Page 4 Advertisements Column 5

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 63, 25 October 1864, Page 4

Election Notices. other member -$^ Capacity] '^; Practically such, a provision^ w^ould ; tend to f reduqe 'tne r bffice f of • Supemterid^iit 'to $? - 'cypher. Thnpresaed with the; conviction thatp in' agreeing to this bill, -the Council was^ni^ome^ex-^ tent governed by feeling; I withheld from jit the assent of the Governor. ' • / iO ; r In the succebding session, the Councilj eritery taining similar opinions, declined to -cd-bperate-witli me in conducting the business of the Pro- 5 vince, otherwise than on the -basis f bf^ ierred^rf : fThiiT ;'may ; Be"^rified on referring. to the Southland.; 'gazette o£ • i; 9tli AugUßti,.. IriitS' sixth on the 22nd February; the Council resolved that. all. power -which, it could legally' "corifer^ by the i Provincial Gbvernment^Ordinance;! should .bb administofed, andMFmorieys : it voted, expended.^^ by the; Superintendent; only 'witn-tKe sanction of^nExecutive responsible to the Council. In the'-substance'of this resolution^! fully concurred, arid on those' terms : havb;all along beenwilling to co-operate, iivgobd faith, with an ' Executive possessing the confidence of ; the Gbuncil. My views on this position of 'administrative^ relations under the' present law ; s;are ; these -.—M all matters within thie control bf'thb'Proyinciiii Council, 1 the Superintendent should act only iyith r the" advice '■' and consentof the Executive." .' In case of a difference of opinion on those, if neithor party gaye way or resigned, the Council should be assembled.; In the exercise of 'such powers as : are' beyond, the control of the Provincial Council; the Superintendent should consult with ; the Executive and conform with their advice, ; uriless there were very important reasons— which sho r uld ; be recorded— for deviating from it. Clearly,^ the Executive could not be held responsible to the Council for acts of the Superintendent in matters, in respect of which, the Council could riot' convey to 'the Executive any administering power. ■; But, at the same time, it is obvious that if the . Provincial Council should adhere to its "desire to' attain the control in matters in which' it does not at present possess it, and- upon a second occasion, agree to pass a bill to that effect, it would be most injudicious, and even unconstitutional, for a Superintendent again to withhold such a billfrom the consideration of His Excellency the Governor, even although he did not agree with the views it embodied, In Provincial legislation, the Superintendent has a concurrent power with the Provincial | Council. Yet occasions can but rarely occur in i which he would bo justified in exercise of this I power, in withstanding the views of the Council ; by withholding Bills passed by it. ' : It has been contended that the administration of j aProvincial Government would, be better conducted j if the Superintendendent occupied a 'seat in the j Provincial Council. I differ altogether with this I opinion. If the Government was to be conducted as a responsible one, then it must be conducted by party, the Superintendent will necessarily be the leader of the majority, arid when by turns one party in the Council outvoted the other, the somewhat novel spectacle would be presented oi a Superintendent alternately leading' opposed political parties — one day as leader of the left de nouncing the policy which as leader of the righ he may have advocated only the day before. It has always appeared to me that the Supei intendent should be above and impartial to party and that any exhibition of partisanship woui | tend to diminish public confidence in him, an I derogate from his position. As this acknowledgement already extends to a? undue length .1 will only add that if my opinion j are not sufficiently known on other topics o; | interest, I shall willingly give any furthe. j explanation you may desire, on the day oi j nomination. I am, Gentlemen, Your obedient servant, J. A. R. MENZIES. 10th October, 1864. 57-tc TO MATTHEW HOLMES, ESQ. S~ IE, — We, the undersigned Electors and Inhabitants of the Oteramika District, respectfully request that you will become a CANDIDATE for the District at the ensuing Elections for the PROVINCIAL COUNCIL. ROBERT HAMILTON. WILLIAM DAWSON. GEORGE DAWSON. THOS. A. DAWBON. W. D. G. WOOD. HUGH M'INTOSH. JOHN MORTON. WILLIAM KERR. WILLIAM JOHNSTON. ALLAN HALL. . JOHN MACaiBBON. ROBERT M'AWLEY. PETER MILNE. f September, 1864. 54 te To Messrs. HAMILTON, DAWSON, WOOD, and the other Gentlemen signing tho Requisition. g "l ENTLEMEN, — In answer to the requisition you have honored me with, I shall be happy to allow myself to be placed in nomination as a candidate for the representation of the Oteramika District, at the forthcoming Election of Members of the Provincial Council ; and shall, if elected, spare no exertion to advance the interests of my constituents and of the Province generally. Although no modifications of the New Zealand constitution can bo at once obtained, I am of opinion that they arc required ; and, as the subject may, and probably will, be discussed and legislated on, it appears not irrelevant to furnish you with my views in this place. The history of the last few years shows that, under the existing system of Government, the best interests of the Middle Island are liablo to be overridden by the claims of the North. We have been, and still are, contributing largely towards an expenditure from which wo derive no benefit, and much of the present commercial depression in Southland and the other southern provinces, is to be traced to this source. I am, therefore, an advocate for the separation of the two Islands, and the establishment of a General Government for each. I would abolish the Provincial Governments, but allow each Province to retain and expend its own revenue, merely contributing its quota to the expense of maintaining the General Government. With reference to the questions more particularly attracting public attention at the present moment, I will give a brief exposition of my opinions, although for the settlement of some oi these questions the Provincial Council is almost powerless. I am altogether opposed to the present system of dealing with the Waste Lands of the Crown, and would in preference adopt, with certain modifications, the regulations in force in Canterbury. Doubtlesß much of the prosperity of that Province is owing to superior rulea for tho managoment of its lands. Whilst the agriculturist can buy land in any ' part of Canterbury, and obtain a grant without dolay, tho squatter has the ttdvantagb of holding his run until it is aotuaily pttrdMtsed, whereas in Southland, on theproolajA,