?'ti6.^-™"uaTiiy bei 7:tween-tbese'and^^theother'tw-o^ets of resolutions: f East J-uhep'the r public7was' amused (^nd. instructed: in- the ? columns, of a"7cbnitemporarytbyiithel -intimation-' that^" f We -" f,? remember- the domestic^ legend 'bf the ; }' ih^tferipus cat;"\vhp7a^^ " tiling^ iroih bj-ealdng. the ehiha-serviiee, t( to runnjng away with th,e leg |of , -,.*CQuttpn! ;, f: Tffiere w^ 7 ;that.;,sbjne r^pne disepve^^" Mill's inuividual;" ; .and. /there ~ was! .a :. grave r admonition afforded:;/ : " Det jus 7 ■*- chob|e : between 7t^° w^W^^^- j* 0 ' ' "-'hav^^eilb^erjb^m^ or. l6he -set ,6^ men, „. *' re^b^sible:'^r'~Jt'^ £ 7^o^ *^bf the Administration^ and^ihavhig " adopted one or - ; Mother conclusion, " let AAiisA follow < Ait out to its legitimate a*! issue A .The 7pieseht 'igives us no re- " sponslbilify :at 7 all." The Provincial Council, .doubtless, with.a. due. .rev e fence ' ; for the grave 'authority Ayhence; : 'the T a ! d- , -■- 'monition - pf dceeded," } : follbw^ed it implicitly, , They found" Mill|s in;:r dmdual7'.,.Cßy^passing Mr. Harvet's resolution, they, fixed ■ the responsibility,^ and in order /to "follow it , oiyfc to. its : ' legitiinate^^ tissue,- 5 .' .d^eclMed aftbrwards jtp divide .the'! responsibility." withythe Super- '! mtend^rw]!-^ .-K* cleveijy sought to thrust -it -on them. They said, -,- : • * Ton 'have^takeh the powef ; take^also the responsibility. ; - sena ub dp^rn any prudent 1 Ihbasui-e^br^me'ethig /bur emba,rrassments, and wewjll -pass "i^b- for you, but don't seek; Wdmde'^ Give us the power, and we will work out the problem. Keep the'; power; r and work it out yoursebf.; 7v To . whoever undertakes to work out the problem „^us)t/^^higts^..^;Jnb!j!iin^&blled power 'to "do "it^^^Ehis-f^isv ;what the Council has bj;ei£tbld't^^^ is abused by the same authority for following its advice^- and" its: '.conduct characterised as partaking of "flippancy, carelessness, and 7^yindictivcness,7 '■/ This is ;har9ly ! fiiir, the : ~ 'Council has not only found "Stuart Mill's individuall" 'it Has done more, it has discovered the "mysterious cat.;" The problem to W solved is, "WTio shall bellthecatP'Y .-., = - T: ; /. -.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18640818.2.28

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 34, 18 August 1864, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
2,408

RESULTS OF THE SESSION. Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 34, 18 August 1864, Page 6

RESULTS OF THE SESSION. Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 34, 18 August 1864, Page 6

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