PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Southland Times, Issue 724, 16 September 1867, Page 2

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

ERIDAY, 13th SEPTEMBER. Present — Messrs . Wilson (Speaker) Longuet, Daniels, Blacklock, Hodgkinson, Monckton, Cuthbertson, Ross, Lumsden, Clerke, Armstrong, Johnston, Swale, McClure, Hately, Pearson, Calder, and Butler. After prayers, the minutes were read and confirmed. No Order Paper. Dr Hodgkinson, in moving " That the Council adjourn till 8 o'clock this eveuing," was glad to say he thought he had a very satisfactory reason to give for the adjournment sought. It was to allow time for a private meeting of all the members, to be held for the purpose of taking measures to remove the present deadlock by securing an efficient Executive. At this private meeting he would have some communication to make which would be both important and, he hoped, satisfactory, as leading to the removal of the present unsatisfactory state of things. The preliminary arrangements could best be carried out at a private meeting, which he proposed* should be held in a [ quarter of an hour. Mr Armstrong, in seconding, said it was time party feelings were laid aside and the hatchet buried. He believed that the proposition by Dr Hodgirinson would have a good tendency, and by, perhaps, effecting a reconciliation between the two parties thus lead to very good results. Things had come to such a pass that, as was stated by Mr Cuthbertson yesterday, it was difficult to get any one to take a lead or take the responsibility of forming a Government. The public and press had been very much to blame in allowing unfair statements to get into circulation. No Southland Government, he believed, had ever had a fair chance in consequence of this, and he could speak on the point with feeling and from experience. It would be a hard task to induce him to sit in one of those official chairs to have his feelings hurt by insinuations made and motives assigned which he could not call upon any member of the House to substantiate. He hoped Dr Hodgkinson's motion would . be adopted. Mr Cuthbertson desired to express his extreme gratification at the proper and consistent course Dr Hodgkinson had now seen fit to take, and only regretted it had not been taken sooner. He would support the motion, of course. Motion put and carried.